Acquisitions

The BLH&MS Collection Policy sets out the conditions for acquiring items for the Society's collection.

When Birtchnell's gentlemen's outfitters closed down, the Society was grateful to receive from Bob Clark a number of items from Percy Birtchnell's local history collection. Les Mitchell has been identifying the locations shown in an extensive collection of small and large photographs. Also included were books and documents, clothes and artefacts.

One set of pictures was mounted on a display board, entitled 'The Beating of the Bounds of Great Berkhamsted Rural, July 15 & 17, 1903'. 

Beating the bounds
at Thunderdell Lodge

Here is a list of some of the acquisitions of BLH&MS in the last three years:

• Minute book of the Berkhamsted Dramatic Club,1866-1914 which has a wealth of social and historical information
• Mrs Beeton's Everyday Cookery (given as a prize to a Berkhamsted resident)
• Set of 3 wine bottles from New Frithsden Vineyard
• Survey chain and level
• Polaroid land camera
• Straw splitter, used in the plaiting / hat making industry
• Booklet: "Fair Neville's Woe" by Cicely York
• Indenture and attachments for the Bell Public House
• Bottles and boxes from Dickmans Chemist
• Book of Coopers press cuttings and testimonials
• Fees, ledger and photos of Town Hall from Betty Pitkin
• Wicker basket from Corby, Palmer & Stewart from Mrs Betty Sage
• Singer sewing machine originally from Corby, Palmer & Stewart
• Legal documents from Metcalfe undertakers
• From Mrs Beningfield - two shepherd's crooks, two sheep's bells, one lamp and a seed broadcaster
• From Bernard Wilding - the address by the people of Berkhamsted to Louis XVIII and his reply, from 1814
• Purchase at auction of Jack Merriott carriage print of Berkhamsted

 Straw splitter: straw was pushed through the hole with the desired number of segments. Finished plait was sold in markets and sent to the Luton hat makers