Towcester Museum 100 Club

[Andy Thompson]

Dear SMJ Society member

Below is a conversation I am currently having with Martin John, a contact via the museum in Towcester. Some of you may remember the stop-start-stop-start problems the museum has had and the attempts I have made to make contact with someone there to show our support.

The museum is offering membership to support the museum called the 100 Club. People pay £100 to join and subsequently get various benefits. If you want to know more, click here

I have suggested to Martin that the membership would give a pound each and as such, the society become a member. 

This is what Martin wrote:

"Thanks for your interest in Towcester's museum and Happy New Year.

Yes, it's been a long hard journey to get the museum open, I've been involved for about 16 years.  The upper floor of the museum is currently given to the period from the Iron Age through to the end of the Roman period. On the ground floor is a small gift shop and room that we will use for temporary exhibitions. 

There's a good deal of interest locally in Towcester's railway station.Although railways are not my particular interest I know there is considerable interest in railways in general and indeed in Towcester railway station and the Stratford Upon Avon & Midland line.

It would be great to put on an exhibition focusing on Towcester's railway history and any help would be welcome. The loan of memorabilia relating to the station would be fantastic. I know there is a model of the station stored in Coventry Museum, unfortunately it's somewhat too big for our museum to display. Your club is very welcome to have joint membership of the 100 Club, details are on our developing website. We still have copies of a book about Towcester station. If you wish I can send you a copy, although I suspect you will have one already.

"Towcester Memories of the"Slow, Miserable and Jolty" (Stratford & Midland Junction Railway)"
by Robert Stevens
A collection of childhood memories of Towcester Railway Station, covering its history from 1938 until the 1950s. With photographs, maps and line drawings.
36 pages; ISBN 0 9524619 0 0; £3.00 
Reprinted 1999

Best wishes

Matin"

Would you, the membership be willing to spend a pound to join? Count me in. It would be great for both of us to work together, I hope you agree

Andy

[John Norton]

Hi Andy

Martin Johns is my next door neighbour ( literally ) so i will keep chaing him up on this .

[Ross Howard]

I received a copy of the book listed by Martin for my birthday a couple of days ago from his daughter, who happens to be my sister in law! Small world. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it. I work in Towcester and have popped in to the museum. I discussed the Towcester station model (which I've seen discussed on this website) with Martin but he thinks it's too big to be accomodated in the small space the museum occupies. I begged him to make room!

[John Norton]

If we are talking about he model that was in Birmingham, I have seen it and took photos.
It needs a lot of work doing to bring it up to exhibition/museum status.
It is also quite large and would take a large chunk of available room in the museum.

[Andy Thompson]

Dear SMJ Society member

In regards to us as a society joining the 100 Club and getting involved with the museum. I have made decision to pay out for the membership myself and ask any member interested to mail me their, £1, £2, £5 or what ever.

If you are keen to support our 100 club  membership, please sent your contributions to me;

Andy Thompson

47, The Signals

Feniton

Devon.

EX14 3UP

All monies sent will go to our membership of the club, even extra monies received over and above the £100 amount required join.

Andy

[NIGEL]

Well done Andy, the idea of paying for the whole amount had crossed my mind as I could see the benefits of being a member of this museum.

Andy Thompson said:

Dear SMJ Society member

In regards to us as a society joining the 100 Club and getting involved with the museum. I have made decision to pay out for the membership myself and ask any member interested to mail me their, £1, £2, £5 or what ever.

If you are keen to support our 100 club  membership, please sent your contributions to me;

Andy Thompson

47, The Signals

Feniton

Devon.

EX14 3UP

All monies sent will go to our membership of the club, even extra monies received over and above the £100 amount required join.

Andy

[Paul Jeffries]

Great idea count me in for sure

[John Isherwood]

John Isherwood - fine by me , help Martin's Towcester project stay on the rails willingly.

Graham Campion said:

Excellent idea, let me know how to donate.

Graham Campion

[John Isherwood]

How do I make a cheque out to the SMJ ?   John Isherwood

[Jack Freuville]

OK from me in Belgium

[John Jennings]

Andy

 

I have put a cheque in the post for a fiver towards this effort

Happy New Year

 

John

[Andy Thompson]

John

See the above thread with my contact details on

Cheers!

Andy

John Isherwood said:

How do I make a cheque out to the SMJ ?   John Isherwood

[John Cosford]

Hi Andy,

Yes, I would be happy to contribute but living in France I don't have a UK cheque book and a bank transfer for £1 would be ridiculous.

Do you have a PayPal account that I can send money to? That would be the simplest method for me and would not involve you in any costs.

Regards,

John