Thought I hadn't posted in a while - many apologies!
Well, I'm now into writing the documentation for the Syr Henry Jones Museum and well into the collections at Llangollen. Again, the job is made by the items you find, everything from a sheep's skull to Samian ware.
Good meeting with Sarah Paul of CyMAL, and Helen Bradley, looking at the Accreditation Standard and what it means in practical terms along with a look at the stores of Conwy Council and some from the Syr Henry Jones Museum as well as a peek at the collections of Llandudno Museum. Nearly finished my stint there - good to see a job to its end, and the report to the Friends and the Trustees will be worth all the digging around in boxes - or is it the other way round?
Sarah gave us good advice on the documentation needed for the museums and the various plans and policies needed for certain sizes of institution expected by accrediting bodies. Very pleasant meeting, helped by the fact that Sarah is one of the more knowledgeable people you'll every meet, good company, and that we were meeting in the cafe at the Mostyn Art Gallery - with some very good cake! Thoroughly recommeneded if you're in Llandudno - 2 mins from the station. 30 seconds in you run!
The weather has been pretty bad up here,but in comparison with many other places, we've got off lightly - the worst I've experienced were flooded roads between Llangernyw and Abergele and later just outside Llangollen. Thankfully none of it put a damper on the International Eisteddfod - great to see choirs and bands on the streets of Llangollen despite the drizzle. I'm not fit to judge their singing but 10/10 for determination. Also it's pretty great working in an office where live music is going on outside.
Then again I'm going to forsake the office and storerooms for the outside a bit more this summer as I'll be doing a little digging this year - always great to do some practical archaeology. Trowels out - and also, given the weather,the wellies!
Will be booking my place at the Museums Association Conference this week - a lovely couple of days in Edinburgh.
The big news of the week up here really ought to be Susan Dalloe leaving Denbighshire this week. A fantastic servant of the county, Susan has been at the heart of museums and heritage throughout the region as well as just Denbighshire. As a committee member of the Federation of Museums and Galleries of Wales Susan has been a national figure who certainly deserves better than that she has been served with by the political masters in the county. Better pastures await! Added to which those who really know heritage in North Wales know what Susan has done for the Denbighshire sites, including all the independent museums that she has mentored and I must include my personal thanks for her part in developing my career in the heritage industry, which has been immense. If I've learned how to do anything properly, I've learned it under her tutelage.
Don't it always seem to go, you don't know what you've got til it's gone.
