It’s official! Although we’ve been working towards this for weeks - we can now confirm that we open again at 10.00 am on Monday 17th May.
For the next few months we will be open on Monday, Thursday and Saturday 10.00-4.00.
Come and celebrate our 25th anniversary with us by viewing the new exhibition of our founder Betty Penny and her wonderful Cavalcade of Costumes. ...
Eleven days to go before Re-opening Day.The 25year celebratory exhibition is nearing completion. See Betty Penny's blue costume and the red dress which was one of the first to appear on the catwalk, also photographs and a recreation of the 1996 Tea Room. A first chance for some to see the "Make Do and Mend" and VE Day tableau which coincided with the first lockdown...and so much more! Come and see us on the 17th May and each Monday, Thursday and Saturday 10-4 from then on. ...
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We are pleased to announce the opening of our doors again on May 17th 2021. The tea room and museum displays will be available to visitors on three days a week, Monday, Thursday and Saturday 10-4. Come and see us. It will be good to see you after so long. We have not been idle in the meantime and there are new displays in the construction stage with information boards. A great deal of work has been completed on updating the facilities and decoration. When the weather is mild there will be tables outside on our sunny patio . ...
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To kick start our 25th Anniversary celebrations we want to remember the woman who started it all, Betty Penny MBE. In the archives of the Museum are many examples of, not just her costumes worn by willing local models, but her amusing writings. The original opening in May 1996 was a festive affair with a piper in full Scottish regalia, the Mayor of Blandford and many staff and volunteers in replica period dress.
In Betty’s reminiscences of travelling with her Cavalcade of Costumes she wrote “What is really heart-warming is the amount of support the Cavalcade has received over the years, and all in the aid of charity. Nearly £500,000 has gone to various Charities all over England, and the fact that everyone on the Cavalcade team did it with love, voluntarily.”
Please see the photographs below and let me know if you recognise yourself or others. If so let me know on 07752 145812 or at the museum. Fingers crossed we hope to open on 17th May for two days a week. ...
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In these freezing cold days, when you'd rather be at home keeping warm, but you might be looking for something entertaining to do - Blandford Town Museum are offering some interesting Behind-the-Scenes Taster Sessions.
Check their website; Facebook page or Forum Focus for further detailsWe will be starting our ZOOM Taster-Sessions in February! Anyone even curious about what we do at the museum and how we do it...and maybe might like to become involved...this is a chance to learn about what opportunities are available. All session are 1-hour and all are FREE. ...
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Sandie Walters
3 months ago
www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-55773751
Not an especially in depth article but it does highlight another way in which the pandemic is affecting the fashion industry, how lockdown drives new trends and how producers are adapting. In the years ahead will a discarded jogging suit become an item of socially historic significance? ...
Sandie Walters
4 months ago
An interesting article from October last year when hope for live performances was a little brighter.
I had no idea that social distancing was a factor in the adoption of the Victorian Crinoline?
Makes you consider what other fashion innovations have developed to ward off contagion.
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The Museum is currently in transition. Although closed there is an air of expectation within its shuttered rooms. Change is underway raising expectations of a return to our roots in the Cavalcade of Costumes. Watch this space! ...
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A tribute to Edna Moore
Edna Moore, who died on 2nd November aged 97yrs at Casterbridge Manor Nursing Home is well remembered by those working in and visiting the Blandford Fashion Museum. She is described as a “wonderful lady and a great stalwart of the Fashion Museum in its formative days”. At various times she held the posts of Secretary, Chair of the Management Committee, Bookings Secretary, and Tearoom Volunteer. She is thought of with great affection as a lovely, warm, and gentle, person, who had a particular passion for the Cavalcade of Costumes and the Museum. She was also Secretary of the Townswomen’s Guild, founder of Age Concern and the Macular Society. The Museum wishes to extends its condolences to her family and to say that her strength and energy helped to create its popularity and high profile. ...
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Despite the challenging year for the Fashion Museum we've ended on a high.
We learned last week that we had been fortunate enough to win funds from The Kathy Callow Trust. The Kathy Callow Trust makes grants to small Accredited museums to assist with the costs of conservation and display projects.
The Fashion Museum will be using the funds for a very special project; the conservation of a 1920's silk wedding dress worn by Miss Violet Blewden when she married Walter Sadler in 1928. To make this donation even more unique the costume arrived in the original dress box with a photograph of the bride and groom; an original wedding cake box with card and some gorgeous lime green feathers believed to be a bridesmaid's headdress.
The dress is currently with our Conservator, but will be on display at some point in the future once conservation work is complete, which as you can see from the photos is essential as, in its current state, it is too fragile to exhibit. ...
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Yesterday’s Christmas raffle was a great success and in these challenging times the Fashion museum would especially like to thank all their Friends, Volunteers and visitors who bought a raffle ticket - a magnificent £700 was taken
The Museum would also like to single out all those who generously donated a prize including Tara of Morrisons, Hall and Woodhouse, Boots, Stewarts and Cranborne Garden Centres.
Have a great, safe Christmas everyone.
We’ll be back to re-open for our new season in February 2021. ...
Prizes and Prize winners at the Museum Christmas Raffle Draw. Drawn by Deputy Mayor Lee Hitchings. Fun and laughter was the order of the festive day! ...
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It’s the Christmas Raffle day 🎉🎉🎉 ...
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Please let us know what you like to see and have seen at the Museum and your ideas for our 25th Anniversary in May. Are there any ex Cavalcade of Costumes models out there who would be willing to share their experiences with us? Gathering our history is what we are about for the coming momentous year. We look forward to hearing from you ...
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Don’t forget the Museum is open this week on Tuesday 8th; Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th December
We were hoping to be able to open for more days this week however circumstances have conspired against us.
That said there is still a warm welcome to be had in our traditional tea room and some opportunities for those last
minute stocking fillers. ...
Is anyone’s guilty pleasure the watching of Escape to the Country repeats?
If so, this week, you may have seen Anna McDowell of Henry’s Buttons demonstrating the art of Dorset button making. Not only is Anna a BFM Friend but our shop also stocks her Dorset button making sets - perhaps a Christmas present for someone?
Hopefully we will be able to persuade her to run one of her ever popular workshops for us next year too. ...
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Don’t forget the museum re-opens on Saturday
We will be open 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th and 12th December before closing for the season.
Our traditional tea room will also be open and, in line with Government regulations, we welcome one household per table or groups of no more than six in our courtyard garden tables. ...
Now we are re-opening on Saturday it gives you a chance to buy some raffle tickets for our Grand Christmas raffle. First prize is £100 of Marks and Spencer’s vouchers and with other fabulous prizes such as 12 bottles of wine; Christmas hampers; half a lamb; champagne and many more it is well worth buying a ticket if you haven’t already done so! ...
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The Fashion Museum is pleased to confirm that, following the government announcements of this week, it will re-open on Saturday 5th December.
The Museum will be open on 5th; 7th; 8th; 10th and 12th December 10.00 am - 4.00 pm (last entry 3.30 pm)
We look forward to welcoming our Friends and visitors back through the door. ...
We are very excited! Thanks to grants from Dorset Leisure Fund and our especial friends at The Pilgrim Trust the Museum can begin the refurbishment of the exterior of our home, Lime Tree House.
Working with our project managers, Jestyn Coke Surveyors of Blandford, the project planning is just about to begin.
You can see from these photos that the work is well overdue.
We are hoping to finish it all by the time of our 25th anniversary in May 2021.
Watch this space for updates on the work as we undertake the project.
Wish us luck! ...
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