Monday 2 May 2011

BACK UP HOME: A TALE OF JIGSAWS, NARROW ALLEYS AND BOAT GNOMES

Text and pictures: Rachel Cockett

Born and bought up in Whitby. I live in Worcestershire and work in a museum in Birmingham. I recently went back up home to see my parents and to visit the places of my childhood. I met old friends, new friends, mysterious characters and at least one invisible little man.





Might it be the home of Elphi the hob? For the price of some daily bread, creamy milk and cheese Elphi keeps the museum clean and tidy. This video tells the story of what happened at Ryedale when the bad curator (who didn’t believe in Elphi) took charge.




ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER MUSEUM
Captain Cook & Staithes Heritage Centre. A member of the Association of Independent Museums (AIM), NEVER has the word *independent* been more appropriately applied.






AND FINALLY...No visit back up home is complete without popping in to Whitby Museum. Home to the Hand of Glory and the Tempest Prognosticator (a Leech Barometer , but you knew that). My new favourite object is Sea Bishop, “made by fisherman for sale to gullible visitors”, a tiny preaching bishop formed from dried fishy bits, complete with mitre and…tail.

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