West Berkshire Museum

The culmination of months of research and collation of information and photographs is a new display at the West Berkshire (formerly Newbury) Museum in Newbury. Richard and Jenni d’Alton spearheaded the renovation of the display. Below is extracts from the report Jenni sent to Council Members of the museum.

“The Museum wanted the exhibit to focus more on local balloons and balloonists, and it had not been updated for 25years, so loads had happened since then. The main feature is now an enormous panel two metres square, featuring modern hot-air balloons flown by local pilots or sponsored by local organisations. All the photographs were from Pete Bish. Richard spent a long time measuring and designing, and then building a wooden frame to allow the new big panel to stretch down into the stairwell.

The BBM&L are pleased to announce the display will have a Grand Launch on the 4th of January 2008.

It took us 3 days of hard work in the Museum. The first small panel went up, we turned our backs and there was a loud thump as it fell off damaging a corner, we almost cried. Plan two was to use tape, and EvoStick - industrial strength, and the big panel is screwed up as well!! We got covered in paint, double sided tape, and breathed in vast clouds of fumes from the EvoStick - it's disgusting and gives you a headache - I don't know how they can call it a drug! By Monday night we had finished as far as we could go. All that needs doing is, one caption has to be replaced, two pictures were still missing. Two gas cylinders have to be replaced and one new balloon envelope to brighten up the rafters. The final piece will be a table in which to display 3 dimensional items such as trophies, pins, the Icicle barometer and other bits, but the table is still in storage and we haven't had time to go down there yet.”

Jenni and Richard could not have done it without the enthusiasm and help of the museum staff, the Curator Jane Burrell and her husband Phil. Special thanks must go to Jenny Currie the Assistant Curator who gave up her days off, opened the museum on shut days, was stripping panels with us, painting, and being a constant supplier of encouragement and coffee. We must also thank Richard and Jenni’s daughter Charlotte who came down for the weekend especially to help them, as all her theatre experience was invaluable as a hands on Deputy Stage Manager, used to building sets etc.