THE NEW GEOLOGY AND ARCHAEOLOGY GALLERY AT THE
PASSMORE EDWARDS MUSEUM
The upper floor of the Passmore Edwards Museum, for
long the home of the Essex Field Club, has now taken on a
new look. Under the guidance of the Curator, Mr. I.G.
Robertson, and his assistants, the geological and
archaeological display has been built. The formal opening
of the gallery took place on the evening of the 3rd November
1970, performed by Mr. Lawrence Harley, who is a Governor of
the museum and President of the Essex Archaeological and
Historical Congress. Also present at the ceremony were Mrs.
Harley, the Mayor and Mayoress of Newham, with Dr. Duggan,
chairman of the Museum Governors and his wife, and Mr. G.E.
Smith the Town Clerk and his wife. Representing the Essex
Field Club on the Board of Governors was Mr. R.E.C. Coates,
and representing the Geology Group was its chairman,
Mr. J. Caldwell.
In his speech, Mr. Harley dwelt on the changes that
have come over museums in the last decade or two and the
important part that provincial museums can play in the
education of the public and its children. He spoke of his
own interest in natural history and how it was fostered by
a wise parent, and went on to deplore the fate of many fine
private collections that were often thrown out on the death
of their owners, instead of finding their way to museums.
He spoke, too, of modern methods of display; how material
was selected to show a story, rather than represent a dull
catalogue of burial chamber contents.
The Mayor thanked Mr. Harley for his address and added
his own comments on the place of a museum in the life of a
community. The guests then went up to see the new gallery.
The display certainly bears out Mr. Harley's remarks on
new methods of presentation. The well-chosen exhibits are
nicely disposed in hexagonal cabinets, individually lit and
assembled so as to form a pleasing labyrinth taking one from
earliest times through Roman, Medieval and Renaissance up to
Modern. Good panels of lettering, maps and wall-charts fill
Page 4