Broadfield House to Close

[aa]

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

Here is another interesting link. I found it because I was doing some research on other glass museums. In my planned letters (weekend) I aim to draw attention to the importance of BH and put in context that it is the only glass museum in the country and one of the few in the world. However, this link shows us what the councillors will see if they do some research on their own website - that "There are many museums and galleries with wonderful glass objects in their collections". It is very important to ensure that they don't think that BH is just one of many and therefore not critical.

[yelooc]

That's great Adam, a busy weekend for you; and the rest of us, I hope. 

Graham

[Anne]

Graham,
I agree that mobilising all the available organisations will add more weight to the argument. But I feel launching something this late could be detrimental - is there no way that something can be instigated online now? I doubt I will have the time to travel to Cambridge.

Can I also suggest that links to where these petitions can be found are placed on other member's web sites (e.g. I can place something on glassyeye.com, which gets several international hits, particularly the US), as this will spread the word even faster. We need to be very pro-active.

Individual action, such as the online government petition, will also reach a far wider audience, in particular those people who might not even be aware of BH. The decision by the Dudley MBC is extremely premature, but acting now will give the petition at least a month to gain support.

I agree with David that Feb 22 is too late to start. It needs to be now. Feb 22 is a month away!  And like David, I won't be at Cambridge - the same as many overseas members of the board. Yet they too might want to support the campaign.

I have oodles of websites (many are glass-related) which get loads of visits so will add a link to an online petition to them all if I can!

Having taken on a large bank (and won! much to the amazement of both the bank's staff and a retired bank manager in the village) which threatened to close our local branch I can say that speed is vital, but also is spreading the word as wide as possible. Lobby every councillor, lobby MPs, lobby anyone you know who is influential, and even those who are influential whom you don't know personally! Oh, and get the media in there too big time. Petitions are good but letters are better. 100 letters has more clout than a petition with 100 names on it but do both for sure.

[yelooc]

Anne

Thanks very much for that; excellent advise. I am pushing for the on-line petition on the GA site to go up today.

I couldn't agree more about the letters; to anyone reading this: write to, email or call one/all of the councillors in Dudley. All the contact details you need are in this thread.

Graham

[David Hier]

The Glass Association campaign page is now online:

www.glassassociation.org.uk/News/broadfield.html

Within the next 24 hours I will promote the campaign (along with Links) on a number of sites that I maintain. If you run a Website or have any influence on the content of a Website, I would urge you to do the same.

As mentioned by Graham, I am also looking at setting up an online petition. Once the Glass Association has given approval I will create an online petition and provide Links to it.

[nigel benson]

                         HELP SAVE BROADFIELD HOUSE GLASS MUSEUM
                                                        YOUR voice counts


I understand that letters to people have most effect.

I believe that a letter with the various points that could be made is also being worked on, in order to be accessed online. Please be aware that if all the letters are the same they will be counted as one letter.

Therefore, please use any information to structure your letter(s) so that they are all different.

If you can't wait, loads of things can be pulled out of this thread to help make your point.

Perhaps, try to emphasis what Adam has drawn attention to, the collections and archives at Broadfield form a major glass museum that it not only unsurpassed in this country, it is head and shoulders above the others in the breadthe and amount of its holdings in British glass - and as such is world class.

This morning has seen a lot of work in the background and things seem to be centring on the Glass Association site, which is giving both a sense of co-ordination and more clout.

As for a terrestial petition; it seems to me that, once the wording has been agreed there could be petitions placed strategically around the country - perhaps even one at Broadfield House itself?

If not possible at Broadfield, for I imagine obvious reasons, I'm sure somewhere accessible could be found locally. The online petition should ideally be co-ordinated by the Glass Association as has been said earlier. This would get to people earlier and hopefully give them easier access than at the Cambridge Glass Fair, although the petition should also be placed there for people to sign as so many attend that venue and they're all glass oriented

Again, I urge those of you who are watching this thread to take part. This is everyones site so don't feel intimidated by all these long postings - do your own bit, please. If you don't want to add to this thread the most valuable thing you could do is compose and send a letter to the most important people on Dudley council (see above). It will count for something  .

Joining the Friends will also help, since they are based locally.

Thank you all for taking the time to read all these postings and thank you in advance for anything that you do to help.

Kind wishes to all, Nigel

PS. Your post came just as I was about to post this David - well done, and thanks for your hard work. N.

[nigel benson]

                         HELP SAVE BROADFIELD HOUSE GLASS MUSEUM
                                                     YOUR voice counts


Today has been a bit hectic But I believe to good effect

The strength of feeling about this ill conceived move and willingness of people to help is amazing - thank you everyone.

Certainly one by product of this whole thing is that many, many more people are aware of the museum

The general concensus is that there should be two petitions, an online one, planned to be centred on the Glass Association site with links from wherever possible, and a physical one. It is also thought in both cases the sooner the better.

The online one is being dealt with, but it is necessary to have a number of places dotted around the country where people who wish to sign an actual document can access it. Once the format has been agreed then a copy will be made available to download by people who have agreed to take the petition. It will then be collected where possible, or sent to a central collecting place to be collated before handing in. Post will have to be registered/recorded, and ideally copies should be made prior to sending in case of accidents.

So far the following have very kindly agreed to take the petition:

Jeanette Hayhurst (West London)
Peter Layton (SE London)
Basil Loveridge (Brackley)
Al Baynham, mid20c (Reading)

I have contacted Cowdy Glass (Newent, Glos), and am awaiting a reply.

If you can have a petition at your shop or premises then please contact me, nigel at 20thcentury-glass dot com and let me know - and title it "BH Petition". We are looking to spread them across the country, so that as many people who wish to to, can sign. Thanks.

Details of where you can sign will be published once we have the petition agreed and whether signing both the online and the terrestial one could negate their worth.

Finally, I have been told twice today by different sources that letters are very important, they really do count, so please, if you have some spare time over the weekend send seperate letters to the councellors: Mr J Millar, Director of Urban Environment, Mr Duncan Lowndes, Assistant Director Culture & Leisure, Directorate of the Urban Environment Culture & Community, Councillor Karen Shakespeare - details in Graham Cooley's post above. Also the two MP's involved. Your own letter can be the same to each counsellor/MP - just as long as its not the same as someone else's.

Again, thank you all out there, Nigel

[Anne]

Yesterday (22 Jan 2009) in the House of Lords there was a debate on Tourism. The Hansard transcript is here - 11 Lords took part: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2009-01-22a.1805.1&s=museums#g1829.0 - all will be worth contacting for support for the campaign. Contacts are via their linked names in the transcript.

[David E]

A very succinct letter is featured in Letters to the Editor, The Times, Saturday Jan 24th, by Jeanette Rasmussen Tranter. It summarises the problem very well and highlights the case, which can only be a good thing

[Patrick]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article5575800.ece

[Anne]

Express and Star have coverage too, including concern expressed by Charles Hajdamach, a glass writer and a former curator of BHGM :

http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/01/14/shock-at-moves-to-shut-glass-museum/
http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/01/24/council-is-accused-in-closure-row-on-museum/

But what is more interesting even is the story from last September which announced entirely different plans for the museums in Dudley - can we pick up on this and encourage Dudley they were right then and wrong now?
http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/09/14/museum-of-glass-past/

[David E]

I suspect the figures for the "feasibility study" did not add up

[jsmeasell]

To all those who love glass and enjoy the pursuit of glass history:

Continue to fight the good fight for Broadfield House! Your reasoning is sound and your plans are well laid.

I will add my voice from "over the water" by writing to Council members, etc.

[simon bruntnell]

I popped in to Broadfield on Friday when I asked if there was any petition I could sign, I was informed that Dudley council will not allow one on the premises, and the staff could not discuss the closure in a negative manner. Well done Dudley council, cultural vandalism.   

[Sklounion]

Oh well, there are obviously two sides to culture.....

Industrial heritage..... (or how the working classes struggled...)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/7848798.stm

and....
posh stuff for snobs, obviously.

http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/01/14/shock-at-moves-to-shut-glass-museum/
http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/01/24/council-is-accused-in-closure-row-on-museum/

Marcus