Britain’s earliest surviving diesel side-trawler. A reminder of Great Grimsby’s importance as a fishing port and a memorial to those lost in the most dangerous peacetime occupation. Ross Tiger was built at a time when Great Grimsby was described as the ‘World’s Premier Fishing Port’. This was during the centenary celebrations of Grimsby fish docks in 1956. The ship was built by one of the top yards for trawler construction, Cochrane & Sons of Selby. She was state of the art for her time. Her powerful early marine diesel engines, agility and stability impressed all that sailed in her. Her luxurious fittings included central heating, flushing toilets and even a shower. Grimsby alone lost a shocking 32 ships during the 1950’s. Over the years, thousands of men have lost their lives from the port while working to catch fish. The ship represents the bravery and skill of generations of British trawlermen. Ross Tiger came to Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre in 1992. She is preserved as a memorial to the Yorkshire shipbuilding industry and the thousands that sailed from our port never to return.
Wheldale was built in 1959 for British Waterways as a Goole based Compartment Boat tug. She was used to pull Tom Puddings (interlocking modular barges) from Yorkshire coal mines to the Aire and Calder Navigation to Goole. The tugs pulled the Tom Puddings to the Compartment Boat Hoists in Goole Docks, and then the hoist would lift them up and tip the coal into ships.
This 1855 pattern copper bugle, with brass end bands and a separate silver mouth piece, was presented to Wagoner Tom Edwin Duke by Sir Mark Sykes.
Tom Duke was a groom at Sledmere Estate stud. He, along with over a 1000 other local men, joined the Wagoners Special Reserve. The Wagoners Special Reserve was set up in 1913 by Sir Mark Sykes to provide a pool of experienced wagon drivers for the army in case of war. The army used the same system of pole wagons driven postilion style that was still being used on the farms in and around Sledmere House.
The bugle can be seen at the Wagoners’ Museum, which is situated in the courtyard of Sledmere House. For further information on the museum, including opening times, please go to the following website:
Wagoners' Museum
The museum’s collection is primarily made up of military equipment and personal military ephemera including documents, photographs and a notable collection of medals. You can browse the collections here: Wagoners' Museum's Collections
Following visits to the Royal Pavilion at Brighton in the 1830s, Lady Marianne Clifford-Constable was so inspired that she elected to create an impressive Chinese Room at Burton Constable. The décor of the Chinese Room comprises powdered pink Chinese wallpaper (now faded), stencilled designs and silver bells, topped-off with remarkable carved gilt dragons. The elaborate dragon chair is a unique object. It was designed by Lady Marianne herself and carved by the talented Thomas Wilkinson-Wallis (1821-1903) whilst he was serving his apprenticeship with the Hull carver and gilder, Thomas Ward.
A model built to market the unique coal export handling system on Goole docks, which uses tugged compartment boats to transport from colliery to hoist, to ship. It was built in 1930 for the Antwerp show and was brought back to go on display in the Goole Dock Office reception. The ship is the Cyrille Danneels and operated for the Bennett shipping company until she was sunk by a U-boat in 1940. No.5 just up the road in the care of Associated British Ports. It’s an important part of the heritage of Goole and the Humber Estuary. It demonstrated the economic and trading strength of the town and region to Europe and the world.
This brass and enamel badge was given to Wagoner Lawrence Cole when he joined the Wagoners Special reserve on the 3rd January 1914. He was eighteen years old and five feet six inches tall, with blue eyes and dark hair.
When each man joined the reserve, they were given a one pound coin and a lapel badge. When they signed up, they agreed to join the army to drive wagons if there was a war. Many men thought this most unlikely, and the pound coin was called the "silly quid", as it was thought to be money for doing nothing.
The reserve had no military training or uniform and did not serve as a unit. On the outbreak of war the men joined the Army Service Corps and the Royal Engineers. Wagoner Lawrence Cole survived the war and returned to Yorkshire.
The badge can be seen at the Wagoners’ Museum, which is situated in the courtyard of Sledmere House. For further information on the museum, including opening times, please go to the following website:
Wagoners' Museum
The museum’s collection is primarily made up of military equipment and personal military ephemera including documents, photographs and a notable collection of medals. You can browse the collections here: Wagoners' Museum's Collections
This carved figure of a Maori Warrior is holding a tewhatwha club decorated with feathers. His eyes are made of abalone shell. The intricate carving represents elaborate face and body tattoos moko. The weapon blade is for striking, and the painted end for stabbing. This exhibit was made in the late 19th or early 20th century to satisfy the demand for Maori curios and was probably obtained by the Stewarts on their first visit to New Zealand in 1909.
This curious little item is a flat anthropomorphic figure in carved and polished nephrite, with his head leaning to the right and eyes emphasised with red sealing wax, hands on thighs. There is a hole in the head for a chord. These were usually family heirlooms worn by both men and women on a cord around the neck. This one was collected by Major Percy Marlborough Stewart and his wife Katharine in New Zealand between 1909 and 1930.
A recent addition to the collections of North East Lincolnshire Museum Service, this stunning sculpture highlights the talent of one of our most exciting and talented contemporary artists. Harold Gosney began his life as an artist in September 1954 when he came a student at Grimsby School of Art. He spent four years at the Slade School of Fine Art at University College, London. In 1960 he began teaching at Grimsby School of Art where he first began making sculpture. In 1992 Harold retired from 32 years of teaching and moved to York. Completed in 2012, this sculpture of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was created by beating pieces of sheet copper and heated Perspex over a wooden original to create the basic shape of the horses and riders. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible.