Meeting of Suffolk Naturalists' Society representatives Joan Hardingham (Chairman) and Colin Hawes (Vice-President) with Laurence Collins (Corporate Director, Ipswich Borough Council), Peter Berridge ( Head of Street and Leisure Services, Colchester Borough Council) and Tim Heyburn (Head of Ipswich Museums) on Wednesday 10th January, 2007, 2.00 p.m. at Ipswich Borough Council

Dear Mr Collins,

A Combined Museum Service for Colchester and Ipswich

Thank you for meeting with us to discuss the implications for natural history at Ipswich Museum in the current proposal to create a Joint Museum Service for Colchester and Ipswich. We write in response to the points raised and discussed at the meeting referred to above.
It was acknowledged at the meeting that the collections at Ipswich Natural History Museum are very significant both scientifically, through the natural history collections, and historically, not least with the direct link to Charles Darwin through his Cambridge tutor John Henslow, Rector of Hitcham who founded the museum in 1847. It was also acknowledged that SNS are important stakeholders.

We understand, from information that you provided that:

    when the Government set up the Regional Museums Hub System, the Eastern Region was allowed a maximum four Hub Museums and that the museums subsequently selected were: Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service (lead partner), The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, Colchester Museums and Luton Museums Service, on the basis that these four are spread across the region.
    combining the Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service will make Ipswich part of a Hub. This will bring benefits, which are not accessible outside the Hub system, especially additional funding for Ipswich Natural History Museum. SNS would like to be reassured that the funding for Ipswich Natural History Museum will be adequate for the job.
    guarantees have been given that Ipswich Museum’s natural history collections will remain at the Ipswich Museum.
    a newly appointed Natural History Curator will be permanently based at Ipswich Museum and will be responsible for: improving the use of , accessibility to and continuing to catalogue the collections.
    if possible, somebody qualified in a different discipline to that of the curator at Colchester should be appointed to the Ipswich post.
    there will be a Senior Natural History Curator, who will be based at Colchester Natural History Museum.
    there will be a new appointment of a ‘floating’ trainee Natural History Curator, who will be working across both Colchester and Ipswich Museums.
    natural history collections will not be removed for storage at Colchester, or elsewhere, and that present storage will be improved.
    there will be improved access for the 5-16 age group. (We expressed disappointment that the 16-21 age group was not being targeted to encourage more interest in natural history, especially through the new Campus Suffolk).
    until a new Natural History Curator is appointed to Ipswich Museum, access to ‘behind the scenes’ collections should be through Jerry Bowdrey, Natural History Curator at Colchester Museums.
    access to ‘behind the scenes’ collections will be though the new Natural History Curator when he/she is in post.
    the post of Natural History Curator at Ipswich Museum will be advertised shortly. An appointment may be made as early as April, 2007.
    curation of the collections in the period between the resignation of the previous Natural History Curator and the appointment of a replacement are, and will be carried out by Jerry Bowdrey.
    following the appointment of a Natural History Curator to Ipswich Museum, there will be improved facilities for research and better access to ‘behind the scenes’ collections.
    although there is no mention of natural history, or natural history collections in the One Year Museums Plan, these are covered in the Three Year Plan.
    there is a high level of concern as to the future of the collections at Ipswich as demonstrated by the correspondence generated on the subject of the merger when it finally came to our attention. It was reassuring that it was agreed at the meeting that there will be a review of how such a significant stake holder as the SNS can be involved with the future of the museum, hopefully ensuring SNS are fully informed of developments, well in advance, unlike on this occasion.

We feel reassured that, after more than a decade of declining financial resources and diminishing specialist curators, steps are being taken to improve the Service under the proposed new arrangements.
It is not ideal, however. Colchester Natural History Museum has been reduced from two Curators to one (Jerry Heath was not replaced) and Ipswich from at least three to one (Bob Markham and Howard Mendel not replaced). The proposed staffing provides only two, plus a trainee. We hope that this situation will be addressed when future funding is available.
Thus the Society supports the merger of the two services in the hope that, should all the conditions be met, this will provide the best means to safeguard the future of the collections at Ipswich Natural History Museum.

Yours sincerely,