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BACKGROUND
Enlightenment! Derbyshire Setting the Pace in the 18th Century
'Enlightenment! Derbyshire Setting the Pace in the 18th Century', is a partnership between Buxton Museum & Art Gallery, Derby Museums & Art Gallery and Strutt's North Mill, Belper.
With a grant from the Heritage Lottery fund collecting cultures programme of £200,000 and other funding, these three Accredited Derbyshire museums will be able to add artefacts to their collections to help record and understand the Enlightenment in Derbyshire. We are looking for topographical art, early geological and natural science publications, watches and scientific instruments, miners' and map makers' equipment, items that record the changes to peoples lives in the Derwent Valley, even boxes of threads and items uniquely associated to individual mills.
We will recruit new volunteers, giving people the chance to share and learn about this time in our county's history.
There will be workshops, activities and summer walks around historic factories.
There will be three major exhibitions, one in each of the partner sites, showcasing existing Enlightenment collections and new acquisitions, and other smaller exhibitions at the museums and in libraries and other venues.
'Enlightenment! Derbyshire Setting the Pace in the 18th Century' is supported by Renaissance East Midlands and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Collections Group. Bill Longshaw has been appointed as the Enlightenment! officer coordinating the project. He can be contacted via e-mail here.
Collecting Cultures is a one-off museums and galleries collections' development programme from the Heritage Lottery Fund devised as a direct result of consultation with the sector. Twenty-two museums and galleries across the UK received funding as part of this £3 million collection development initiative which is designed to help support acquisitions, curatorial skills, research and increase public involvement.
ACQUISITION NEWS
A group of nine watercolours by an unidentified artist of Matlock and the surrounding area all dated Nov–Dec 1860. As well as the usual tourist views of High Tor and waterfalls in Lumsdale, there is a view of Smedley’s Hydropathic Hotel at Matlock, now the headquarters for Derbyshire county Council. This is one of the earliest dated views showing the newly built railway viaduct. 
These are probably drawn by a tourist staying in Matlock seeking out interesting views for their own sketchbook, recording mill buildings, cottages, the view from the bedroom window – what nowadays we as tourists would record in photographs.
Purchased for £900, with support from Derbyshire County Council
This group can be seen at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
- 'On the Derwent, Derbyshire', a watercolour painting by Joseph Clayton Bentley, dated 1842.
Joseph Clayton Bentley was born 1809 in Bradford. He travelled to London in 1832 where he worked as an engraver, including for Constable whose work he admired. His own paintings were exhibited at the both the Royal Academy and the British Society of Artists. Known to have travelled across the country, this is the first work with a Derbyshire provenance.
The painting shows the view from Matlock looking south down the River Derwent towards the Boat House public house, behind which lime is being burnt. While the landscape seems to be accurately drawn, there is some concern about the buildings and it is not clear whether in fact these were painted subsequently in the studio.
There have been significant changes to the landscape since, with the river banks being reinforced, the road realigned and a railway viaduct spanning the valley. Purchased for hammer price of £1600 with support from Derbyshire County Council
This picture can be seen at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
- Two pewter alms plates from King Street Methodist Chapel, Derby (1820). They may have been the former New Jerusalem Chapel established 1814, although a second congregation was gathered by James Robinson who apparently 'erected' it at his own expense and which opened on 18th June 1820. Robinson was ordained that August.
These plates will be on display at Derby Museums and Art Gallery
- Over 7000 antique Chelsea and Derby figure parts and moulds from the Spode Museum Trust. The antique figure parts are made from clay, wax, plaster or porcelain. Some are casts from moulds and others have signs of working to them which suggest that they are either part of an original sculpture, or that they have been fettled up with a modelling tool to increase definition. The clay and porcelain parts have all been fired. These parts highlight the importance and influence of the 18th on Derby Porcelain. The collection is of national and regional significance and would be lost as the Spode Museum has gone into receivership. The collection is to be conserved, catalogued and displayed to the general public at Derby Museum and Art Gallery and other venues, such as the new Allenton Library in May 2009.
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Forthcoming Activities:
- Enlightenment Exhibition at Derby
Some of the treasures purchased as part of ‘Enlightenment!’ are now on display in Derby Museum and Art Gallery for the first time.
The exhibition, which runs until December, include pieces of Derby porcelain, alms plates from Derby Methodist Chapel and 18th Century engravings.
For opening times go to: www.derby.gov.uk/LeisureCulture/MuseumsGalleries/Derby_Museum_and_Art_Gallery.htm
The project, which runs until spring 2013, will develop a better understanding of the Enlightenment period in Derbyshire and will help to put the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site into context.
Items still on the shopping list include watches and scientific instruments, miners’ and map makers’ equipment, items that record the changes to peoples lives in the Derwent Valley, early geological and natural science publications, items uniquely associated with individual mills and even small items like boxes of thread.
Look out for:
- An annual evening walk. People will get the opportunity to use the train if necessary. These walks will take place across the Derwent Valley and will vary in length to cater for a range of walking abilities. The focus will be on different areas of interest each year with the aim of encouraging participants to explore and observe particular features of the DVMWHS.
In 2012, we will do 26 mile Olympic Walk will take place during the day.
- Science based lectures beginning with an 18th century slant on a topic, followed by specialists lecturing on modern subjects
VOLUNTEERING AND FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to find out how you could become a volunteer for the Enlightenment! project or for further information please contact Lucy Yarham, Regional Collections Development Officer or Ros Westwood, Derbyshire Museums Manager
