Grosvenor Museum Free ‘Object of the Month’ talks January – April

Grosvenor Museum celebrates West Cheshire Museums’ collections with free ‘Object of the Month’ talks beginning on 12 January  

Chester’s Grosvenor Museum will be once again staging a year-long series of ‘Object of the Month’ talks starting from 12 January that will throw light on Cheshire’s fascinating history. The free talks are aimed at attracting a lunch-time audience between 1-1.30pm in the museum’s historic lecture theatre located within the museum at 27 Grosvenor Street, Chester. The talks will give a unique insight into the unfolding work of West Cheshire Museum’s curators and Archaeology Officer – much of whose work in preserving the history of West Cheshire and the collections of its four museums takes place ‘behind the scenes’. Booking is not required. For further information go to westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

12 January – ‘Jack-of-Plate’ body armour by Julie Edwards, Archaeology Officer

To celebrate the Grosvenor Museum’s on-going exhibition about Chester’s unique Rows, the object for January is a remarkable and unusual object found on Chester’s Rows – a type of 16^th century body armour known as a ‘Jack of Plate’. The talk will reveal the archaeological teamwork and research that went into its discovery.

Jack of plate (1560) Image with consent of The Royal Armouries, Leeds[88]

X-ray of the Jack of Plates[12]

9 February, ‘Romance in Chester’ by Liz Montgomery, Senior Curator, West Cheshire Museums

With Valentine’s day a key feature of the month, February’s lunchtime talk will focus on some of the more romantic objects in the Grosvenor Museums collections, including some of its fine collection of Victorian Valentine cards as well as much earlier romantic love tokens designed to set the heart a-flutter.

Object of the Month, a ‘ring’ from the Grosvenor Museum[40]

9 March, ‘University of Chester – new Treasure acquisitions’ by History students from the University of Chester  

Grosvenor Museum has a close relationship with the University of Chester and often features work from staff and students. In the March talk, the museum will be joined by students from the University of Chester who will be presenting their research on some of the museum’s newest treasure acquisitions.

6 April, ‘Women’s Rights and the 1981 handkerchief’, by Poppy Garrett, Assistant Curator, West Cheshire Museums

April’s talk will explore the history of the women’s rights movement in Britain through the lens of a satirical handkerchief from the Grosvenor Museum’s collection. Inscribed ‘Woman’s rights and what came of it’, the handkerchief depicts Victorian imaginings of what society might look like in 100 years if women were given the vote.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “An unseen, but vital, part of the work of West Cheshire Museums is to research and bring to life stories and objects from the museums’ archive collections. This year’s talks promise to be as informative, popular and interesting as last year’s and I am particularly delighted that this year University of Chester students will also be presenting their research into part of the Grosvenor’s collection.”

1981 ‘Women’s Rights’ Handkerchief[95]

Photo Caption: 1. Xray of ‘Jack-of-plate’ from Chester’s Grosvenor Museum 2. Image of what a Jack-of-Plate would have looked like – this picture with kind permission from The Royal Armouries, Leeds. 3. Romantic ring from Grosvenor Museum’s collection 4. Valentine’s card 5. 1981 handkerchief