King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) Regimental Museum
Trustees Annual Report & Accounts
– 1 April 2024 31 March 2025
On completion of seven years’ service as Chair, Robin Ashcroft stood down in March 2025. Pending a permanent appointment, Antony Gribbon was appointed interim Chair. Andrew Whitton was appointed Treasurer from January 2025.
During Robin’s term, the Trust has revised its objectives to engage more widely with members of the public and with the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment in order to inform and contribute to the understanding and knowledge of both the military and social histories of the King’s Own and of its connection with the City of Lancaster and its people. Bids were made successfully to fund an exhibition marking 1942 as the pivotal point of the allies’ fortunes in Second World War and a research project on the Trust’s collection of Abyssinian objects and artefacts acquired through the King’s Own’s participation in the Napier Expedition of 1868. We thank the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Esmée Fairburn Foundation for making both projects possible. The Abyssinian project includes the development of a restitution and repatriation policy for the Trust which may also serve as a model for the military museum community.
Under an agreement between the Trust and Lancaster City Council, the King’s Own collection is curated and managed by the Lancaster City Museums Service. The Service was obliged to reduce opening hours during the year in response to cuts in its budget but the Council reaffirmed its support for the museum sector as part of its strategy for the development of the City as a business economic and tourist destination.
The progress of the Abyssinian project was a leading feature of the year’s activities. Eyob Derillo, the project officer, is funded to continue through to the end of 2025. A workshop held in July attracted a national audience, including two representatives of the British Museum. A project advisory group, including members of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, met in March. Volunteers and interns have helped extensively with cataloguing and research, thanks to the Lancaster Military Heritage Group, the Lancaster Black History Group and the University of Lancaster.
The University of Cumbria has initiated a project to display interpretation boards recording the history of the surviving original buildings on its Lancaster Campus, which were part of the former Bowerham Barracks, depot for King’s Own between 1881 and 1959.
HRH Duke of Gloucester included the Museum in his visit to Lancaster in December.
Prepared by Antony Gribbon 16 January 2026
King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum Trust Account 2024 – 25
| C/F | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | 43427.93 | ||||
| Donatons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 500 | |
| Donaton Box | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| LegacyIncome | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Book Royaltes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Exhibiton Grants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Project Grants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Ecommerce | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Bank Interest | 175.55 | 176.08 | 135.73 | 116.96 | |
| HMRC | 0 | 3089.54 | 0 | 0 |
Sub-Total 175.55 3265.62 135.73 616.96
| C/F | Q1 | Q1 | Q2 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expenditure | ||||||||
| Acquisitons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Auditor’s Fees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Professional Services | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Professional Support | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Subscriptons & licenses | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Memberships | 0 | 0 | 86 | 0 | ||||
| Trustee Meetngs/Training | 0 | 450 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Travel & Subsistence | 0 | 0 | 0 | 115.88 | ||||
| Publicity | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| World Pay (Website) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Ecommerce | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Postage | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Statonary& Printng | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Exhibitons | 0 | 0 | 41 | 300 | ||||
| Project SalaryResearch | 0 | 5445.58 | 364.01 | 6441.51 | ||||
| Insurance | 0 | 173.70 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Bank Charges | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Sub-Total | 0 | 6169.28 | 491.01 | 6857.39 | ||||
| BALANCE | 43427.93 | **175.55 ** | **(2903.66) ** | (355.28) | (6240.43) |
New Balance as at 31 March 2025 £34104.11
Prepared by Andrew D.C. Whitton 11[th] January 2026