Broadfield House to Close

[yelooc]

To anyone who is selling glass on eBay:

Please add to your eBay listings the following statement to promote the petition:

" Broadfield House Glass Museum is threatened with closure. Please sign the online petition to help save this National Treasure. For details of the closure and the petition please follow the link. http://www.gopetition.com/online/24751.html . Thank you in advance for your help"

Thanks
Graham
 

[tropdevin]

Hi Graham

Good idea to use eBay as a platform, but has anyone tried adding the direct link? eBay morons staff normally (if anything eBay does is normal...) cancell adverts with live links if these are not for more information about the object on sale.

Alan

[Bernard C]

This morning the latest edition of The Glass Association's The Glass Cone arrived on my doormat, complete with the comprehensive information sheet Broadfield House in Crisis, explaining this situation and urging members to object.

I thank Brian Clarke, Chairman of The Glass Association, together with his committee and other officials, for their speedy action, much appreciated.

Bernard C. 

[Frank]

I sent links to the Times letter to all Dudley councillors.

Cllr. Malcolm Davis replied thus:

"In response to your article in the Times, can I also say that we pay more than this to remove graffiti"

So they can keep Broadfield House AND save more than 120,000 by embracing the cultural value of Graffiti - with the appropriate encouragement this can be a great way of reflecting contemporary culture, an approach used effectively elsewhere. It just needs imagination 

[simon bruntnell]

With regard to BHM moving to The Ruskin Glass Centre, I am based here,it would never happen as far as I could see it. For the last seven years this site which is owned by The Ruskin Mill Educational Trust has been
applying for funding to develop this site based into its educational/business working model. The college work with students with special needs, but the businesses give time and work with the students as part of their learning process, The Ruskin Glass centre was funded by several bodies (mainly Advantage West Midlands) to develop that part of site into working units local businesses
with a glass basis. The Glass House College who in fact owns the site, would be developed by mainly Learning Council Skills Money (there are other bodies, lotto,English Heritage etc involved)  . The plans have been drawn up for year's and there no extra space on the site. In fact the car park is a bit of a problem already(before development). The site is for education and businesses, but as I mentioned  in an earlier email the learning skills council have just put a hold on the money they had, and I like the term 'ring fenced' for three months (there must have been a hole in the fence) which has in real terms, put the site close down for development and move out for at least a year.  We where supposed to be back here in 2010. But, again because it's all match funding nothing can happen until we have a full pack of cards to play with.

To be true full if a great bails of cash did fall from the sky and Dudley council did do it's study properly and they did buy the rest of the Stuarts site across the road from the cone (which in fact does have a tunnel)and loads of parking it would be quite a good proposition if done properly. It would in fact let the museum open up it collection which is in storage to be seen. Some people are saying that the site opposite has been sold, some say not and its still owned by Waterfords I'm not sure. My farther in law was in negotiation to buy the site some time ago with some other guy's for development, but they pulled out after they discovered some form of ransom strip that the waterways wanted or owed, so the pen never reached the paper but it was close. So in the present climate and with Waterfords situation, Dudley council could be in a good position to purchase the site, again if done properly.

One thing I am certain, is there are a couple of people at Dudley Council who wished they had never opened there mouth's without quite thinking  what they where going to let themselves into. Well done to all

[sph@ngw]

I spoke Dudley Council about the old Stuart site and they confirmed nione of it belongs to Waterford, it is all owned by a developer hoping to getting planning permission for housing.
possibly Complex Development Projects who specialise in developments alongside canals.

[yelooc]

Below is a letter from Jeanette Hayhurst to Cll Karen Shakespear
in response to Karen's letter posted earlier.

Dear Councillor Shakespeare
 
I would like of inform you of my disgust at the proposal to close Broadfield House Glass Museum. This is a very important collection, not just of glass but also the most important glass research facility in the UK, which I have used on many occasions over the last 25 years.
 
I am led to believe that this is a cost cutting measure, I fail to see how you can expect to cut costs by proposing to move the museum to the Red House Cone site. It is obvious that no one who supports this idea has a clue about the feasibility of cataloguing each item as it is packed, how it is going to be packed (glass to be stored cannot just be bubble wrapped & boxed), how it is going to be stored prior to display at the new venue (glass can be damaged if it is not stored in the right atmospheric conditions) and how it is going to be displayed (new cases will have to be built, who is going to pay for them ? ). No one has any idea as to the time scale these measures will take, I therefore suggest one of your advisers contacts The Victoria & Albert Museum to get some idea how long it took and how much it cost to open the new glass gallery, a number of years ago.
 
I understand that another excuse for moving the museum is because you believe that as there are over (In your words) in excess of 20,000 visitors to the Cone each year, they might befit from the collection being moved there. I would be grateful if you could substantiate this figure and let me know the breakdown between visitors going there for the glass heritage aspect and those just visiting the shop, because as a frequent visitor it appears to me that most of the visitors come in coach parties and they just visit the shop. You also mention that BH is not accessible to many of the visitors to RHC but most visitors interested in the historic glass do not come in coaches or by public transport and now there is also a lack of parking at RHC.
 
You suggest that you would like to relocate the entire collection to one site, well this cannot be achieved with your proposal. It would be much more sense if the council returned to its previous intentions (for which a study and costings have already be undertaken) to move everything to Himley Hall, which already stores archived glass and documents. This would then mean that the glass display could be increased, rather than a large amount being in store and the glass records at the Colsey archive division could be encompassed into the site and you would have a truly magnificent facility with plenty of parking. The whole project could then be funded by the sale of Broadfield House and you could then publicise worldwide a truly wonderful academic and tourist attraction.
 
Finally, as the exercise was to save money, why don't you leave everything as it is, so that we can continue to enjoy Broadfield House Glass Museum and it's helpful staff .
 
Jeanette Hayhurst

[simon bruntnell]

Well there you go, the land will be at its lowest value for years and there's no sign of improvement in the home building world at the moment, so Dudley council cease the moment!!! One thing I do find odd with that in mind, I have just heard a nasty little rumour(from an good little bird) that a developer is lined up to purchase the Broadfield building already. Please Dudley Council, tell me this not true ( I suppose they would anyway)

[aa]

A couple of extracts from the many interesting comments that can be found on the online petition, which has now passed the 400 mark:



My Great-grandfather and Grandfather ( John Northwood 1 and John Northwood 2) were pioneers in the local glass industry. Unique valuable glass objects were donated to the museum by my Grandfather. These were given on the understanding that they would be on display to the public in an academic museum environment. The Wordsley Cone site cannot provide this type of facility. I feel that despite my my Grandfather's generosity, his wishes for the donated objects are being ignored.

Richard Roberts



The Broadfield House Glass Museum is a centre of excellence of National importance. It has also a key function in keeping the rich regional heritage of Stourbridge alive.

Reino Liefkes

[yelooc]

A couple of extracts from the many interesting comments that can be found on the online petition, which has now passed the 400 mark:



My Great-grandfather and Grandfather ( John Northwood 1 and John Northwood 2) were pioneers in the local glass industry. Unique valuable glass objects were donated to the museum by my Grandfather. These were given on the understanding that they would be on display to the public in an academic museum environment. The Wordsley Cone site cannot provide this type of facility. I feel that despite my my Grandfather's generosity, his wishes for the donated objects are being ignored.

Richard Roberts



The Broadfield House Glass Museum is a centre of excellence of National importance. It has also a key function in keeping the rich regional heritage of Stourbridge alive.

Reino Liefkes

Adam,

Many thanks for these two quotes; both very important; Reino Liefkes; in case any of you didn't know is Glass Curator at the V&A.

Graham

[sph@ngw]

A new thought. Surely it is possible to get the accounts for the last three years on the running costs of the Broadfield House Museum using the Public Information Act?
Councils have to be more and more accountable and open!

Is n't the MP for Dudley Ian person, a Junior Minister? He spoke in the House last night on behalf of Lord Mandelson, about "being proud , coming from Dudley, of our tremendous engineering background in the West Midlands, and protecting jobs in the car industry!" in reply to Ken Clarke. Has he spoken out yet about the proposed closure?

Shouldn't we quote back to the Council what they say about the Museum on their own website or do they not read it !

"In the twenty years since it opened, Broadfield House Glass Museum has established a reputation as one of the major glass museums in the world. It has encouraged and supported contemporary makers. Its geographical position within the Stourbridge district has allowed it to record the glass history of the area in great detail, with the help of glasshouse directors and workers. .....Broadfield House Glass Museum will continue to promote the study and enjoyment of glass."

Stephen.

[yelooc]

Is n't the MP for Dudley Ian person, a Junior Minister? He spoke in the House last night on behalf of Lord Mandelson, about "being proud , coming from Dudley, of our tremendous engineering background in the West Midlands, and protecting jobs in the car industry!" in reply to Ken Clarke. Has he spoken out yet about the proposed closure?

Hi Stephen,

This was posted on page 4 of this thread:

Battle begins to save Kingswinford museum
10:10am Thursday 22nd January 2009
http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/search/4064014.Battle_begins_to_save_Kingswinford_museum/

I have a call booked with Ian Pearson later today. As you can see he is very supportive.

Graham

[David E]

Stephen, it is Ian Pearson. I got the following contacts from http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm

Waltho, Lynda (Lab)   Stourbridge   http://www.lyndawaltho.org.uk/
Austin, Mr Ian (Lab)   Dudley North   http://www.ianaustin.co.uk/
Pearson, Ian (Lab)   Dudley South   http://www.ianpearson.org.uk/

Apologies if someone has already posted these details, but it won't do any harm to repeat them every now and then! Worth remembering that Broadfield House is based in Stourbridge, so I'm not sure if Dudley-based MPs and councillors can help.

EDIT: post crossed with Graham's

[simon bruntnell]

A worrying consequence of all this is now people are starting to want their glass back. People loaning glass have been going into Broadfield and asking for their glass back. Its starting to
happen across the broad the executives of the Michael Parkington collection (worth around 2 million) have shown concern with regard to having it back. What of Lord Parmer's (recently deceased) 'Walter' collection again
worth around 2 million that is on loan? This will only make Dudley councils job easier when there's nothing to show. One thing that we need to do is, convince people to leave glass where it is, the museum is obliged to look after it.

[aa]

http://www.dudley.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/museums--galleries/glass-museum/stourbridgeglass/walter

Does anyone know of a more important collection of Pate de Verre by Amalric Walter and if so where it is on public view.

Lord Parmoor - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/2621101/Lord-Parmoor.html

David Queensbury introduced me to him in the eighties, but I'm afraid we lost touch. He was a delightful man.

In the circumstances, I am greatly relieved to learn that it was only his glass collection that is on loan to Dudley and not  his book collection as well!