Petworth Cottage Museum
The First Twenty Years
In 2016 we were able to stage an exhibition to celebrate twenty years of the museum. Extracted from the Petworth Society's scrapbooks of cuttings, the pictures and transcripts collected here occupied three sides of the exhibition hall. Five years on we cannot stage another physical exhibition but we can show these cuttings here. Unless otherwise stated the cuttings are all from the Midhurst & Petworth Observer. Click on the pictures to enlarge. We have edited the transcript below to correct some confusion about Agnes Phelan (1909-2011).
19 Elegant display marks museum anniversary 11th May 2006
History came to life in Petworth on Saturday as Petworth Cottage Museum celebrated its tenth birthday in style with an exhibition of Victorian and Edwardian artefacts. They were on display at the Leconfield Hall to mark the anniversary of the opening of the cottage museum, which is now a living representation of one of its former residents and and seamstress for Lord Leconfield, Mary, who lived in the cottage from 1901 to 1930, and her husband, Farrier Sgt Major Michael Cummings of the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars. The exhibition was organised by Ann Bradley, a Petworth resident and the owner of a small shop in the town, and also a founder trustee of the cottage museum. She not only provided items from her vast collection of vintage clothing, including a dress dating from 1830, but a number of other artefacts of clothing and exquisite examples of Victorian and Edwardian shell work, among them jewellery boxes, one recording the great exhibition at Crystal Palace. A 1910 Swiss horn gramophone also graced the fascinating exhibition, which included vintage shoes from the Edwardian era, as well as items of needlework and samplers. Providing the historical link with Sgt Major Cummings, who served in the Crimean war and in India, was another trustee of the museum, Raymond Harris, a retired London architect who provided an impressive display of Crimean war exhibits. Chairman of the trustees Peter Jerrome heralded the day a success, with a steady stream of people enjoying the chance to view the many unusual exhibits. A Victorian lantern slide projector elicited a great deal of interest thanks to its owner, Miles Costello, who is a supporter of the museum. The anniversary was boosted by music from Petworth Town Band which was greatly appreciated by organisers and visitors. Agnes Phelan, now 96, stayed in the home with Mrs. Cummings's granddaughters in 1919. Agnes helped to unravel the history behind the house and its residents when she returned in 1997. She had a vivid recollection of Petworth Station and being collected by pony and trap”, said Mr. Jerrome. Owned by Lord Egremont, the cottage in High Street is a snapshot of the life of an ordinary member of the community around 1910. It is open between April and October, five days a week from Wednesday to Sunday.
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