Friends of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums

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You can join the Friends by downloading the Friends Membership Form here. Read more about our Guidelines for membership.

An update from the Friends Committee: January 2022

The work of the Friends in supporting the Museum continues, especially in relation to fundraising where the sizeable donation of £50,000 pledged by the Friends has been used by the Museum to attract further funding to address key projects. In addition, Friends played an active role in helping to prepare Christmas Trees and Wreaths for the Museum’s programme of Christmas Events as well as undertaking a major cleaning operation on ‘David and Sampson’ – the beam engines located behind the school at Blists Hill.  

The resumption of the popular Friends Talks Programme in the Autumn was well received and supported as was the latest edition of the Friends Newsletter ‘Christmas 2021’ which ran to 12 pages. Although it is to be regretted at the continued non appearance of the IQ Quarterly magazine it is hoped that the provision of news and updates through the Friends Newsletter will more than suffice as a temporary replacement. 

 Friends Programme of Talks: Spring/Summer 2022

To be held on the Glass Classroom at Coalbrookdale at the times indicated; suitable Covid precautions are in place but for the moment no catering facilities are available:

  • Wednesday January 19 at 2.30pm:Shrewsbury Flax Mill and Maltings – TALK CANCELLED, TO BE RESCHEDULED.
  • Wednesday February 23 at 2.30pm: ‘History of Coalport and Caughley China’ Kate Cadman, IGMT Curatorial officer at Coalport.  
  • Wednesday March 23 at 2.30pm: ‘The Coalbrookdale Archives: Early Images of the Iron Bridge on Ceramics’ David de Haan, world expert on the Iron Bridge.
  • Wednesday 27thApril at 2.30pm: ‘The history of the Brick and Roofing Tile industries of the Gorge’Steve Dewhirst, local historian.
  • Wednesday May 18 at 2.30pm: A talk by Nick Booth, new Director of Collections IGMT.
  • Wednesday June 22 at 2.30pm AGM. Followed by a talk:’ Very Urgent: Future orders depend on the delivery of this order!’ Georgina Grant, Senior Curator IGMT
  • Wednesday July 20 at 7.30pm: A talk by Jane Gallagher, new Senior Curator IGMT. (N.B. change of time to evening)

The Friends Committee hopes members will understand that during these difficult times for the Museum their support is vital and that they will continue to offer it in every way possible.

 

The Friends of Ironbridge help in many ways:

  • Helping in exhibits
  • Providing a trained guiding service
  • Purchasing important additions to the Museum's collections
  • Providing a 'kick-start' donation for larger national grants
  • Researching into the social history of the area and record memories
  • Contributing specialised knowledge and interests

Please contact us on 01952 435 900 or email friends@ironbridge.org.uk

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