Horniman Gardens

[Morag]

Isit true they are going to dig up and build in the Horniman gardens 'now they have lottery funding'reducing the landscape of an historical gardens donated by the Horniman family for the public''along with the museam' that seems to be stuck on African art' There are more things people would like to see other than one regions artefacts'it is so sparse and boring'What do we want a building in the park for' teaching someone said in the museam'Teach what?They need lessons on growing trees seeing as their park manager cut down most of them 'Less green area if they have their way So what exactly are they spending their lottery money on'?

[KalamityKel]

Where are you getting this information?

[Morag]

I was told it by a friend who talks to a grumpy bloke called Gordon who works there

[KalamityKel]

the friend of a friend of a friend eh?

[SimonM]

There's rather more than just "African Art" in there! That said, I was sorry to see the ponds go when they refurbished and expanded the buildings several years ago. As this was financed by lottery funding I do wonder if your informant may be stuck in a time warp?:))

[Morag]

No my informant was stuck in The Woodsman; where these garden types like to drink' There will definitely be change 'let them deny it If its not so

[Siduhe]

Do you mean this project? Involves restoring the pond, putting in an education centre, wild play area and improving the animal enclosures. From what I remember of the consultation, the aim is to do more year-round activities in the gardens.

http://www.horniman.ac.uk/evolution/project.html

[Morag]

Well rumour proven then' but putting in a learning centre is not a tent 'but bricks and morter monstrosity is it not' green stuff built on' less gardens'

[bawdy-nan]

eh?

What do you mean ...

The museum isn't just a building in the middle of a park. It was built by the Horniman family as a public museum and was donated with the land around it.

There isn't a focus on Africa. The anthropology collection covers artefacts from many continents and is, in any case, a small part of the total collection which includes 250,000 items of "natural history" (the stuffed things), an aquarium, a hive of bees and the truly extraordinary stuffed walrud. There's the fantastic colletcion of musical intruments as well as touring exhibitions, smaller exhibitions, performaances, festivals, courses and a beautiful clock.

I agree that the gardens are lovely but the plans sound like great improvements.

The thing I don't like som much is the cafe.

[Louisa]

I was told by a friends friends dog that they may well be pulling the museum down and building a giant multistorey car park across that whole area soley for the use of people who want to take their kids to that new sand pit in the kids playground opposite. What a community spirited idea.

Louisa.

[ontheedge]

lol

[Morag]

But most of the Festivals held there' is like a smaller version of Knottig Hill'no Spanish ;French German or even English' morris dancers and all that British stuff' thats what you call a time warp'

[Sue]

What is your point exactly Morag?

[ontheedge]

ignore i think a new troll in town

[Fuschia]

As the Horniman family were originally teatraders and collectors, would be rather unlikely if the museum was focussed on Morris dancers!

[Morag]

Said the senile trog

[Morag]

Why wouldnt the Hornimans not have been interested in their own historic folk art?

[Morag]

Why wouldnt the Hornimans be interested in their own folk art culture

[bawdy-nan]

From the Horniman website in regard to the European section of the anthropology collection.

"A unique aspect of this collection is that it contains substantial and important collections from western and central Europe as well as Scandinavia. Until recently, the Horniman has been the only museum in the UK committed to research in this area.

Frederick Horniman was an avid collector of European material, acquiring examples of items which were in danger of being lost as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation. From 1901 - 1947, little European material entered the Museum. Since then, donations from England, Romania and the Balkans amongst others have enhanced the collections."

I've been to performances by choirs there, I know there are performances of "european music" of all kinds and one of the biggest, most well attended events is the annual carol concert.

There is a well established specialist "museum" of English Folk - Cecil Sharp House.

If you're interested in "english" traditions you could do no worse then scor yourself a couple of tickets for the Dulwich Ukulele Club's May Day shindig.

[louisiana]

Morag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Isit true they are going to dig up and build in

> the Horniman gardens 'now they have lottery

> funding'reducing the landscape of an historical

> gardens donated by the Horniman family for the

> public''along with the museam' that seems to be

> stuck on African art' There are more things people

> would like to see other than one regions

> artefacts'it is so sparse and boring'What do we

> want a building in the park for' teaching someone

> said in the museam'Teach what?They need lessons on

> growing trees seeing as their park manager cut

> down most of them 'Less green area if they have

> their way So what exactly are they spending their

> lottery money on'?

I think I'd have a better chance understanding what you were trying to say if you used some punctuation... other than random quotation marks that may or may not be delimiting actual quotes. Perhaps. Sigh.

[Morag]

Sorry mistress, I will try harder.

[Sue]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> As the Horniman family were originally teatraders

> and collectors, would be rather unlikely if the

> museum was focussed on Morris dancers!

xxxxxxx

Some posts seem to have been removed from this thread, presumably by admin, so your comment no longer makes sense Fuchsia :)

[Sue]

Morag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> No my informant was stuck in The Woodsman; where

> these garden types like to drink' There will

> definitely be change 'let them deny it If its not

> so

xxxxxx

Erm, what are "these garden types", Morag?

[espelli]

Gnomes

[Morag]

The garden chaps who work at Hornimans, and drink in the Woodsman, where my friend does.