Museum officially opens for 2023 with new displays about Market Drayton's history
A town's museum has officially unveiled its new exhibits for the year and they hope it will give an insight into the area's fascinating past.
Market Drayton was in the past a centre of the horsehair weaving industry and the town's volunteer-run museum has a new exhibition detailing that and much more.
Carole Higgins, the chairman of Drayton Civic Society, said: "Our middle room changes completely every year and this year our feature display is on horsehair weaving.
"Factories in the town would buy in horse hair which was then a cottage industry and included mills where the hair would be used for mainly upholstery, including train seats which needed to be robust."
She added: "It is now used in high fashion industries and there is only one factory left now, in Somerset. They send as samples."
The museum, in Shropshire Street, happens to be very close to the site of a former factory.
"People can see the exhibition, and then open the door to see the derelict site of a factory in Market Drayton," said Carole.
The museum's front room contains an exhibition on the story of Market Drayton and its people. This year the permanent exhibition contains a replica of the town's Charter. The original one from the days of Henry III was lost but a replica was commissioned in 1994 and created by local crafts people.
"We have that on show this year with a translation of its words and a feature on that," said Carole.
"We also have a picture to complement it, showing the town in Victorian times."
The museum's exhibition was officially opened on Wednesday and will be open on Wednesdays and Saturdays only from 10.30am to 1pm until the end of the autumn.
Carole said the museum runs on charitable donations and is powered by volunteers.
"We are so luck to have so many volunteers and hope to extend the opening hours into Wednesday afternoons sometime," said Carole.
Anyone who wants to join the small team should contact Carole by email on draytoncivicsociety@gmail.com or phone her on 07734 859 657.
The society is almost 50 years old and the museum that it runs was opened in 2007.
Archives are available for research by appointment only.
Drayton Civic Society is a membership organisation which welcomes anyone interested in the past, present and future of Market Drayton and the surrounding area.
The society aims to protect and encourage what is best in the built environment and to conserve and reveal its urban heritage. It liaises with local councils and monitors and comments on planning applications for the town, particularly those in the central and canal conservation areas.
It also has a wide range of publications and activities for members and visitors alike.
The Drayton Civic Society also helps with the day-to-day running of the Drayton Museum and Resource Centre.
For more information on the society and the museum visit https://draytoncivicsociety.co.uk/about/
