Oscar Wilde in Lyme Regis

Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900) was one of the most celebrated playwrights of the nineteenth century. He was born in Dublin (where the statue pictured on the left can be seen), but spent his later years in London. He came to Lyme Regis for a holiday in 1891, and stayed at the Old Monmouth Hotel  (then called the White Hart). According to a sign inside the hotel, Wilde scratched his name on a window!

Thanks to Patience Gent for drawing my attention to this story. Patience also mentioned that the parents of the 20th century novelist John Masters used to live in Lyme Regis.

For the many other literary figures associated with Lyme, see the Museum's Writers and Artists page.

Book Night at the Museum

Lyme Regis Museum took part in World Book Night yesterday – an annual celebration of reading when tens of thousands of people worldwide give books within their communities to spread the joy of the printed word.

The Museum gave visitors copies of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – a great work of literature and a title that is appropriate for Lyme Regis with its Austen connections.

Local residents and visitors from Denmark, America and Australia who were among those calling in to the museum on April 23 were able to see the Jane Austen family items on display there and receive a free copy of her book. Some were first-time Austen readers, others passionate book-lovers, all wanting to pass on the thrill of reading to someone they knew.

Clockwise from top left, the picture shows Margaret Rose (Chairman of the Friends of Lyme Regis Museum), Elma Tahir from London, Shirley Sibbick from Christchurch, Jan Salling Andersen of Odense, Denmark (birthplace of another great storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen) and Robin and Garry Spry all the way from Queenscliff in Australia.

Lyme Regis ArtsFest

The Tenth Lyme Regis ArtsFest will take place in September this year, but planning ahead for 2013 is already underway with a new and exciting initiative for all artists, writers, performers, craftspeople, photographers and musicians called “Re:collection”

Conceived by ArtsFest Creative Directors Karol Kulik and Christine Allison, Re:collection is a year-long project about inspiration, ideas and creation. Inspiration from where? Answer... Lyme Regis Museum!

As Christine puts it, “That wonderful gem of a place nestled in the heart of our town holds an array of artefacts in all shapes and forms. These collectively record our Lyme Regis history, geology, folklore, domestic life, sea life, famous and infamous residents and more. Each exhibit has its own story to tell. If one exhibit could ignite a creative spark in an artist, what would be the outcome? A painting, a sketchbook, a book of poems, a drama, a dance, a piece of music, a film, a series of photographs, an animation, an embroidery, a sculpture, a happening, a book, a workshop – the list is only limited by your imagination.”

“Go to the museum and look with new eyes,” she continues. “Find something that makes you curious, use it as springboard for ideas and get the creative juices flowing. The smallest of things could inspire a huge abstract painting, a theatre production or a sculpture, let your imagination loose.”

The project has already spawned some interesting proposals, and ArtsFest will be seeking funding for the more ambitious projects that require substantial budgets. Re:collection will be formally launched at ArtsFest 2012 in September, and all artists' work will need to be completed by September 2013, culminating in a group show at The Malthouse and other suitable venues in the town. Artists of all disciplines (individuals or groups) are urged to visit the museum now and email their ideas and plans to the ArtsFest organizers.

A gift to Lyme Regis Museum

Lyme Regis Museum is pleased to have received a gift of a large framed photograph that has hung in the Lyme Regis branch of the Lloyds TSB bank for many years. Pictured above is the bank’s local manager Joanne White handing over the picture to museum chairman Stephen Locke (on the left) and the museum’s newly appointed director David Tucker (right) .

Mr Locke said 'The museum is very grateful for the gift of this picture. It shows how Broad Street in Lyme Regis looked for the 1980 filming of John Fowles' book French Lieutenant's Woman. This was an important event in the town's recent past and illustrates its literary connection to John Fowles. The museum is also proud that Fowles was its curator while filming was taking place.'

Museum Events in April

WEDNESDAY 4 APRIL 11.00 to 3.00 at the Museum

Easter Family Fun Day at Lyme Regis Museum
Get creative with Alison Bowskill. From Easter chicks to first swallows, birds will be everywhere! Drop into the museum to make and decorate your own Easter bird to take and hang up at home. Free admission for adults and children and free art materials. Suitable for children ages 5 to 10 years.

SATURDAY 7 APRIL 10.00 to 1.00 at The Inn Place, Pilot Boat Inn, Lyme Regis

Book Sale and Coffee Morning
Have a coffee and browse hundreds of quality books.
Admission £1.00 includes refreshments. Bargains galore! Coffee! Conviviality!

SATURDAY 7 APRIL 2.30pm at the Museum

Know Your Fossils
Lyme Regis Museum’s fossil experts Chris Andrew and Paddy Howe (right) invite you to come along to discover how to find and identify fossils, and to see and handle their more unusual finds. Bring along your own discoveries for identification. No booking necessary.

Thursday 12 APRIL 2.30pm (approx) at Woodmead Hall

Fairgrounds in Wartime
A talk by Kay Townsend. Organised by The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum
The talk will follow the Friends' AGM

SUNDAY 15 APRIL 2.30pm at the Museum

Know Your Fossils
Lyme Regis Museum’s fossil experts Chris Andrew and Paddy Howe invite you to come along to discover how to find and identify fossils, and to see and handle their more unusual finds. Bring along your own discoveries for identification. No booking necessary.

TUESDAY 24 APRIL 2.30pm (approx) at Woodmead Hall

Poundbury, urban triumph or disaster?
A talk by Martin Pakes (this replaces the previously advertised talk)
Jointly with The Lyme Regis Society
The talk will follow the Society's AGM

Fossil Walks
Join fossil experts Paddy Howe and Chris Andrew on their famous fossil hunting walks and find your own 150-million-year-old fossil. For adults and children alike, it’s an unforgettable experience. Walks last around 3 hours. To book a place telephone 01297 443370 or email walks@lymeregismuseum.co.uk

• Thursday 5 April 2012 09.30
• Friday 6 April 2012 10.15
• Monday 9 April 2012 12.30
• Tuesday 10 April 2012 13.15
• Wednesday 18 April 2012 09.00
• Thursday 19 April 2012 09.30
• Friday 20 April 2012 10.15
• Saturday 21 April 2012 10.45
• Sunday 22 April 2012 11.15
• Monday 23 April 2012 11.45
• Tuesday 24 April 2012 12.15
• Wednesday 25 April 2012 12.45

Mary Anning Walks
Join guide Natalie Manifold and explore the paths and streets of Old Lyme as Mary knew them, and learn about the life of the ‘greatest fossil hunter ever known’. The walk takes about 1½ hours. To book a place telephone 01297 443370 or email walks@lymeregismuseum.co.uk

• Saturday 7 April 2012 13.30
• Sunday 15 April 2012 13.30
• Saturday 21 April 2012 13.30
• Saturday 28 April 2012 13.30
• Sunday 29 April 2012 13.30

Rockpooling
Join marine biologist Chris Andrew and geologist Paddy Howe and see at close quarters the magical world of creatures like velvet swimming crabs and squat lobsters that lie in the wake of the receding tide. The sessions last around 1½ hours. To book a place telephone 01297 443370 or email walks@lymeregismuseum.co.uk

• April 4 10.00
• April 11 15.00
• April 12 16.00
• April 26 14.30
• April 27 15.00

Rockpool Ichthyosaur

Chris Andrew, Lyme Regis Museum's Education Officer, sent these photographs of an interesting new fossil find by Museum geologist Paddy Howe. Here is what Chris says about them: "Paddy found some scattered Ichthyosaur bits on Saturday 10th March. The pictures show the vertebrae that Paddy first spotted in a pale mudstone at the bottom of a rockpool. Several friends volunteered to help. Paddy had to clear the sand covering the bones, so you have a nice picture of him sweeping the rockpool. Unfortunately the mudstone was very crumbly and all the bones came out separately. Paddy got both front limb bones (humerus) and about ten vertebrae, a few paddle bones and rib sections."

Lyme Regis Museum on TV

Lyme Regis Museum was featured on BBC2‘s Britain’s First Photo Album on Friday March 16, together with the Museum's Education Officer Chris Andrew and volunteer Ken Gollop. The series, presented by the BBC's former political editor John Sergeant, travels around the country in the footsteps of pioneering Victorian photographer Francis Frith. This particular episode included a long segment filmed in Lyme Regis, and was recorded last September. Before the filming, the Museum gave help and advice to BBC researchers on the Francis Frith Collection of photographs that forms the basis of the series. The half-hour programme can be seen on BBC iPlayer until 30 March.

The picture on the left shows Museum fossil expert Chris Andrew and TV presenter John Sergeant holding fossils that were discussed in Britain’s First Photo Album.

Landslides of the Jurassic Coast

Geologist Ramues Gallois entertained an audience of around 80 people on Saturday March 10 at Lyme Regis Guildhall. Dr Gallois, Fellow of the Geological Society, spoke about the ever-moving landslides of the Devon and Dorset coast, why they occur and whether they can be predicted. He presented a fascinating archive of photographs and drawings of past landslides that explained and illustrated the spectacularly active landscape between Lyme Regis and Sidmouth. Together, these form the largest complex of landslides in Europe.

The talk was organised by Lyme Regis Museum as part of National Science and Engineering Week. Chairman of trustees, Stephen Locke, thanked Dr Gallois for his highly interesting and relevant talk. He pointed out that Dr. Gallois had mapped our area as an officer of the British Geological Survey and has taken a particular interest in the landslides. His very special understanding of the local geology combined with his knowledge of the more recent history of the landslides meant he had given us a truly authoritative account of these remarkable and important features of the local landscape.

Appeal launched to save Belmont

Belmont, the former home of Eleanor Coade and John Fowles is at risk. More risk even then when the Landmark Trust gained planning permission to return it to its prime as an 18^th Century maritime villa. The Trust has launched an appeal to raise £2.1m to save the house which is one of Lyme’s most important buildings. John Fowles was, of course, the curator of Lyme Regis Museum back in the 1980s.

Click here to learn more about the Landmark Trust's plans for Belmont and the appeal.

Museum Events in March

THURSDAY 1 MARCH 2.30pm at Woodmead Hall

The Early Years of Photography
A talk by John Marriage. Organised by The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum.

SATURDAY 10 MARCH 6.30 for 7.00 at the Museum

The ever-moving landslides of the Devon-Dorset coast
Drinks and a talk by Dr Ramues Gallois , fellow of the Geological society

TUESDAY 27 MARCH 2.30pm at Woodmead Hall

The History and Activities of the Shelterbox Trust
A talk by David Guy. Jointly with The Lyme Regis Society.

Fossil Walks

• Wednesday 7 March 2012 09.00
• Thursday 8 March 2012 09.45
• Sunday 11 March 2012 11.45
• Monday 12 March 2012 12.30
• Tuesday 13 March 2012 13.00
• Wednesday 21 March 2012 09.15
• Thursday 22 March 2012 9.45
• Friday 23 March 2012 10.15
• Saturday 24 March 2012 10.45
• Sunday 25 March 2012 12.15
• Monday 26 March 2012 12.45

Mary Anning Walks

• Saturday 3 March 2012 14.00
• Saturday 10 March 2012 14.00
• Saturday 17 March 2012 14.00
• Saturday 24 March 2012 14.00
• Saturday 31 March 2012 14.00

Coming soon: Science Week

9–18 March is National Science & Engineering Week.The Museum has just issued the following Press Release:

National Science Week at Lyme Regis Museum includes an evening with Dr Ramues Gallois, Fellow of the Geological Society, who will talk and answer questions on the ever-moving landslides of the Devon-Dorset coast. Large landslides are more common on the Jurassic Coast than in any other part of the UK, and erosion of the rocks between Sidmouth and Lyme Regis has produced the most spectacular active landslides in Europe. Dr Gallois poses the question, ‘Why do they occur and will we ever be able to predict them?’ Drinks from 6.30 for talk at 7pm on Saturday 10 March. No booking necessary, everyone welcome FREE.

Tides along the Lyme Regis coast are among the lowest of the year on Sunday 11th, Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th March. Join Paddy Howe and Chris Andrew on one of Lyme Regis Museum’s fossil hunting walks for the more interesting discoveries usually found at this time of year. Sunday’s walk leaves the museum at 11.45am; Monday’s at 12.30pm; and Tuesday’s at 1pm. Fossil walks take about three hours. Booking advisable: telephone 01297 443370 or email walks@lymeregismuseum.co.uk. See the museum website for times of walks throughout the year at www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk.

At Lyme Regis Museum on Saturday 17 March at 2.30pm Paddy Howe and Chris Andrew urge you to Know Your Fossils. They tell how to find, identify and handle fossils, show the more unusual finds that have come to light as a result of landslides and coastal erosion, and invite you to bring along your own discoveries for identification. No booking necessary.

Family Fun Day: Meet the Ecosaurs

Around 180 children dropped into Lyme Regis Museum on Wednesday February 15 for half-term family fun with dinosaurs. The children made rubbings of fossils, created pictures of their favourite dinosaurs and produced a timeline to take home and remind themselves of Lyme’s oldest residents from the Jurassic Age. The photograph shows Ellie Romanini aged eight from London and Arabella Conway-Hyde aged seven from Bridport.

You can read all about the event and see some more pictures on the Previous Events page of the Museum website.

Lyme Regis Museum appoints a new Director

David Tucker, currently Dorset County Museums Advisor for Dorset County Council, has been appointed Director of Lyme Regis Museum.

Trustees’ Chairman Stephen Locke said: ‘We are pleased that David has accepted our invitation to direct the museum at this challenging time as we pursue our big plans for the museum extension, and that the museum has again attracted a first-class museum professional.’

Kate Hebditch will continue as Acting Curator until David takes up his appointment in May.

Our geologist makes a TV appearance

As seen above, Paddy Howe, Lyme Regis Museum's geologist, made an appearance on the Children's BBC show Jedward's Big Adventure this afternoon. Jedward, a young duo from Dublin, shot to fame a couple of years ago as contestants on The X Factor (sadly they failed to win, due to being memorable and having a personality). In their new TV series, they travel around the country trying to learn enough facts about a place to pass themselves off as tour guides. In today's episode it was the turn of the Jurassic Coast, and Lyme Regis featured very strongly.

The show was filmed last October. Paddy says 'They were lovely lads and asked some really intelligent questions about the fossils. I think they enjoyed it'. If you missed the show, there are still a few days to catch it on BBC iPlayer.

Americana in Lyme Regis Museum

The photograph above shows another of the recently added displays in Lyme Regis Museum. Perhaps not as exciting as the new Jane Austen display, it does however relate to what must have been a turbulent time in the town's history, when US troops were stationed here during the Second World War. This small collection of wartime American money has kindly been donated to the Museum by Lyme Regis resident Ken Gollop.

Also acquired recently by the Museum is a collection of documents that belonged to one-time Mayor of the town, Ivor Curtis. These include the certificate shown below conferring honorary citizenship of Dallas. The text reads: "Be it hereby known that the Honorable Ivor Curtis, Mayor, Lyme Regis England, has on this day been made an Honorary Citizen of Dallas, Texas, and under this charter shall hold and enjoy a place of high esteem in the minds and hearts of the people of this City. October 23, 1985."

Museum Events in February

THURSDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2.30pm at Woodmead Hall
The Great Sir Thomas Ackland, Voyager Extraordinaire
A talk by Dr. Keith Orrell. Organised by The Friends of Lyme Regis Museum.

WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 11am till 3pm at the Museum
Half-term Family fun Day - Meet the Ecosaurs

SATURDAY 25 FEBRUARY 9.45am to 4.30pm at The Dorset History Centre
Exploring the Collections at the Dorset History Centre: day conference
Click here to download a programme and booking form

TUESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2.30pm the Regent Cinema
Films with a connection to Lyme Regis
A talk by David Johnson, Manager of the Regent Cinema. Jointly with The Lyme Regis Society.

MARY ANNING WALKS

• Sunday 5 February 2012 14.00
• Saturday 11 February 2012 14.00
• Sunday 12 February 2012 14.00
• Saturday 18 February 2012 14.00
• Sunday 19 February 2012 14.00
• Sunday 26 February 2012 14.00

FOSSIL WALKS

• Tuesday 7 February 2012 09.30
• Thursday 9 February 2012 10.45
• Saturday 11 February 2012 12.15
• Sunday 12 February 2012 12.45
• Monday 13 February 2012 13.15
• Monday 20 February 2012 09.00
• Tuesday 21 February 2012 09.30
• Thursday 23 February 2012 10.45
• Friday 24 February 2012 11.15
• Saturday 25 February 2012 11.45
• Sunday 26 February 2012 12.15
• Monday 27 February 2012 12.30
• Tuesday 28 February 2012 13.00

New Jane Austen display in Lyme Regis

A number of new exhibits have appeared in Lyme Regis Museum over the last few weeks, most importantly the updated Jane Austen display shown above. As mentioned in a previous post, these are items that actually belonged to Jane and her immediate family. They were kindly donated to the Museum by Diana Shervington, a Lyme Regis resident who is a descendant of one of Jane Austen’s brothers.

One of the most interesting items, which you can see on the right of the picture, is a box of counters for the game of Merelles. This game, also sometimes called Nine Men’s Morris, was ancient even in Jane Austen’s day -- it dates back to Roman times!

Lyme traditions - Wassailing and the Mummer's play

On Saturday 14th January two Lyme traditions were played out before an enthusiastic crowd.

Wassailing and Mummer's plays are ancient traditions which until recently were lost to Lyme. Over the last few years, the Museum has organised wassailing to try and revive the tradition, successfully so it seems. This year, Harry Ford, one of the Museum's volunteers has created a modern Mummer's play and, after the wassailing, it was enacted around the streets of Lyme.

The picture to the right shows Sir George, the hero of the play on his gallant steed. The wonderful masks worn by Sir George and the local cast were made by local artists. The Uplyme Morris-men, having performed before and been a part of the wassailing then became part of the play.

Let's hope that both these traditions will continue in modern Lyme.

To see more pictures of the events click here.

Bioluminescent shellfish at a Roman villa

Here's an interesting story that links two different subject-areas covered by the Museum: archaeology and natural history. Starting with natural history, one of the many fascinating creatures to be seen in the rockpools along Lyme Regis beach is the Piddock (left). This shellfish is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, it isn’t satisfied with having its own shell for protection: it also burrows into the rock for additional security! Secondly—and even more bizarrely—it exhibits the phenomenon known as bioluminescence... in other words, it glows in the dark!

Piddock shells were amongst the thousands of edible mollusc shells discovered at the Roman villa at Holcombe, about a mile outside Lyme Regis (this was the site where the Iron Age mirror was found). It’s quite common to find hoards of “used” sea-shells at Roman sites, because eating shellfish was very fashionable in those days. At Holcombe, the piddock shells were found in the vicinity of the bath-house, together with oysters, scallops and edible snails.

I came across the story of the Holcombe piddock shells in an excellent blog post by Ray Girvan, who describes how the Romans (and presumably the Romano-British) used to amuse themselves by eating the glowing shellfish while bathing at night. Pliny the Elder, in Book IX of his seminal encyclopaedia Natural History, makes two oblique references to this practice. The longer of the two, from chapter LXXXVII, is quoted in Ray’s article, while chapter LI also briefly mentions “...piddocks, which shine as if with fire in dark places, even in the mouth of persons eating them.”

We’re doing our best to produce our own photograph of a Piddock glowing in the dark... but hopefully it won’t be inside someone’s mouth!

I’m grateful to Ray Girvan for his original post and for a subsequent e-mail discussion last week, and to Marrina Neophytou (Devon County Council) and Claire Pinder (Dorset County Council) for help with the archaeological records.

William Buckland: an eccentric geologist

William Buckland (1784 - 1856) was one of several nineteenth-century geological pioneers associated with Lyme Regis (the bust shown on the left is on display in Lyme Regis Museum). He was born a few miles away in Axminster, and visited Lyme frequently while studying as an undergraduate at Oxford University. In 1818 he became the first Professor of Geology at Oxford.

Buckland was the son of a parish priest, and in his early work he tried to reconcile his geological discoveries with the Biblical accounts of the Creation and the Flood, although later in his career he became a convert to the glacial theory. By all accounts he was an eccentric character, becoming famous in non-scientific circles as the man who ate everything!

Buckland was a pioneer of the experimental method in geology, and it was in this way that he made one of his most famous discoveries, concerning coprolites. On the Dorset coast, pebbles are occasionally found which when broken open contain a distinctive structure and what appear to be small bones and fish-scales.

Buckland speculated that these objects were fossilized excrement, deposited by large marine creatures such as ichthyosaurs—a theory he proved to his own satisfaction by dissecting a number of fish and injecting their intestines with quick-drying cement! Buckland coined the word "coprolite" to refer to these fecal fossils... and he liked them so much he had a special table made to display his best specimens. The table is now on display in Lyme Regis Museum.

Not all Buckland’s experiments were successful. Another topic he looked at was the phenomenon of “entombed animals”: trapped frogs or toads that are supposedly found alive when solid rock or masonry is broken open. An ideal topic for experimental research! Buckland's experiments were rigorous, using two types of rock and a selection of toads of different ages and sizes, but within two years all the toads were dead. You can read more about Buckland’s toad experiments here.