Tom Richardson, a year 12 student from Old Swinford Hospital School in Stourbridge, has been in all week on a work experience placement in our Collections department. Read all about what he got up to during his time at the Museum of Carpet!

Day Three

Day Three believe it or not started with a trip to Kidderminster Hospital with Jodie, and her amazing driving. We were travelling to the Hospital to pick up a minutes book, dating from the 1800’s for an exhibition taking place in October. The exhibition is about the Stretton family – 3 generations of Doctors who lived in Kidderminster between 1856 and 1952. When we arrived at the Hospital we picked up the book from the Education Department, which I didn’t know the Hospital had, and packaged it in acid free paper and bubble wrap. Upon on arriving back at the Museum I unwrapped the book and photographed it before re-wrapping it. The object was on loan from the Hospital so had to be photographed to trace any damage that might occur.

After lunch I had the pleasure of looking at the Museums Kidderminster Shuttle Archive which has Shuttles dating back to 1874. It was my task to look at the Shuttles from 1914 to 1918 to look for any information on Soldiers from the local area or mention of the local area in War reports. I was doing this task to contribute information for a WW1 exhibition that the Museum is putting together as part of the Centenary. This information would also be used to aid some sixth form students from King Charles in projects they were completing for the same exhibition. It was a real privilege to be left alone to look at these Shuttles and to see the War reported as it was happening 100 years ago. I read many stories and account which I will always remember and look forward to sharing in the exhibition in October. The Shuttles can be looked at by request and I strongly recommend anyone who is interested in the War to look at them. They certainly kept me occupied for hours.