MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TRUSTEES OF ORFORD MUSEUM AT BRUNDISH LODGE, HIGH STREET, ORFORD ON FRIDAY 9 May 2025 AT 10.30 AM
Trustees present
Elizabeth Spinney (ES) (in the chair), Joanna Martin (JM), Pippa Robinson (PR), Roy Wisdom (RW), , Clare Greenwell (CG)
In attendance
Stephen Mael (SM) (Curator), John Grayburn (JG) (Treasurer), Philip Wise (PW)
1 Apologies for absence
Nigel Maslin, Beth Franklin, Kim Puttock
2 Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising
The minutes of the last meeting, held on 24 January 2025, were approved and signed. Matters arising:
ES: The money from the Fargher Trust was for an interactive screen in the Castle, rather than the church.
3. Introduction of a new Trustee and Friends’ Administrator: Kim Puttock and reelection of four current Trustees
ES: Kim to take on administration for the Friends. It was agreed that she should be elected as a Trustee.
ES: Four trustees need to be reconfirmed: ES, NM, RW, CG. All are prepared to stand again. They were re-elected en bloc.
4 Chairman’s Report (Elizabeth Spinney)
This had been previously circulated.
Friends’ Administrator
At the last Trustees’ meeting on Friday, 24 January 2025, John Grayburn, Treasurer and Friends’ Administrator, said that with the considerable increase in work caused by the growth in Friends’ membership and all the work connected with the events, he would like us to look for someone to take over the job of Friends’ Administrator though he is prepared to remain as Treasurer. In response to an appeal for help in the Link, Kim Puttock who lives in Orford, has offered to take this job on and we are immensely grateful to her. Her day job is as Clerk to Aldeburgh Town Council. In a voluntary capacity, she handles the advertisements in the Link and is a member of the Orford PCC together with several other local organisations. She is well known to, and has worked with, John Grayburn on the Alde and Ore Committee and with Stephen Mael in her capacity as Aldeburgh Town Clerk. She has formidable administrative and technical skills and I am sure she will be a great asset to our organisation. She has also expressed her willingness to join the Trustees and I feel this would be very valuable as the Friends are such an important part of Orford Museum. I would be grateful if we could agree to adopt her as a Trustee at this meeting so that I can complete the formalities. Sadly, she cannot be here today as she is in South Africa, where her father is undergoing a serious operation. However, Kim and John have already begun the handover of the work connected with the Friends and I will ask John to bring us up to date with this.
1
Trustees
We must have a minimum of three trustees and no more than nine. Trustees are elected for a three-year term and may stand for re-election for a further two three-year terms but must stand down for a year after the expiry of their third term before standing again. The current situation is: Elizabeth Spinney due for re-election in 2025 (third term) Nigel Maslin due for re-election in 2025 (third term) Roy Wisdom due for re-election in 2025 (second term) Clare Greenwell due for re-election in 2025 (second term) Joanna Martin due for re-election in 2027 (second term) Beth Franklin due for re-election in 2027 ((second term) Pippa Robinson due for re-election in 2027 (second term)
We ought, therefore, to agree the re-election of myself, Nigel Maslin, Roy Wisdom and Clare Greenwell (assuming that they wish to stand again) and I would be grateful if they would let me know if this is the case. I am happy to stand again.
We have also recruited a new examiner for the final accounts in Alistair McCann. Alistair replaces Perry Hunt, our examiner for many years, who has sadly died.
Events
We have had very successful talks at Butley Priory from Jamie Lowther Pinkerton, Alex Younger and Lucy Hughes Hallett in January, March and April. In February, the three-day History Festival attracted large audiences for six excellent talks. We now look forward to the performance of Midsummer Night’s Dream at Butley Priory on 26 August, and a full programme of talks for the autumn months has been arranged. Clare Greenwell will bring us up to date on this.
Orford Museum booklet
The booklet telling visitors to (and residents of) Orford about the Museum in the Castle and taking them on a guided tour of the village has now been published and is proving very popular. A copy was sent to all Friends with a Newsletter just before Easter. I am immensely grateful to Edward Martin for his help over this.
Discussion:
ES: the new walk booklet is going fast. We could afford to do another print run if necessary. We are working on re-labelling the displays in the Castle. RW expressed concern with current trends at EH: lottery funding has dropped dramatically and there is a tendency to support projects in deprived areas. Orford doesn’t count. If we don’t have a significant display area, we risk losing our status as a museum. We need to show public benefit. CG: has talked to Nick Merriman, Chief Executive at EH, who is keen to develop Orford. ES: only 10 of 400 EH properties make money. PW: the fundamental issue is the lack of revenue from visitors at paid-for sites. This is not enough to subsidise free sites, so EH are very short of money. PW is not entirely certain what is happening, but believes that OM should be OK when the dust settles. Orford Castle has the advantage of being a paid-for site, so it is generating some income. CG: Dickon Whitewood has been very supportive. The Celtic exhibition brought in visitors from Europe. There have been problems getting OM events on
2
to the EH website. CG: we are trying to improve quality of the Son-et-Lumière. Has talked to Ali Naylor of EH: EH are not offering any financial help, but are encouraging. ES: we have also lost Elaine Ellis and Susie West.
Museum Display in Orford Castle and English Heritage
Unfortunately, we have been unable to make further progress with re-printing the wall boards in the Castle as we need help from English Heritage in getting them off the wall. We now know how they are attached but I am reluctant to go ahead with their removal until there are English Heritage staff available to help. EH is currently in the midst of a major staff reorganisation and, at the moment, we do not have a senior person in place at the Castle. As soon as we can get this done, we will. We now think that when we re-do the labelling of the items on display, a better method would be to number each item and put the information onto laminated sheets. This is now a common practice in many museums. Joanna Martin now has all the labels on our system and she and Edward are proposing to check them before we go ahead with this. I am very grateful to them both for their help with this.
Margaret Poulter loan items
At the request of John Poulter, Stephen has now identified and listed everything loaned (or donated) by Margaret to Orford Museum. All loans have now been converted to gifts including the Wool Seal which is unique to Orford and of considerable value.
Elizabeth Spinney Chairman
5 Curator’s Report (Stephen Mael)
This had previously been circulated.
Introduction
The following Report covers the period since the previous Trustees Meeting at Brundish Lodge on Friday 23 January 2025. During this period, I have continued to document the Museum’s Collection, liaise with Trustees and volunteers and deal with general enquires.
1. Research
1.1
The following researchers have attended or contacted the Potkins Lane archive to access the Museum’s Collection.
Bill Parker visited to research information regarding Orford Ness on Friday 23 January for IRGON and the National Trust.
Judith Shallow DL requested photographs of The Old Granary building. I was able to provide photographs of the outside and inside of the building and views of the damage to Quay Street following the ‘Orford Hurricane’ of 1963.
Trustee Joanna Martin has continued to come in each week to help sort and document the Museum’s archive backlog. She has been very supportive helping to locate items for the visiting researchers and has often found additional information in her own time away from Potkins Lane. I am grateful for her help and support.
3
Rachel Massey visited regarding information on Orford farmer and builder Charles Raymer (1851–1938). She has a wheel hub with his name on. I was able to provide her with information.
2. Publicity and Promotion
2.1
On Thursday 30 January Joanna Martin and I visited Jonny Bevan’s home to help put flyers in the latest edition of The Link . The flyers were to promote The Museum Orford History Festival 2025 at Butley Priory.
2.2
On Thursday 27 and Friday 28 February I attended the Orford Museum History Festival at Butley Priory. On Thursday morning I had collected the programmes from Leiston Press.
2.3
On Friday 2 May Elizabeth Spinney and I visited Jonny Bevan’s home to help put flyers in the latest edition of The Link . The flyers were to promote The Three-Inch Fools performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Butley Priory.
2.4
On 3 occasions (27 February, 5 March and 26 March) I collected from Leiston Press the History Festival programmes, the reprint of The Orford Historian issue 3 and the new Orford walks brochure.
3. Finds and Acquisitions
3.1
On Thursday 6 February Ann Cogar donated documents relating to cottages on Castle Green, Orford, including Title Deeds, Indentures, Wills and maps. These relate to a number of purchasers and sellers including private individuals and the Sudbourne Hall Estate between 1700 and 1980s. The names include The Right Honourable Lord Joseph Baron Manton, William Moss, Alfred Backhouse, Daphne Thacker and Charles Rope, Joseph Watson and Samual Randall, surgeon and former Mayor of Orford. Ann Cogar is a friend of Vic Harrup who had suggested she donate the documents to the Museum. Joanna Martin completed a detailed report of the items.
4. Collections Management
4.1
After arranging with Suzannah West, the Castle Manager for English Heritage, to visit the Castle with Joanna and Edward Martin on Thursday 23 January, Edward photographed the labels in the 6 cases ahead of English Heritage producing new labels.
4.2
On Friday 2 May 2025 John Poulter signed the Transfer of Title forms at Potkins Lane for the two wool seals on display in the Castle. The items were originally on long term loan from
4
former curator Margaret Poulter and are displayed in cases 1 and 4 at the Castle. I also gave him a complete list of the Margaret Poulter archive donated to the Museum.
5. Site Management and Equipment
5.1
On Thursday 6 March and Thursday 20 March an engineer (Darren) from DSG Solutions Teffont, replaced the Museum’s Ink Jet Printer’s Hard Disk Drive (HDD).
5.2
Kim Puttock visited Potkins Lane on Friday 4 and Friday 10 April to solve a printer problem following the replacement of the HDD. The computer repeatedly defaulted to an earlier version of the printer and refused to print. This was resolved by deleting the earlier version.
5.3
Following advice from the computer engineer electrician Tony Elsom fitted a new wall socket for the computer on Monday 31 March.
5.4
On Thursday 1 May the Potkins Lane Fire Extinguishers were given their annual service check by FlameSkill.
Stephen Mael
Museum Curator, 2 May 2025
6. Treasurer’s Report (John Grayburn)
This had been circulated at the meeting. There were no questions.
7. Friends’ Report
JG: is getting on well with Kim, who has already taken over as administrator for the Friends and is excellent. She will deal with bookings for events. JG to carry on as Treasurer. ES to send out new contact list.
CG: Edward Greenwell (EG) says that Ipswich Museum have a lot of OM stuff. PW: there have been multiple loans between IM and OM and they have never been entirely unscrambled. This includes the Butley Hoard. CG thinks it belongs to EG. It should be at OM. PW: it has not been on display at Ipswich since 2007. He acknowledged that this is an issue and will look into it in 12 months’ time when IM has re-opened. RW: it would be good to publicise new finds and displays. ES: we should replace case 6 (chest of drawers) with a better cabinet.
CG: We are under some pressure re ticket sales for The Three-Inch Fools (26 August). It was agreed that more tickets are likely to be sold during the summer holiday season.
CG: talks have been arranged for 8 September (not 9), 2 October, 6 November. CG has received several offers of talks, and we could fit one more in at the end November. CG asked if OM should contribute to the cost of heating at Butley for the 3 days. Should the History Festival be annual or bi-annual?
5
CG: the Son-et-Lumière next year will be on 15 August for one night. We can go up to 499. It will start at 8.15–9.15 and the format will be the same as before. The possible provision of refreshments has been discussed. The jousting will be moved to 2027. The Castle will be lit up for the Son-et-Lumière. This will be more expensive and they have been looking at sponsorship. 2–3 big ones are better than several small ones. Also looking for voice-over. David Schofield charged £500 last time.
RW: we should try to be seen to be linking with EH in a new era and show that we are trying to reciprocate.
ES thanked CG for her terrific work. CG: we will need volunteers on the day and to clear rubbish at the Castle (Son-et-Lumière).
It was agreed that the jousting should be postponed to 2027
9. Website
JG: raised the issue of blogs – what are we doing about them? Ralph keen to do them but too busy. It was agreed that they should be free, to get people to join.
10. Finds and Acquisitions
ES: 4 smallish objects in pipeline. They are out for valuation and unlikely to be very expensive OM has already expressed an interest in them. PW: it is difficult to value such objects, and changing your mind after expressing an interest is no great problem. Museums have to retain some independence and make their own decisions.
CG had circulated photographs of the hoard recently found at Gedgrave.
PW: the value of the hoard, which is in excellent condition, could be £5000 to £10,000. He believed that Ipswich Museum is unlikely to be interested. ES: we would need a special case for the objects. For a lottery grant we would have to show community benefit. PW: there are two possible options: either the Museum acquires the Treasure case and reimburses BM, or the finder and landowner discuss with purchasers. Sometimes one party buys out another. PW: if the meeting is happy to proceed, we should contact Anna Booth and tell her OM are interested in acquiring this Treasure case. The objects will be valued and the interested parties can decide if they want a reward or waive it. OM can then take decision whether they need to fund-raise.
11. Any other business s
JG asked about a display in the church. ES: the idea of an interactive screen seems to have gone quiet and there is no rector at the moment. ES to talk to Richard Murley and the PCC.. CG: we will need to supply good-quality pictures for the Son-et-Lumière. SM agreed to help with this.
CG: we will have a better-quality projector for next year’s Son-et-Lumière. RW: the church is an obvious location for some kind of display. We should pursue this as it would encourage people to come into the church. ES: it would be good for accreditation, as it would be accessible for people who can’t get into the Castle.
12. Date of the next meeting
Friday 26 September 2025 at 10.30 at Brundish Lodge, Orford.
The meeting closed at 12 o’clock.
6
miJG)TT
fnnomcJon4millXrn
rLJ
ai c> qj ID 7J 7J
Ln >
L4 L4) 0
OJaaCJOLnU)OCQh)Ln
JO00¢7)?1tslrD
17) rnO)C0¢017J
(D(0 00-(D(n 0(Al
cv cn rLF G) w c ¢DL*ts) !0(0 Co0 ¢7) rocn 4 ocx>¢D oo>on (n u) rr) oco 0> (Tr r )oN) u) (
¢J) CD ¢0 ( Q4J CO J ¢ 0*0 QL4)Q o) ts) )0 N)N)
miJG)TT
fnnomcJon4millXrn
rLJ
ai c> qj ID 7J 7J
Ln >
L4 L4) 0
OJaaCJOLnU)OCQh)Ln
JO00¢7)?1tslrD
17) rnO)C0¢017J
(D(0 00-(D(n 0(Al
cv cn rLF G) w c ¢DL*ts) !0(0 Co0 ¢7) rocn 4 ocx>¢D oo>on (n u) rr) oco 0> (Tr r )oN) u) (
¢J) CD ¢0 ( Q4J CO J ¢ 0*0 QL4)Q o) ts) )0 N)N)