Collections
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+44 (0)1736 363625
Opening times
Monday to Saturday (closed Sundays)
CURRENT HOURS
10.30 am - 4.30 pm
(last admission 4.00pm)
Admission £4.50 adults,
£3.00 concessions,
under 18s FREE
ADMISSION FREE ON SATURDAYS
SUMMER HOURS
From Easter Saturday
to 30 September:
10.00am - 5.00pm
(last admission 4.30pm)
WINNER Cornwall Tourism Awards GOLD
South West Tourism Excellence Awards GOLD
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Social History & Decorative Arts
A handwritten poem entitled ""A Summer Day" by Noreen Harvey, IV Upper, County School for Girls, Penzance, on a single sheet
A handwritten poem entitled ""A Summer Day" by Noreen Harvey, IV Upper, County School for Girls, Penzance, on a single sheet
A handwritten poem entitled "Autumn" by Noreen Harvey IV Upper, County School for Girls, Penzance, on a single sheet of paper
A handwritten poem entitled "Autumn" by Noreen Harvey IV Upper, County School for Girls, Penzance, on a single sheet of paper
A hemmed natural linen table mat, printed in two shades of blue with a man, a scarecrow, corn and farming symbols.
a hemmed natural linen table mat, printed in two shades of blue with a man, a scarecrow, corn and farming symbols.
A letter from Janet Axten, the Secretary at St Ives Tate Action Group (who has signed the letter) to Mr Spiegelhalter in reference to the invitation to their auction preview and reception from 7.30pm to 9.30pm on 10th October 1991 at David Lay's Auction House, Penzance. It informs him of a number of important people attended the event, such as the Mayors of St Ives, Hayle, St Just and Marazion, as well as the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Penwith District Council. Brian J. Spiegelhalter was the Mayor of Penzance from 1989 to 1991 and was to be in contact with Mayors from other areas and so is asked to let them know of the formality in wearing chains of office. To the top of the letter is the coloured logo of the St Ives Tate Action Group.
a letter from Janet Axten, the Secretary at St Ives Tate Action Group (who has signed the letter) to Mr Spiegelhalter in reference to the invitation to their auction preview and reception from 7.30pm to 9.30pm on 10th October 1991 at David Lay's Auction House, Penzance. It informs him of a number of important people attended the event, such as the Mayors of St Ives, Hayle, St Just and Marazion, as well as the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Penwith District Council. Brian J. Spiegelhalter was the Mayor of Penzance from 1989 to 1991 and was to be in contact with Mayors from other areas and so is asked to let them know of the formality in wearing chains of office. To the top of the letter is the coloured logo of the St Ives Tate Action Group.
A list of the Mayors of Penzance from 1614 to 1973. Two pages, printed on three sides and attached to each other with three staples, black type, listed in chronological order. The staples were in different positions at an earlier date, but these have been removed and replaced. A separate piece of newer paper has been glued to the last column, adding a number of later Mayors from 1951 to 1973. There is a note giving information about the Local Government Act 1972, in which the Borough of Penzance ceased to exist after 31st March 1974. An address is handwritten in pencil on the back : 'Mes Gallagher / Tregonna / ? / Caharrack / Redruth'
a list of the Mayors of Penzance from 1614 to 1973. Two pages, printed on three sides and attached to each other with three staples, black type, listed in chronological order. The staples were in different positions at an earlier date, but these have been removed and replaced. A separate piece of newer paper has been glued to the last column, adding a number of later Mayors from 1951 to 1973. There is a note giving information about the Local Government Act 1972, in which the Borough of Penzance ceased to exist after 31st March 1974. An address is handwritten in pencil on the back : 'Mes Gallagher / Tregonna / ? / Caharrack / Redruth'
A notice from Penzance Borough Police detailing that 'this is not a Parking Place'...'On a repetition of this offence proceedings will be taken against you.' It is signed by Police Constable 15, W. W. Eddy and dated August 6th 1935. There is also a list of the other car parks under their authority : 'Wharf Road, near Railway Station. / Behind Public Buildings, Alverton Street. / Promenade Eastern End. Small-sized single piece of paper with printed black ink and a punch hole to the top left-hand corner.
Penzance Borough Police was formed in 1836, along with many other borough forces in the country, following the Municipal Corporation Act of 1835 which required every borough to appoint a Watch Committee with a duty of maintaining a police force. The officers were housed in the basement of St John's Hall with their Chief Constable and this remained the pattern until the force was eventually amalgamated into the Cornwall Constabulary. Nationally, in an effort to reduce the number of police forces with which the military authorities had to deal during the Second World War, the Home Office amalgamated certain of the smaller borough police forces with the local county force. Therefore, in 1943, Penzance Borough temporarily went over to the county constabulary until the 1946 Police Act which abolished non-county borough police forces such as Penzance. As a result, from 1947 the town was policed solely by the Cornwall Constabulary and Penzance became the last of the old borough forces in the West Country to be taken over.
A paper carrier bag from West End Department Stores, who had outlets in Penzance, Redruth and Falmouth. There is a printed drawing of the store on both sides of the bag with a written advertisement underneath (see caption). Contact details are also listed : 'Telphones: Redruth 5102. Penzance 3435. Falmouth 312408' There is a white reinforced hand grip and printed grey, orange and white stripe decoration.
"It pays to shop at the West End Departmental Stores"
A photograph of the Penzance Borough seal signed by the Mayor and Town Clerk of Penzance. The document addresses Queen Elizabeth II and offers congratulations on her accession to the crown from the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Penzance. The Queen's Coronation occurred on the 6th Feb 1952 and this document is dated 7th February 1952.
A photograph of the Penzance Borough seal signed by the Mayor and Town Clerk of Penzance. The document addresses Queen Elizabeth II and offers congratulations on her accession to the crown from the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Penzance. The Queen's Coronation occurred on the 6th Feb 1952 and this document is dated 7th February 1952.
A printed extract of the obituary of Winston Churchill : 'Churchill as the Architect of Victory Genius of Many Sides' , taken from a page of the Daily Telegraph and Morning Post, dated January 25th 1965. Includes a photograph of him in his home Hyde Park Gate from June 28th 1964, being visited by a delegation from Parliament, who presented him with a vote of thanks. On the same page is an advertisement for Rootes Motors Limited, London.
a printed extract of the obituary of Winston Churchill : 'Churchill as the Architect of Victory Genius of Many Sides' , taken from a page of the Daily Telegraph and Morning Post, dated January 25th 1965. Includes a photograph of him in his home Hyde Park Gate from June 28th 1964, being visited by a delegation from Parliament, who presented him with a vote of thanks. On the same page is an advertisement for Rootes Motors Limited, London.