New Acquisition
An interesting item, just three centimetres in length, recently found its way to the museum through the Treasure process. This cast silver hook is engraved with decoration in the Trewhiddle Anglo Saxon style, appearing to show a bird in downward flight. It is inlaid with niello (a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and […]
New Acquisition
Three model trains hand made by local man William George Baigent. ‘Bill’ was born 11 January 1910 at the Mount Cottages, Knockholt near Sevenoaks. He served in the army and later returned to Sevenoaks where he worked in the TV and Radio repair business and had a shop in St Johns, Sevenoaks for several years. […]
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
From the humble envelope to elaborate wax seals, this post will walk you through the art and etiquette of letter sealing, using examples from the Sevenoaks collection. The above is a circular medieval seal found on St Botolph’s Road. A seal matrix is used for making an impression on a wax seal, to authenticate a […]
Recollecting the Collector
Michael de Koningh grew up in the Bat and Ball area of Sevenoaks in the 1960s and 70s, and never moved far from the area after leaving his childhood home and getting married. When Michael sadly passed away in 2016, he left behind a multifaceted legacy and a large collection of stuff to go with […]
Door to the Past
In this post we are talking about all things Doors, so ‘break on through to the other side’ and get a sneak peek of some interesting objects from the collection store… Miniature picture frame A quaint souvenir of Sevenoaks past, made from a piece of the oak door sill from 90 High Street. The frame […]
Artist Vincent New
Vincent New was born in Bromley. As a teenager, just after the First World War, he was sent to work on a farm in Australia, but as soon as he could he returned to England to pursue his creative ambitions. New began studying at Bromley School of Art in 1925, whilst managing a seven-acre poultry […]
New acquisition
What the duck? Sevenoaks Museum does not typically collect taxidermy, yet these eider ducks have found a home here because of their connection to a significant family and location in our town. They were donated by the Harrison Institute for biodiversity research. The institute was originally founded by Dr James Harrison in 1930 as a […]
New acquisition
‘Donald Double’ This teddy bear was recently gifted to the museum. It is the only teddy bear in the Sevenoaks collection. Donald Double, so the handwritten label in his flat cap calls him, was given to his owner Margaret Terry Double as a young child. She was born in 1925, when her parents lived in […]
New acquisition
19th century letter The museum recently received a small collection from the Sevenoaks Society. One of the items was this handwritten letter, dated 1832, from a Henri Martin in Stepney East London to a Mr Bowrer, ‘Overseer’, in Sevenoaks. The ‘T.P’ stamped above the word ‘Stepney’ stands for Twopenny Post, the charge for postage. The […]
Holidays at Home
Due to the global pandemic, tens of thousands of UK customers had their overseas travel plans cancelled in 2020. As the national lockdown is lifted, people are expected to make more holiday plans within the UK, or take a ‘staycation’. Leisure travel of any kind was once an exclusive activity, and day trips were more […]