Plane Lutterworth

Lutterworth & District Museum

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Despite the work that is going on at the Shambles Public House, the museum IS OPEN!  

Welcome to Lutterworth and District Museum!

OUR OPENING HOURS ARE:

THURSDAY TO SATURDAY, 10:30AM TO 3:30PM

SUNDAY FROM 1:00PM TO 3:30PM

 

Coming Up Next…

We are currently developing displays relating to nursing over the years and the National Health Service in Lutterworth, and we have also started work on a display that harks back to our links to the English Civil War.  Also, we will soon have our collection of old school photographs available for public display.  Remember the long narrow photographs that somehow captured the entire school or school year? Well we have a collection going back to 1927 – perhaps you are featured, or your parents, or even your grand parents!  And if you want a copy of one of the photos in our collection (either printed or in jpeg format), that can be arranged for small fee.

 

LUTTERWORTH IN WARTIME

In collaboration with local author Tony Bailey, we have reproduced his 2014 book “Lutterworth in Wartime” and copies are still available for purchase at the museum. This is the story of Lutterworth during World War Two – drawing on official documents and the recollections of people who lived through that unique period of history, this book transports the reader back in time to a period when our very freedom was at risk, and when the most useful weapon available to many was the good old British “stiff upper lip”.  Available from the museum, priced at £8.00.

The book will go hand in hand with some future displays that we have planned. This year we are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, so look out for stories about Lutterworth residents who were involved, and next year we will be commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day, giving us a chance to trawl through our archive and display everything that we have relating to Lutterworth and WW2.

 

MUSEUM GUIDE

Our 44 page guide to Lutterworth and District Museum is still on sale at the museum for only £2.00.  The guide gives a potted history of the town, and provides more detail about some of the exhibits on display. Ranging from the stone age to the production of the jet engine, this is a great way to get a high level understanding or how Lutterworth developed as a town.

We want the museum to tell the story of Lutterworth – not just the great inventions or the world changing work that was done in our town – but how Lutterworth started and got to where it is today. Of course, we mention the invention of the jet engine and the translation of the bible (!), but there is so much more to know.

 

The key “pillars” of the museum display will obviously remain, after all you can’t change history, and engines that weigh around a ton aren’t easy to move!!  However, we are extending our research and are looking to bring you displays that will open your eyes about the history of the town, along with the people in it.

So, look out for our website and social media announcements, along with posters around the town.  Meanwhile…….

CURRENT FEATURES…..

  • Walk through the history of Lutterworth by following a time line
  • View exhibits ranging from Roman times to the present day
  • Consider Lutterworth’s history put in to context
  • See the working model of Lutterworth Railway Station
  • See the famous Merlin and Whittle engines in a newly interpreted display
  • Learn from video and audio presentations which will hopefully enliven your experience
  • Experience key timeline exhibits that will always be there, and other exhibits that we will rotate over time to keep the visitor experience as fresh as possible
  • And then come back later as on going development of the displays, which will involve more and more research, brings more of our history to light

 

Remember, if you want to add your name to our growing list of volunteers to become involved with the project, please let us know!

We are an independent museum, staffed & run entirely by volunteers. Our aim is to collect and preserve the documents & artefacts which chart the history of Lutterworth & its surrounding network of villages from earliest times to the present day.

We’re located at our new site at “High Point”, immediately to the left of the Shambles pub. Contact us to find out more.

 

We are one out of only 51 Independent Museums in the East Midlands who have achieved FULL Accreditation.

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Unique Archive of Sir Frank Whittle Memorabilia

Amongst our collection is a unique archive of memorabilia of Sir Frank Whittle, Power Jets and the early history of the jet engine. Pride of place goes to the “cut away” example of the Whittle W2 700 jet engine which has been kindly loaned to us by Leicestershire Museums, and which allows visitors to see the internal workings of the engine. This version of the engine was the model that powered the Gloster Meteor in which Sir Frank took his first jet powered flight. The museum also holds a copy of the original patent for the concept of the jet engine, registered by Sir Frank in 1930, and which was later developed by Power Jets who were based at the Ladywood Works in Lutterworth from 1938 – 1944. We also have a copy of the American patent from the 1940’s.

The first successful flight took place on May 15th 1941, from Cranwell in Lincolnshire. Sir Frank telegraphed his team of engineers at their offices in Brownsover Hall, Rugby, to tell them of its success. The team opened a precious bottle of champagne to celebrate, and each of them signed the label on the bottle. That bottle is displayed in our museum adjacent to the engine.

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