Ormskirk's first-ever free museum is a step closer to reality, with the Ormskirk Heritage Hub team expected to take possession of the premises this week. The team will spend the next few weeks setting up displays and exhibits while simultaneously putting the finishing touches to the town's Heritage Open Days Festival.
Residents and visitors should look out for large fuchsia pink banners and bunting that will soon appear near participating venues. The festival officially opens on Friday, September 11, when Hesfords of Moorgate, The Hayfield and the Farmers Club will all unveil new static heritage displays. Age UK in Moorgate will also mark its 80th year with a special display.
Clock Tower 150th anniversary celebrations
The centrepiece of the festival is the 150th anniversary of the Clock Tower, celebrated on Sunday, September 13, from 11am to 3pm in the town centre. The free event will feature a vintage market, live music, traditional Morris Dancers, the line-dancing group from The Civic, and individual folk and vintage singers. Charity stalls will line Church Street, and local heritage groups will gather at the bottom of the street to promote their collections and projects.
Before the festival, on Sunday, August 30, the Ormskirk Heritage Hub will host a large event gazebo at Motorfest, where visitors can pick up the full Heritage Open Days programme and book places for talks. A free talk on the History of the Art Deco Council Chamber and centuries of local governance will take place in the Council Chamber on Friday, September 11 at 6pm, with some places still available.
Mystery pub trail and museum appeals
A Mystery Ormskirk Pubs Heritage Trail is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15 at 6pm, starting at the Queen's Head Hotel. The trail will guide participants through town to identify locations of the 110 pubs, inns and beer houses that existed over the centuries, with the walk expected to take around two hours.
The Heritage Hub is also appealing to Ormskirk residents for ideas on what they would like to see represented in the museum, which will need changing displays for repeat visitors. The team is particularly keen to find a couple of Ormskirk Chairs – the ladder back/rush seat type – to accompany a display on local collector Anthony Daly. They are also collecting second-hand copies of Dr Mona Duggan's publications, which were popular over 25 years ago, to sell for a few pounds each and raise funds for the museum's running costs.
Funding and future visits
A crowdfunding page is now live for donations to support the museum's future, and once the opening schedule is confirmed, the team will contact local schools, colleges, community groups and care facilities to offer private museum visits on days when it is closed to the public.
