Rugby Art Gallery & Museum

Rugby's giant spider

2026-03-25T11:58:31Z

This model is a replica of the Aerial Tuning Inductor from the C Building at Rugby Radio Station. The original inductor consisted of a framework of copper and wood, forming five coils, each with eight turns of cable. Its web-like appearance led to it being commonly known as the “spider.”
The inductor played a vital role in transmitting very low frequency signals. It tuned the aerial to the correct frequency, enabling radio signals to be transmitted across the world. It was an essential part of a vast system linking the transmitter to the aerial masts, allowing global communication through messages and telegrams.

Rugby Radio Station was established by the General Post Office in 1926 at Hillmorton, Rugby. Built on the site of a former First World War airfield, it provided 24-hour radio telegraph communication worldwide. At the time, it was the most powerful station of its kind, equipped with a large water-cooled transmitter (call sign GBR) using 54 thermionic valves.
The original inductor was enormous, measuring approximately 6 metres in height and over 8 metres in width. It was constructed by Henley Telegraph Works in Gravesend. Due to its size, part of the factory wall had to be dismantled to remove the coils and load it onto a lorry to Rugby.
When the radio station closed in the 2000s, the inductor was donated to the Science Museum in London and is now displayed in the Information Age Gallery.
This smaller replica model, standing 77 cm tall, will be on display in a new display 100 Years of Rugby Radio, open from 15 April to 3 October at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

March 2026

World War II field service jacket

This woollen field service jacket was worn by Captain Gleb Kerensky during his service with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in the Second World War, including time spent in The Netherlands.

Born in 1907, Gleb moved from St Petersburg to England in 1920 and later made his home in Rugby. A qualified engineer, he specialised in hydro-electric turbines and worked for English Electric Company at Willans Works on Newbold Road during the 1950s and 1960s. The valves he designed ('straightflow' and 'butterfly' types) were taken up by leading manufacturers around the world. He was captain of the Works badminton team and also played on the tennis team.

Gleb was the son of Alexander Kerensky, who served as head of the Russian Provisional Government from March 1917 until the Bolsheviks seized power in October of that year. In 1920, at the age of 13, Gleb fled Russia with his family after his father was forced into exile for fear of his life. His father later settled in the United States. Gleb died in Rugby in 1990.

The jacket is currently on display in A History of Rugby in 50 Objects.

February 2026

Out on the tiles

This tile was discovered during excavations at Tripontium, a small Roman settlement located about four miles north-east of present-day Rugby. The settlement was established between AD 43 and 50 along the major Roman road later known as Watling Street (now the A5).

Excavations by the Rugby Archaeological Society, led by Jack Lucas, began in the 1960s and continued for over 40 years. They revealed around 70 houses, a large administrative building, a bathhouse, and many artefacts that offer a glimpse into Roman life.
Tiles were made locally, air-dried for around three weeks, and then fired in kilns. Before they were fully dry, some were etched with graffiti or markings.
The peacock symbol on this tile carries both pagan and early Christian connotations and is often associated with immortality and rebirth. This symbolism stems from the belief that a peacock’s flesh does not decay and that its feathers renew each Spring.
Along the bottom of the tile are three curved grooves known as finger scrolls. These distinctive marks were made by the tile maker using their fingers to identify the tiles they had produced.
The tile is currently on display, along with more fascinating finds, in our Local History Gallery exhibition Tripontium: Finds from the Stores, until 11 April 2026.

January 2026

A Chape in the hand....

Chape: A metal plate or mounting on a scabbard or sheath, esp. a protection for the point. Etymology is Middle English from Anglo-French, cape, from Late Latin cappa.

This early medieval scabbard chape, dated to 400–600 AD, was recently donated to the Rugby Art Gallery and Museum by metal detectorist Kathy Bonehill.
The chape, made of copper alloy, once formed the protective tip of a scabbard. Its design features a human face flanked by two birds.

Kathy reflects on her discovery:

“I’ve been metal detecting in the Warwickshire countryside with a regular group for the past couple of years, uncovering some fascinating items along the way. Yet nothing quite compares to this stunning dagger chape.I found it on the very edge of a farmer’s field in Kings Newnham. At first, it was clagged with dirt, its beautiful detail hidden beneath layers of grime. Only after an hour of patient work with a wooden cocktail stick did the design begin to emerge — and I realised I was holding something truly special, perhaps even unique.

There’s a thrill in moments like this: the slow reveal of craftsmanship long buried, the sense of connection to lives lived centuries ago.”

December 2025

Methe- personification of drunkeness

Measuring just 12 mm by 10 mm, this tiny cornelian gemstone is engraved with Methe, the personification of drunkenness in Greekmythology. You can just see the tiny stone in the left hand corner of the display case shown. Methe is raising a vessel as though about to drink from it, while a palm branch lies before her, symbolising triumph over intoxication. It is one of three similar intaglios discovered in the bathhouse drain during excavations at the nearby Roman settlement of Tripontium.

Dating to the first century AD, it has a flat base and bevelled edge, suggesting it was likely set into a signet ring. In Roman society, intaglios such as this were used as personal seals or amulets and were fixed onto rings with clay or wax. It is possible that the heat of the bathhouse softened the glue, washing the gem into the drain. Or perhaps it was lost in a moment of drunkeness!
The intaglio is currently on display in Tripontium: Finds from the Stores in the Local History Gallery until 11 April 2026.

November 2025

Treasure in that there Birdingbury : Early pennanular brooch

This Early Medieval penannular brooch, discovered in Birdingbury in 2023, remains an impressive find despite being in several fragments. It dates from around 700–800 AD. The uniquely crafted brooch is made of silver and is decorated with panels of gold filigree inlay.

The word penannular means "incomplete ring". Brooches such as this were used to fasten loosely woven garments and were also a symbol of the owner's wealth and status. When assembled, the surviving parts measure approx. 7 cm. Although only two fragments of the pin remain, it would have originally featured a longer pin, loosely attached at the top of the ring to allow for fastening the pin at different angles.
The brooch was recently acquired with support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and is currently on display at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum as part of A History of Rugby in 50 Objects.

October 2025

Interior Designs : Roman Style

Roman painted wall plaster fragments

This month’s featured object is a selection of painted wall plaster fragments from Tripontium.
Tripontium was a small Roman settlement about four miles north-east of present-day Rugby which was established between 43–50 AD along the major Roman road later known as Watling Street (now the A5).

Excavations led by Jack Lucas and the Rugby Archaeological Society began in the 1960s and continued over 40 years. They revealed around 70 houses, a large administrative building, a bathhouse, and many artefacts—including fragments of decorated wall plaster.
The plasters and mortars used in these wall finishes were lime-based mixtures combined with sand and gravel. Colour was added using natural pigments such as red and yellow from ochres and green from green earth (primarily glauconite).
Lighter shades were achieved by adding more lime, while darker tones were created by using soot or charcoal. The only synthetic and likely imported pigment was Egyptian blue, often darkened using charcoal powder.
The painted decoration typically imitated stone panels or featured coloured borders in classical styles—echoing Roman artistic traditions.
You can see these wall plaster fragments and other fascinating finds in our new exhibition opening on the 8th Oct, Tripontium: Finds from the Stores in the Local History Gallery at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, as well as in our permanent Archaeology Gallery display.

September 2025

The Light of Wisdom

A glass plate negative of advertising hoardings lit by Mazda lamps produced by the British Thomson-Houston (BTH) company, 1924

This month’s object of the month is chosen by Fatima Krida. Fatima volunteered with us over the summer repacking some of our glass plate negative collection from the publicity department at British Thomson Houston.

A glass plate negative of advertising hoardings lit by Mazda lamps produced by the British Thomson-Houston (BTH) company, 1924.

Glass plate negatives, coated with a light-sensitive emulsion, were a popular photographic medium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, preceding film as the primary medium for capturing images in photography. This particular negative, featuring a row of posters on a street in Glasgow, lit by Mazda lamps, offers a rare glimpse into the visual marketing of electric lighting during a time of rapid technological change.

Named after the universal God of Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda, whose name means ‘light of wisdom’ in the Avestan language, the Mazda lamp and brand symbolised innovation and modernity. BTH, a major player in the UK’s electrical industry, played a significant role in popularising such technologies. The company’s main factory was in Rugby and opened in 1902. BTH became a local staple, employing thousands of local people and becoming known primarily for their electrical systems and steam turbines. This fragile yet powerful artifact connects us to an era when electricity was transforming daily life. It stands as both a historical document and a testament to the craftsmanship of early photography and engineering.

Highlights include a working brass lock, silver cutlery, a toothbrush, a reel of cotton (just 4mm long!), a toy train carriage, and a chocolate box.
Built in the early 1920s for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V and grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, the doll’s house has over 40 fully furnished room

August 2025

Teeny Tiny!

Doll's House miniatures

As they are so tiny, this month we’re showcasing 14 miniature items made for the Queen Mary’s dolls’ house – each crafted to a 1:12 scale. Highlights include a working brass lock, silver cutlery, a toothbrush, a reel of cotton (just 4mm long!), a toy train carriage, and a chocolate box.
Built in the early 1920s for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V and grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, the doll’s house has over 40 fully furnished rooms, including libraries, kitchens, bedrooms, and even automated lifts.

It was designed by prominent architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and was intended as ‘a symbol of national goodwill realised through the generous workmanship of many hands’. Among these many hands were Parnell’s of Rugby who built the House, and The Twining Model Co. of Northampton who made some of the miniatures along with leading manufacturers of the period such as Bryant and Mays, Rowntree’s, Coats, and Garrard & Co. It was exhibited at the British Empire Exhibition 1924-1925 and is still on display at Windsor Castle today.

The exterior shell of the dolls’ house was constructed at Parnell’s workshop in Oliver Street, Rugby before being moved to Lutyens’ home in London where it remained until it was finished two years later. The members of the Parnell’s team listed in the 1925 Catalogue of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House who worked on the house were: Mr. T. Woodward (foreman), Mr. H. Carter, Mr. H. Mayo, Mr. Robert Hudson, Mr. T. Abot, Mr. T. Coles, Mr. T. Halliwell, Mr. E. C. Hudson, Mr. T. Lord, Mr. W. Mutch, Mr. R. Reynolds, Mr. F. Sparkes, Mr. E. Stretton, and Mr. F. Upstone.
Parnell’s was founded c. 1850 by John William Parnell, a noteworthy Rugby Methodist. The company worked all over England on projects such as Lindesfarne Castle (with Lutyens) and Keeble College, Oxford, and in Rugby: Rugby School Chapel and the alterations to St. Andrew’s Church.
Our miniature objects are currently on display as part of the Great and Small exhibition, until 6th September.

July 2025

A building a credit to the town!

The Assembly Rooms Rugby

This pencil drawing shows the interior of the Assembly Room in Rugby’s Town Hall, designed by Coventry architect James Murray (1831–1863).
Murray was a prominent figure in Victorian architecture, becoming a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) at just 28. For a time, he worked in London alongside Welby Pugin, son of the renowned architect Augustus Pugin, before returning to Coventry. Despite his short life—he died at only 32—Murray was remarkably prolific, designing numerous buildings locally and across the country.

Rugby’s Town Hall and its covered market were built on High Street in 1858. The Town Hall officially opened on Easter Tuesday, 6th April 1858, with a Public Dinner attended by over 200 people. At the event, the chairman of the Rugby Town Hall Company, Mr. J.A. Campbell, told attendees in a speech: “You have a beautiful hall, a capacious market, a building of credit to the town, a credit to the shareholders and a credit to the architect.”

Sadly, most of the building was destroyed in a fire in 1921.
This drawing is currently on display as part of the Collecting Rugby exhibition at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum until 4th October.

June 2025

Read all about it

Dressed to print!

This dress is printed with pages from the Rugby Advertiser, dated 19th June 1925 and 21st January 1927. The print includes a variety of advertisements typical of the time—announcements for local events such as the Monks Kirby Farmers’ Club Annual Show at Newbold Revel on 27th June, property sales including Staverton Hall, and commercial adverts for businesses like Muriel Moulds Beauticians at 8 Market Place. Also featured are notices for upcoming sales at the Rugby Cattle Market and public information such as entrance exams for Lawrence Sheriff School.

In 1925, the Rugby Advertiser was published twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
The newspaper’s first edition was issued on 7th March 1846 and was originally published monthly. It was founded by William Ironside Tait (1806–1875), then Master of Thomas Caldecott’s School and a keen printer. Tait set up his press a few years after the arrival of the London and Birmingham Railway in Rugby. Recognising the town's growing commercial activity, he saw the need for a local newspaper.
The dress itself is made from thin white cotton. Its simple, unfitted style and sash are both typical of the fashion of the era.
It is likely that it was created as a promotional piece for the Rugby Advertiser. Similar garments were worn at fundraising events organised by British Thomson-Houston in Rugby in the 1930s.
The dress is currently on display in Collecting Rugby at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum until 4th October.

May 2025

This is V Day!

A momentous occasion recorded in daily life

Joe Parriss's 1945 diary

To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day - the end of the war in Europe on 8th May - this month’s featured object is the personal diary of Joseph (Joe) Parriss (1862-1951), from the year 1945.

The diary offers a glimpse into Joe's day-to-day life during the final year of the Second World War. His entries often note the weather and local outings but it’s the entry on 8th May that stands out as he joyfully notes: “THIS IS V DAY.” The Parriss family marked the occasion by attending a thanksgiving service at church and by listening to King George VI, Winston Churchill, and Field Marshal Montgomery on the wireless.
Another key moment appears in the entry for 15th August—VJ Day—when Joe records the surrender of Japan, which brought the war to an end.
This diary is part of a collection of diaries written by Joseph and his children —Lily, Lucy, Nellie, and Ernest held in the museum’s social history collection. The Parriss family ran a long-established jeweller’s shop on Regent Street in Rugby, with another branch in Leamington Spa.

Diary Entry May 1945:

April 2025

Home sweet home for a nice cup of tea

This small teapot originally belonged to the Hough family, who lived at Braunston Marina and worked on the canal. Teapots like this one were a common feature in the cabins of canal families and often handed down through the generations.This distinctive style of pottery is known as Measham ware or Barge ware and was produced in the late 1800s at Measham on the Ashby Canal in Leicestershire. Measham ware also made other household items, such as jugs, pots, and jars for domestic use on canal boats. The type of glaze is known as treacle ware because of its rich, glossy brown finish. During production items could be personalised with a sentiment or family name. This one is embossed with the words “Home Sweet Home,” surrounded by decorative motifs of flowers and birds. Standing at just 16cm in height, the teapot has a miniature teapot finial on the lid, although it is sadly damaged at the handle. By 1910, production of Measham ware had ceased as interest in this style began to decline.

You can see this teapot as part of our new social history display Collecting Rugby, from 9th April to 4th October.

March 2025

Bellows to blow you away!

These hefty bellows, measuring 150cm in length, were donated to the museum in 2022. They came from the forge at Willoughby near Rugby where they had been used until the 1970s by Fred Wooldridge.

During the Second World War, the forge was kept busy with the repair of farm machinery. The bellows would have been in constant use to keep the metal hot in the fire. Fred’s routine involved travelling between two locations on his motorcycle with a sidecar. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, he worked in Willoughby, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, he worked at the forge in Harborough Magna.

By the early 1950s, the demand for blacksmiths to repair farm machinery began to decline. This was due to the introduction of light tractors, like the Little Grey Ferguson. The work at the forge changed to the shoeing of horses used for riding rather than farm work. By then Fred just had the forge at Willoughby, working six days a week.

Fred finally retired in 1972, bringing an end to his working life as a blacksmith.

February 2025

A key for Alms

This chunky key, measuring 13cm in length, is from alms house number 1 that stood in Church Street in Rugby.

Alms houses were built to provide accommodation for the elderly and poor, often established by wealthy benefactors who were keen to support their local communities as part of their legacy.

Rugby-born merchant Lawrence Sheriff (c1515-1567), a prominent trader in spices and goods and a member of Queen Elizabeth’s court, left funds in his will towards the building of four alms houses and a grammar school in Rugby.

The school, originally founded in a room adjacent to or part of Sheriff’s family home on Church Street, near St. Andrew’s Church, was relocated to its present location in 1740 and became known as Rugby School.

The first four of what would eventually become twelve alms houses were built opposite the church. These houses were rebuilt and extended in the nineteenth century, but all twelve were demolished in the early 1960s to make way for a parade of shops.

January 2025

Grindr - Roman Style

This month’s object of the month is a large worked stone that has recently been donated to the museum.

Between 2015 and 2019 Cotswold Archaeology carried out an extensive archaeological excavation of the land ahead of the Houlton development to the east of Rugby.

Most of the finds discovered are Roman, the majority of which are pottery, glass, hobnails, carpentry nails and various worked stones, including this one which dates to the 2nd century.

The stone is broken into six fragments. The grinding area has evenly spaced pock marks across the surface, and it measures roughly 74cm in diameter (but it is not perfectly circular).

It is likely the stone originally ground grain with human or animal power, but it was found with other worked stones within the backfill of a corn dryer oven. Corn dryers were commonly used on rural Roman sites to heat and dry newly harvested grain so that it could be stored over winter. Discarded or broken worked stones made useful building materials for a corn dryer structure.

This stone is currently in the ‘What’s New?’ display at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, featuring a selection of recent acquisitions to the museum, on until 5th April 2025.The object of the month this month is a tree-mendously old Christmas tree bought in 1924.

December 2024 Object of the Month

100 year old Christmas Tree: It's tree-mendous!

The one-hundred-year-old tree was owned by George Faulkner (who passed away in 2016) and his wife Margery who was originally given the tree by her mother who had purchased it from Woolworths in Rugby for just 6d.

The Woolworths shop in Rugby first opened on High Street in October 1922. The Rugby Advertiser reported on the first day of opening that from 7:15am people had started to arrive with several hundred outside before the store opened at 9am. The new shop “thronged all day with an eager crowd anxious to secure the bargains offered for sale.”

The American grocers and household chain had arrived in the UK in 1909 and for many years every product sold had the price limit of sixpence, using the slogan in its adverts ‘Nix over six’.

This little tree measures less than a metre high and includes the decorations that had been owned by Margery and her mother. On the ends of some of the branches there are candle holders so real candles could be added.

Christmas tree traditions started in this country thanks to Prince Albert bringing the custom of a decorated tree over from Germany and the idea caught on with the Victorians.

Woolworths were the first to sell mass produced artificial trees in the 1920s making this tree one of the oldest of its kind.

November 2024 Object of the Month

Protesting the Ban: A Public Outcry!

The object of the month for November is a photograph of a protest march along Evreux Way which took place in Rugby 40 years ago this month.

Rugby Borough Council had recently introduced an equal opportunities policy, stating there should be no discrimination on the grounds of race, nationality, sex, religious beliefs, marital status or sexual orientation. When it was voted on at a council meeting in September 1984 an amendment was carried to delete sexual orientation from the policy.

There was a public outcry and a campaign, ‘Stop the lesbian and gay ban’ was formed, led by Councillor Jeff Coupe (wearing an armband in the photo). The rally and march were organised for 10th November 1984 and saw a thousand people attend from across the country, including gay rights groups and NALGO, the local government union.

During the rally at the Benn Hall, MP Chris Smith gave a speech. Introducing himself, he said “My name is Chris Smith. I’m the Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, and I’m gay” making history as the first openly gay MP in the country.

In February 1985 the dispute finally came to an end with a new policy statement drawn up by the council which included the paragraph: ‘The council has no procedures or recruitment practices to discriminate against existing employees or job applicants on the grounds of sexual orientation and will appoint and promote the best qualified, the most capable and the most suitable candidates.’

October Object of the Month
Roman Chatelaine

The Roman Make up Bag!

This delightful chatelaine brooch is made of copper alloy and decorated with blue and yellow petal shaped enamel pieces. It was found at the Roman settlement of Tripontium (4 miles north-east of present day Rugby). The site was excavated by the Rugby Archaeological Society over a 40-year period.

The brooch dates from the late 1st – early 2nd Century and would have served a practical use, for holding small tools for the lady of the house to use for personal grooming. Examples included: nail files, tweezers, nail cleaners/toothpick, ear scoop and cosmetic spoon. Roman make up was mixed and applied using spoons. Cleanliness was an important part of Roman culture. Unfortunately, this brooch wasn’t found with any tools attached and it is missing the horizontal bar along the bottom to suspend tools from.

It is possible that chatelaine brooches were also seen as status symbols for the female that owned them having a high position in a household. Brooches such as this were exclusively female items.

The type of jewellery at Tripontium is very similar to that found over the rest of Roman Britain. It also includes rings, bracelets and necklaces, many of which were made of glass or bronze.

The brooch and some examples of cosmetic tools are on display in the Archaeology Gallery at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

SEPTEMBER Object of the Month
"Get your Apples and Oranges!"

'Rugby Market Place' by Joseph Pike

The object of the month for September is this delightful pencil drawing ‘Rugby Market Place’ by Joseph Pike (1883-1956).

This drawing is included in the book 'Rugby: A Series of Pencil Sketches' by Joseph Pike, published by A & C Black of London in 1930.

Similar books had already been illustrated on Chester, Stratford, and Bruges.

Pike visited Rugby and met with local bookseller George Over to get an understanding of the scenes in the town he should capture for the book. Over half the illustrations feature Rugby School. The introduction covers the town’s history, with a particular focus on the school, which was written by H.C Bradby, an assistant master there from 1892-1929.

The pencil drawing captures stalls on a market day in Market Place, as the book tells us:

“Rugby's principal market is for cattle, and is held on Mondays in huge yards near the L.M.S. Station: but on a Saturday we shall find stalls of fruit and vegetables and fish and clothing standing in the Market Place, and the country people coming to buy, on the same ground and in the same fashion as their forefathers bought and sold ever since Henry Ill granted a market by Charter.”

The idyllic scenes also hint at contemporary life with the inclusion of the motor car and marketgoers in fashions of the era.

Pike was an established commercial artist, known for his pencil drawings of street scenes, churches and landmarks across the country, which were widely reproduced in books and postcards. He exhibited at the Royal Academy in Summer 1924 with a drawing of the Old Curiosity Shop in London, as immortalised by Charles Dickens. His address in the Royal Academy brochure is given as ‘Brook Green Studios’ which refers to the art school that had recently been opened in Hammersmith by the artist Leon Underwood.

This drawing, along with several others by Pike appear in ‘Picturing Rugby’, on now at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum until 5th October.

AUGUST Object of the Month

Pig in a ditch?

Roman lead pig found in ditch alongside Watling Street

This impressive lead pig (or ingot) was excavated at the site of Tripontium from a ditch alongside the Roman road of Watling Street (now the A5).
Tripontium was a small Roman settlement first established between 43-50AD. It straddled Watling Street - the busy imperial highway which ran from London to Wroxeter and Chester. The route was in constant use by the Imperial Postal Service, who would stop at settlements like Tripontium to get fresh horses. Other travellers and army personnel also stopped there for shelter, food and to have a bath in the bath house.

The ingot is inscribed SOCIOR LVT BR EX ARG, which translates fully as ‘product of Lutudarensian partners; British lead from the lead-silver works’. This tells us that it was produced in the mine of Lutudarum, which was located close to Crich in Derbyshire. The shape and imperial stamp on the top of the ingot establishes it to be of Roman origin. This type of imperial stamp went out of use after 163-169AD, so we know that it predates this period. It is likely that it was a part of a batch, en route to London. Nearly 60cm in length and at a weighty 79kg (143lb) one theory is that it fell from a cart and was too heavy to retrieve.

Lead was mined in Derbyshire from the Bronze Age until the mid-19th century. The wealth of minerals, including lead and silver, was a major factor in the Romans expansion into Britain. Lead was used to make piping, gutters and was alloyed with tin to make pewter. Silver was extracted from the lead and was used in the production of Roman coins.

The ingot is one of 50 objects on display as part of ‘A History of Rugby in 50 Objects’ on now at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

July Object of the Month

Meet Mr Benn

"As if by magic ... the shopkeeper appeared"

This panel came from a section of a door at Bennfield House. The house was built in North Street, Rugby in 1669 and was the home of the Benn Family.

The Benns were a wealthy local family. Thomas and Maria Benn were married in 1813 and had five sons. The sons gave a lot to local concerns, funding building work on St Andrews Church, local schools and the building of the clocktower. Because the brothers never married, whatever fortunes they had passed down the line to the youngest, George, being the last to die in 1895. In his will were many bequests to local charities and organisations. He also left the deeds to the Shoulder of Mutton Inn to the town and a bequest to the local board for the provision of ‘town buildings’. This was built on the site of the Inn on High Street and was known as the Benn Building. The council offices were relocated to their new site on Evreux Way in the 1960s with the adjoining venue the Benn Hall.
The glass panes feature two paintings: the larger one shows the George Inn, Market Place, Rugby c. 1810. The inn was built in the 1650s and demolished or destroyed by a fire in the 1840s and a new hotel was built on the site. In 1954 the hotel was replaced with shops.
The smaller pane shows a lady carrying a basket. The high waistline of her dress and apron date it to the Regency fashions of the early 1800s.
The panel is on display in our current temporary exhibition ‘Picturing Rugby’ on until 5th October in the Local History Gallery.

This is VE Day!

2025-04-30T13:38:34Z

Joe Parriss's 1945 diary

To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day - the end of the war in Europe on 8th May - this month’s featured object is the personal diary of Joseph (Joe) Parriss (1862-1951), from the year 1945.

The diary offers a glimpse into Joe's day-to-day life during the final year of the Second World War. His entries often note the weather and local outings but it’s the entry on 8th May that stands out as he joyfully notes: “THIS IS V DAY.” The Parriss family marked the occasion by attending a thanksgiving service at church and by listening to King George VI, Winston Churchill, and Field Marshal Montgomery on the wireless.
Another key moment appears in the entry for 15th August—VJ Day—when Joe records the surrender of Japan, which brought the war to an end.
This diary is part of a collection of diaries written by Joseph and his children —Lily, Lucy, Nellie, and Ernest held in the museum’s social history collection. The Parriss family ran a long-established jeweller’s shop on Regent Street in Rugby, with another branch in Leamington Spa.

Diary Entry May 1945:

April 2025

Home sweet home for a nice cup of tea

You can see this teapot as part of our new social history display Collecting Rugby, from 9th April to 4th October.

March 2025

Bellows to blow you away!

These hefty bellows, measuring 150cm in length, were donated to the museum in 2022. They came from the forge at Willoughby near Rugby where they had been used until the 1970s by Fred Wooldridge.

Fred finally retired in 1972, bringing an end to his working life as a blacksmith.

February 2025

A key for Alms

This chunky key, measuring 13cm in length, is from alms house number 1 that stood in Church Street in Rugby.

Alms houses were built to provide accommodation for the elderly and poor, often established by wealthy benefactors who were keen to support their local communities as part of their legacy.

January 2025

Grindr - Roman Style

This month’s object of the month is a large worked stone that has recently been donated to the museum.

Between 2015 and 2019 Cotswold Archaeology carried out an extensive archaeological excavation of the land ahead of the Houlton development to the east of Rugby.

Most of the finds discovered are Roman, the majority of which are pottery, glass, hobnails, carpentry nails and various worked stones, including this one which dates to the 2nd century.

The stone is broken into six fragments. The grinding area has evenly spaced pock marks across the surface, and it measures roughly 74cm in diameter (but it is not perfectly circular).

December 2024 Object of the Month

100 year old Christmas Tree: It's tree-mendous!

The American grocers and household chain had arrived in the UK in 1909 and for many years every product sold had the price limit of sixpence, using the slogan in its adverts ‘Nix over six’.

Christmas tree traditions started in this country thanks to Prince Albert bringing the custom of a decorated tree over from Germany and the idea caught on with the Victorians.

Woolworths were the first to sell mass produced artificial trees in the 1920s making this tree one of the oldest of its kind.

November 2024 Object of the Month

Protesting the Ban: A Public Outcry!

The object of the month for November is a photograph of a protest march along Evreux Way which took place in Rugby 40 years ago this month.

October Object of the Month
Roman Chatelaine

The Roman Make up Bag!

It is possible that chatelaine brooches were also seen as status symbols for the female that owned them having a high position in a household. Brooches such as this were exclusively female items.

The type of jewellery at Tripontium is very similar to that found over the rest of Roman Britain. It also includes rings, bracelets and necklaces, many of which were made of glass or bronze.

The brooch and some examples of cosmetic tools are on display in the Archaeology Gallery at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

SEPTEMBER Object of the Month
"Get your Apples and Oranges!"

'Rugby Market Place' by Joseph Pike

The object of the month for September is this delightful pencil drawing ‘Rugby Market Place’ by Joseph Pike (1883-1956).

This drawing is included in the book 'Rugby: A Series of Pencil Sketches' by Joseph Pike, published by A & C Black of London in 1930.

Similar books had already been illustrated on Chester, Stratford, and Bruges.

The pencil drawing captures stalls on a market day in Market Place, as the book tells us:

The idyllic scenes also hint at contemporary life with the inclusion of the motor car and marketgoers in fashions of the era.

This drawing, along with several others by Pike appear in ‘Picturing Rugby’, on now at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum until 5th October.

AUGUST Object of the Month

Pig in a ditch?

Roman lead pig found in ditch alongside Watling Street

The ingot is one of 50 objects on display as part of ‘A History of Rugby in 50 Objects’ on now at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

July Object of the Month

Meet Mr Benn

"As if by magic ... the shopkeeper appeared"

This panel came from a section of a door at Bennfield House. The house was built in North Street, Rugby in 1669 and was the home of the Benn Family.

June Object of the Month

1944 Target Rugby

Luftwaffe map showing Rugby's key sites

To mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings this month we’ve chosen a Second World War map of Rugby for the object of the month.

This map was found in an aerodrome by the donor’s husband who was air force ground staff following the D-Day landings.

The D-day operation took place on 6th June 1944 and saw over 150,000 Western Allies invading by sea and air on the Normandy coast of France with the aim to liberate Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. It was a key turning point in the war and gave the Allies a foothold in France.

This crumpled map entitled 'Special Edition' (Sonderausgabe!) shows key sites and infrastructures which would have been German Luftwaffe targets for a bombing raid in Rugby. Primary targets were outlined in red and secondary ones in purple. They included: British Thompson-Houston, Willans Works, Hunters Wagon Works, the railways, gas works, hospitals and water supplies.

Despite this Rugby suffered few attacks during the war. One lone intruder in 1941deposited all its bombs across New Bilton (demolishing part of the Willans Works office frontage), the main railway lines and almost hitting the water pumping station in Mill Road. The German bomber reportedly crashed near Lilbourne.

The map is currently on display as part of A History of Rugby in 50 Objects.

A good match?

2024-04-30T15:03:40Z

This month’s object of the month is featured in our current local history display Picturing Rugby.

Matchbox covers appeared in the early 19th century as way of protecting cardboard or wooden matchboxes. As a frequently used item, boxes were easily damaged to the point where they couldn’t be used for striking matches.
More ornate covers, owned by the wealthy, were made of silver, enamelled, or engraved. Cheaper metals, wood or papier mâché were used for mass produced covers, although they still carried decorations, such as this one. They were also used as souvenirs and advertising.

This matchbox cover features a small painting, possibly in oil paints, of Whitehall cottage in Rugby. It is made from metal and would fully cover the top and bottom of a box of matches. The sides are left largely open to allow the matches to be struck on the side of the box. On the base of the matchbox is a handwritten label which reads: 'White Hall, Clifton Road, Warwickshire. By Elizabeth Sarah Ann Cox. Rugby.'

This building stood at the junction of Clifton Road and Lower Hillmorton Road. A good match?

The cottage was demolished in the 1870s to expand the junction.

Picturing Rugby is on at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum until 5th October.

Jet ready, jet set, GO!

2024-03-27T14:36:12Z

This plaque commemorates the first test run of the jet-propelled engine at British Thomson Houston in Rugby in April 1937.
It was unveiled in 1987 by the inventor, Sir Frank Whittle (1907-1996), to mark the 50th anniversary of the test. It was originally on the wall of Building 86/86a at the site.
As a young man he joined the RAF and was recommended for officer training in 1926. During his training he wrote a thesis on the future development of aircraft engine design. In this he first mentioned the potential for forms of propulsion such as turbine engines.
He patented the ideas in 1930. After studying Mechanical Sciences at Cambridge, he was approached by ex RAF men, Rolf Williams and Collingwood Tinling, about exploring development of his engine. With a bank loan they incorporated as Power Jets Ltd, and work began soon after on an experimental engine at British Thomson Houston. The first test run was made on 12th April 1937.
Vic Cox who worked as an apprentice at BT-H at the time remembers the day of the first test;
“The engine eventually started and as it gained speed the noise rose to a low shriek, increasing as the decibels and the speed became higher and higher. Everyone in the vicinity including me ran for cover and hid behind the large stanchions…Finally the howl decreased as the engine was stopped. We all came out from hiding looking more than a little scared. The hot jet had burnt all the paint off the engine shed which was in line with the exhaust”.

Although it wasn’t entirely successful it did prove that the engine worked and was enough to gain interest from the Air Ministry. Whittle continued to be based at Brownsover Hall but testing soon moved to a disused factory in Lutterworth ending the engine testing in Rugby and British Thomson Houston’s involvement.
The plaque is one of 50 objects on display in A History of Rugby in 50 Objects at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

Man with a Van ...1960s style

2024-02-29T15:10:47Z

March's object of the month is this black and white photograph of a van owned by Lennon Bros Ltd., who were a local firm of tobacconists.
The Lennon family moved to Rugby in 1904. In 1911, the family lived at “The Globe Hotel” on Railway Terrace.
One of the partners of Lennon Bros. Ltd., Ernest Patrick Lennon (1889-1965), was also a member of the Borough Council between 1938-1961. Lennon Close in Hillmorton was named after him and was built in the late 20th Century.
His brother, Lionel Lennon (1894-1916), was also a partner. Lionel joined the Honourable Artillery Company in 1916. He was killed on the 29th September during a heavy artillery engagement.
They operated at sites including Railway Terrace, and at 15a Market Place, on the corner of Chapel Street, where a large sign is still visible on the side of the building today.

Other businesses that have been at 15a Market Place have included The Tin Miner’s Pastry Co. Ltd, Supa Snaps, That’s Shoe Business, and Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop.
The model of vehicle is a Bedford CA. They were light commercial vehicles produced in Bedford, Luton, between 1952-1969.
The photograph was taken in March 1962 by Rodney H. Huntingford. More images taken by this photographer of local businesses and vehicles are currently on display in our social history exhibition, “Reddings Around Rugby”.
Do you have information or memories of Lennon Bros. Ltd.? Please get in touch as we would love to know more.

An 'unabated' interest in Rugby

2024-01-31T16:07:12Z

This blue plaque is from Richard Henry Wood’s former residence on Little Church Street in Rugby where he lived from 1874 to 1894.
Wood was an important local figure in the town and a generous benefactor, most noted for his large contribution to the Hospital of St Cross. He also founded the town’s first public library.
Born in Manchester in February 1820, he became a stockbroker and a business partner to an iron merchant, from which he amassed considerable wealth. He moved to Rugby in 1874 where he held positions of the Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for Warwickshire.
Mr and Mrs Wood took an interest in local causes and wanted to use their money to help the people of Rugby. In 1882 he donated land in Barby Road along with £10,000 for the construction of The Hospital of St Cross which opened in 1884.
He owned buildings on St. Matthews Street, where he founded the library in 1890. The complex was known as The Wood Institute. It was his intention that the building would be expanded to create a museum, but the idea was not embraced by the library committee, whose income was very low, and so this was sadly not seen in his lifetime.
In his old age he moved to Sidmouth in Devon for health reasons. Wood continued to contribute to an endowment fund at St Cross and kept his position on the hospital Board of Management. He died in 1908 from heart failure following a chill.
The obituary in the Rugby Advertiser on 2nd May 1908 stated,
“Although separated from Rugby by many miles, his interest in the town and its various institutions was unabated till the end”.

The plaque is currently on display in A History of Rugby in 50 Objects.

Ice Station Rugby

2024-01-18T16:20:54Z

2000.353.18

For January’s object of the month we look back at some wintery weather with a photograph of the Oxford Canal near Hillmorton Locks taken 42 years ago in January 1982. It shows large chunks of broken ice on the canal’s surface. Many boats had been left ice-bound by the cold weather. The photograph was taken by Joseph Hogg who worked on the canals for many years.

In early December 1981 the severe cold snap began and continued through to mid-January. It was one of the coldest winters in living memory as people endured blizzard conditions and the lowest ever recorded temperature in England (-26.1 C in Shropshire).
Snow caused travel chaos locally and one Saturday open air market in Rugby saw only 10 of 200 stalls open for business.
After the freeze came the thaw which led to the River Avon bursting its banks, flooding hundreds of acres of farmland and both Leicester Road and Newbold Road.

The key to the road!

2023-11-30T16:00:02Z

Hiltons Garage was on North Street in Rugby from 1903 to the 1960s.

Originally started by George Hilton as a cycle repair shop, it expanded as the motoring public needed vehicle servicing along with petrol pumps by the roadside. This leather keyring was given to customers with the keys to their new car.

The large site, which included lock ups, service areas and a sales floor, was bought in the 1970s to make way for the new shopping centre complex.

The keyring is currently on display in the Local History Gallery as part of the Redding Around Rugby exhibition with photographs of the Hiltons site in the 1960s along with many more local scenes from the era. The publicity shots were taken by Rodney H Huntingford who ran the Redding Photographers business from the 1930s to the 1970s.

The exhibition is on until 6th April 2024.

Rugby's Warship

2023-10-31T11:46:55Z

This shield was presented to the Borough of Rugby by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to commemorate the adoption of the HMS Keppel by the Borough during Warship Week.

During the Second World War, cities, towns and villages organised Warship Weeks to raise money to meet the cost of providing a particular naval ship. The scheme was introduced by the National War Savings Committee. Once enough money had been raised for the ship, the local community would adopt the ship.

HMS Keppel was an active destroyer. Its role was sinking German submarines and picking up survivors of vessels sunk by German submarines.

Rugby’s warship week took place in March 1942 and saw the target of £210,000 reached within the first few days by local businesses including large donations from British Thomson-Houston and Rugby Building Society. This was subsequently raised to £350,000. Fundraising activities took place throughout the week and a total of £471, 215 was finally raised for the ship.

Lord Kindersley, President of the National Savings Committee wrote to The Mayor of Rugby after the event:

"I am writing to ask you to accept personally, and to convey to all others who contributed to the success of Rugby Warship Week, my warmest thanks and appreciation. This fine effort, resulting in the adoption of HMS Keppel, will not only forge a closer link between the people of Rugby and the Royal Navy, but will also provide a lasting record of their patriotism."

You can see the plaque on display in our current exhibition ‘A History of Rugby in 50 objects’ at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.

And the walls came tumblin' down

2023-09-29T15:59:26Z

We are very lucky to have a dynamic and flexible space which is mainly due to our panelock wall system. The system works with the walls hanging from a metal track, allowing them to move across the whole gallery space and locking in all different ways to enable us to adapt and change the look and feel of the exhibitions. For some shows like the Rugby Open we need maximum wall space. The Gallery officer will try to accommodate as many walls as possible and make the gallery exciting space for work to hide behind other walls so your journey is always a surprise around the gallery. Other exhibitions need space and viewing areas so fewer walls are better. In which case the walls are rolled into the storage room and the space is opened up. We did this for the previous Rugby Collection show curated by David Remfry.

The wall system was put in when the gallery opened in 2000 and therefore makes the system 23 years old. Over this period of time, the wall mechanisms for locking the walls in place have worn and made the manoeuvring of them difficult, not only this but with approx. 5 exhibitions a year over 23 years, the walls have seen approx. 115 layers of paint making them heavier and harder to move. Whilst we have diligently maintained the walls over the years, they have now well exceeded their 15 year life span and it is now the point where they are unsafe to handle and replacement parts are nigh on impossible to find.

Progress is well under way. All of the walls have been lifted out of the building with a hoist (fitted at the time the gallery was opened). The contractors have made the project look easy and are confident that we are on schedule as planned. Weather dependent, the new and improved walls will arrive by lorry next week and will be hoisted in the same way into the gallery, where specialist fitters from Panelock themselves will attach the walls to the track system (which isn't being replaced).

The project hasn't been without its challenges. The building entrance and hoist sits in the very small staff car park. A very narrow alleyway does not give good access to big vehicles, and we have had to think carefully and plan for all eventualities. Working together with all stakeholders we have managed to devise a plan to ensure the walls safe arrival into the gallery. The largest walls which are situated in our drum gallery are 4m tall and not the easiest thing to handle or manoeuvre, particularly when they are being hoisted into the air! The gallery staff were all very excited to see the hoist used - the first time since the original wall install. With our new found confidence and experience using the hoist who knows what the future will hold with large scale sculptures being loaned for shows! (Not sure we should promise this but it's true!)

The new walls will come with a first coat allowing the team to put the final coat of paint on once all the walls are installed. We predict this to take two weeks and be ready in time for us to add the sparkle of colour for the Rugby Open! But what colour will we choose for this year's show? Any recommendations?

Birch Rod

2023-08-30T18:41:33Z

Birch Rod 2004.371

This birch rod was owned and used by Dr Thomas Arnold (1795-1842).

Dr Arnold was the renowned headmaster at Rugby School from 1828-1842. He reformed the school and increased intake of pupils by 100 during his time as headmaster. He was immortalised in the novel ‘Tom Brown School Days’ written by Thomas Hughes in 1857. The birch rod, made up of a bundle of long twigs, was used to punish boys at the school.

It was given to the first Rugby library for their museum collection. The library was founded by local philanthropist Richard Henry Wood and opened in 1891.

This birch rod along with 49 other objects will be on display in our new exhibition A History of Rugby in 50 Objects opening at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum on the 7th October.

Cigarette Card

2023-08-01T10:13:05Z

This month’s object of the month is a cigarette photocard featuring British Thomson- Houston (BTH) RUFC team. It was produced in 1936 by the Ardath Tobacco Company. It is number 8 (of 110) in Series E ‘Midlands Football Teams’ produced by the company. Also in the same series was the BTH Football Club.

On the reverse of the card are listed the names of club members. The photograph was taken outside the BTH recreation clubhouse on Hillmorton Road in Rugby recognisable from the beautiful glass door and brick archway.

The rugby team at BTH was founded in 1923 and was one of a number of sports teams and social clubs at the company.

In the 1930s many major cigarette brands contained cards in their packets. These were avidly collected and traded by both adults and children. Along with sports teams, other series featured: the royal family, politicians, film stars, animals and famous landmarks.

This card and the history of clubs and societies in Rugby is on display in our current exhibition Join Our Club on until the 23rd September.

Left to right, back row: A.Chesterton, E.Haywood, M.Rees.
Middle row: B. Taylor (Sec.), A. King, R. Chilsholm, P. Ruggles, T. Procter, W. Ingram, S. Wallace, R. Barker, E. Aust, L. Ward (Referee).
Front Row: G. Wright, T. Cook, R. Ellis, G. Bellamy, R. Longland (Capt.). K. Kinchin, E. Hatton, W. Perry.

The Mayor's Journal

2023-07-04T09:09:57Z

This month’s object of the month is the Mayor’s Journal for Mayor Councillor F.J. Press, J.P for the year 1953-1954

Frederick James Press (1909-1964) was Rugby's youngest ever Mayor, aged 44. His wife was Elsie Winifred Mullock (1909-1997). They had two sons.

The journal was bought at a postcard fair in Birmingham before being donated to the museum last year. It contains many photographs, invitations and menus as well as a diary of what was going on in Rugby during that year. It was compiled by staff at the library. The Mayor and Mayoress were extremely busy during the Coronation Year and attended at least one function most days and sometimes up four engagements.

One photograph shows the Mayor and Mayoress at Deepmore Road Coronation Party which was one of the many street parties and celebrations which were held in Rugby that summer.

Other engagements that year included :attending the Civic Sunday ceremony at St Andrews church, presenting Coronation gifts to local schools, attending the opening performance of Warwickshire Coronation Pageant in the grounds of Warwick Castle, meeting actress Jane Hylton at the reopening of Regent Cinema, attending BTH Fire Brigade’s annual interworks competition, Rugby Engineering Society’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, Rugby and District Chrysanthemum Society show, the opening of the new cattle sheds and sale ring at Rugby Cattle Market, presentation of the freedom of the Borough to Douglas Edgar Biart (town clerk since 1932) and the 390th Shakespeare’s Birthday celebrations in Stratford Upon Avon. They also attended many dinner dances and balls in Rugby and across the county.

The album contains the Mayor’s portrait at the front of the book which was taken by Rodney Huntingford of Redding’s Studio every year.

The book was presented at the meeting of Rugby Borough Council on Tuesday 26th October 1954.

Be prepared!

2023-06-02T12:10:05Z

This Girl Guide shirt belonged to Nancy Keightly (nee Beere) and dates from the 1920s. It is currently on display in our Join Our Club exhibition.
The Scout movement was founded by Robert Baden-Powell in 1908. It is the world's largest voluntary organisation for boys and girls. The Girl Guides was founded by Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes in 1910. The aim of the Girl Guides is to help develop new skills and confidence.
Nancy went to Bilton School and was one of the six founding members of the 1st Bilton Guides which started in 1921. She stayed in the Guides until she was 21 and was called a Ranger when she got to aged 16.
Nancy helped out at church services:
“We went to Church Parade at St. Mark’s Bilton, usually on special occasions like Armistice Sunday or Wakes Sunday and two Guides would carry the flags to the Rector and place them at the altar. I remember going to a Sunday Evening Service at St Andrew’s Church in Rugby and had to take the collection bags round, I was a bit worried, but we were told what to do.”
In the summer they went camping around the country, always staying on farms. They had to make their own hessian bag 6ft x 3ft to take with them which they filled with straw from the farmer’s barn to sleep on.
Nancy earned a number of badges during her years as a Guide which have been sewn onto the right sleeve of her uniform. They include: Laundress (iron), Needlewoman (scissors), Handywoman (crossed tools), Naturalist (sun), Cyclist (wheel), Housekeeper (crossed keys).

Fit for a King

2023-05-16T13:03:46Z

To mark the Coronation of King Charles III this month’s object of the month is a souvenir from the last King’s coronation in 1937.

This small tin was produced by Oxo as a memento for the Coronation of King George VI. It features a double portrait of the new King and royal consort Elizabeth. It originally held 6 Oxo cubes and has a slit along the lid for it to be re-used as a souvenir money box. Also on the box are illustrations of a rose, daffodil, thistle, and shamrock to represent the countries of the United Kingdom.

Oxo first produced cubes in 1910, making beef extract into a convenient and cheap product for the savvy housewife. The company sought innovative ways to publicise the brand whether adding ‘OXO’ to the tower of their building on South Bank, London, being one of the first sponsors of the Olympic games (at the London Olympics in 1908) or producing souvenir tins such as this one.

In May 1937 King George VI was crowned. He had not been the heir until his brother (Edward VIII) had abdicated in December 1936 in order to marry Wallis Simpson, but the date of the 12th May was kept the same for the coronation ceremony.

In Rugby there were many celebrations including a procession through town, Punch and Judy shows, musical performances and fireworks displays.

This money box is on display in our current local history exhibition Rugby’s Coronations which is on until 23rd September.

Easter Bonnet

2023-04-04T11:02:05Z

April's object of the month is a blue bowler hat worn by football supporters on 30th April 1983, when VS Rugby won the FA Vase after defeating Halesowen Town in the Wembley Stadium final. The only goal of the game was scored by Ian Crawley.

The bowler hats found their way to the victorious players as they celebrated on the famous turf and shared their success with several thousand fans in the 14,537 crowd.

Club founder, former player and long serving secretary, Keith Coughlan shared this memory:

“When VS Rugby Football Club Won the FA Vase it was an outstanding triumph in the town of Rugby’s sporting history. What’s even more remarkable was that this happened just 27 years after a group of self-financed teenage boys from the New Bilton area of Rugby, had played their first ever competitive game as Valley Sports Football Club. I’m proud of the club’s achievement and the pleasure it brought to so many people.”

Members of the team who played at the national stadium meet up annually and along with club officials and supporters, will celebrate the 40th anniversary of winning the trophy this month.

The hat and other memorabilia from the event are currently on display in our Join Our Club exhibition on until 23rd Sept.

For Home and Country

2023-03-01T10:37:19Z

For Home and Country Women’s Institute Badge
The Women's Institute started in Canada in 1897. The first Women’s Institute group in the UK was set up in 1915 to help the war effort during the First World War. Members often organised activities such as country walks and tea parties to help keep evacuee children occupied and entertained.
Today their purpose is bringing women together, providing educational opportunities and the chance to make a difference in their communities.
This badge was worn throughout the Second World War. On the left-hand side there is a red rose to depict the British group and on the right-hand side there is a red maple leaf to represent Canada. It was made by W.O. Lewis (Badges) Ltd in Birmingham.
It was worn by Brenda Clayton (nee Whittaker) who worked for three years at Normandy Farm near Rugby Radio Station with the Women's Land Army during the war. She remembered seeing bombers flying overhead and Coventry burning in the distance during The Blitz.
This badge is on display in our current exhibition Join Our Club until 23rd September.

Be my Valentine

2023-01-30T12:20:42Z

Our object of the month for February is featured in our current social history exhibition Join Our Club.

This poster advertises the BTH (British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd.) Foremen’s Association St Valentine’s Dance on Thursday 14th February 1946 in the Co-Operative Hall, Chapel Street, Rugby.

British Thompson Houston was established in Rugby in 1902. Rugby was chosen as their first UK site due to its central location with excellent transport links and in 1902 the factory opened its doors at its Mill Road site. The company became known for production of heavy engineering equipment particularly steam turbines, electrical motors, generators, electrical lamps and meters. During the Second World War the site expanded to make room for the production of apparatus used in aircraft and submarines. The workload was so great during this time that the Research Laboratories expanded by three times their normal size. A night shift was also introduced that included female staff for the first time.

As a large employer in the town care for employees was a high priority. As well as the Foremen’s Association, there was an active Long Service Association and an Ex-Servicemen’s Association. These encouraged comradeship and pride in the company. There was also the Recreation Club with a wide range of sports activity.

The Foreman’s Association held regular social functions, visits and dances throughout this time.

At this Valentine’s Day dance there was music from Harvey Cawthorne’s orchestra and Tom Ward and his band. Harvey Cawthorne and his orchestra regularly played at old time dances in and around Rugby during the 1940s.

Tom Ward was well known in Rugby for leading a popular dance music band from the 1930s - 1960s. He also ran a music shop on Regent Street.

Happy Christmas from Rugby

2022-12-16T16:04:23Z

This Christmas card features a black and white drawing of the Clock Tower and the Royal George Hotel and dates from the 1950s

It shows the Market Place before it was pedestrianised.

On the back is printed: 'One of the last views of the Royal George Hotel, the oldest licensed house in the town; at one time known as the 'Wheatsheaf', its name was later changed to 'The George and Wheatsheaf Inn'. It obtained its name the 'Royal George' from the fact that one night Princess Mary, a daughter of George III stayed there.

The building dated from the 1840s and it was demolished in the mid 1950s to make improvements to the road.

The Clock Tower was built to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria and was finished in 1889.

Inside the card is printed: 'With Christmas Greetings and Best Wishes for your Happiness in the Coming Year from Oliver and Daisy Underwood.’
Oliver Underwood was descended from Charles Wesley, the Methodist poet, and William Parnell, who brought Methodism to Rugby and founded Parnell's building company.

Brownie points

2022-11-15T12:49:17Z

This Brownie Guide Test Card belonged to Joy Collet of the Crick Brownie pack who joined the pack in July 1935.
The front of the card features a brown owl sitting in a tree and a Brownie sitting on a toadstool looking up at it. Written on the front is 'We're the Brownies, Here's our aim, Lend a hand, And play the game'. The inside of the card details the enrolment ceremony for a new recruit, and the recruit test.
The Brownie was expected to know her Brownie promise, the Law, the motto, the Salute, the Smile, the Good Turn, the Fairy Ring, and to be able to tie up her own hair and plait her own hair (if her hair was bobbed she had to know how to part it straight) and to wash the tea things.
The tests which then followed while the girl was a Brownie included knowing the composition of the Union Flag, being able to sew and knit, being able to catch a ball, knowing the Semaphore alphabet, knowing the eight points of the compass, being able to clean shoes, being able to skip 30 times without a break, and being able to bind a grazed knee. Joy passed all of these by December 1937.
Also on the card is the Brownie promise:
'I promise - To do my best:-
1. To do my duty to God and the King
2. To help other people every day, especially at home.'
The Brownie law:
'The Law of the Brownie pack is -
1. The Brownie gives in to the Older Folk
2. The Brownie does not give in to herself.'
and the Brownie Motto:
'Lend a Hand'.
This card features in our ‘Join Our Club’ display in the local history gallery at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum until 17th June 2023.

Rugby Art Gallery & Museum

Rugby's giant spider

March 2026

World War II field service jacket

February 2026

Out on the tiles

January 2026

A Chape in the hand....

December 2025

Methe- personification of drunkeness

November 2025

Treasure in that there Birdingbury : Early pennanular brooch

October 2025

Interior Designs : Roman Style

Roman painted wall plaster fragments

September 2025

The Light of Wisdom

A glass plate negative of advertising hoardings lit by Mazda lamps produced by the British Thomson-Houston (BTH) company, 1924

August 2025

Teeny Tiny!

Doll's House miniatures

July 2025

A building a credit to the town!

The Assembly Rooms Rugby

June 2025

Read all about it

Dressed to print!

May 2025

This is V Day!

A momentous occasion recorded in daily life

Joe Parriss's 1945 diary

Home sweet home for a nice cup of tea

March 2025

Bellows to blow you away!

February 2025

A key for Alms

January 2025

December 2024 Object of the Month

November 2024 Object of the Month

October Object of the Month Roman Chatelaine

SEPTEMBER Object of the Month "Get your Apples and Oranges!"

AUGUST Object of the Month

July Object of the Month

This is VE Day!

Joe Parriss's 1945 diary

Home sweet home for a nice cup of tea

March 2025

Bellows to blow you away!

February 2025

A key for Alms

January 2025

December 2024 Object of the Month

November 2024 Object of the Month

October Object of the Month Roman Chatelaine

SEPTEMBER Object of the Month "Get your Apples and Oranges!"

AUGUST Object of the Month

July Object of the Month

June Object of the Month

A good match?

Jet ready, jet set, GO!

Man with a Van ...1960s style

An 'unabated' interest in Rugby

Ice Station Rugby

The key to the road!

Rugby's Warship

And the walls came tumblin' down

Birch Rod

Cigarette Card

The Mayor's Journal

Be prepared!

Fit for a King

Easter Bonnet

For Home and Country

Be my Valentine

Happy Christmas from Rugby

Brownie points

October Object of the Month
Roman Chatelaine

SEPTEMBER Object of the Month
"Get your Apples and Oranges!"

October Object of the Month
Roman Chatelaine

SEPTEMBER Object of the Month
"Get your Apples and Oranges!"