Jacky Dowding

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Jacky Dowding in a car accident just before Christmas on December 13th, she was just 43 years old. Jacky had joined Friends last year and many of you who attended the November Friends' Get Together will remember her very bubbly and friendly presence. She loved Boscastle and the Museum and we are happy that we were able to share a small part of her life. Deepest sympathies go to her friends and family, particularly her 3 children, her partner, and her good friend Lyn Berriman. Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet Again.

Notification of witchcraft talk in Exeter

At a recent meeting for the British Association of Friends of Museums I met some attendees from Exeter who informed me of an upcoming talk on Witchcraft in March this year. It sounds very interesting so I thought I'd let people know about it. Hoping to get along myself.

Witchcraft in Exeter 1558-1660

Using new reserach, Mark Stoyle, Prof of Early Modern History at University of Southampton, will tell the story of some of the unfortunate Exeter men and women who were accused of witchraft by their neighbours and show that executions of supposed witches in the city began more than a hundred years earlier than the history books suggest.

Tickets price £5.00, for this lecture, at 7pm on 29 March the Royal Albert Memorial Musem will be available from 16 January.

Apply by post to Friends Ticket Sales, RAMM, Queen St, Exeter EX4 3RX. Please enclose a cheque made out to Exeter City Councill and enclose an SAE.

New Publishing House to Look out For

Thought some of you esoteric writers out there might like to hear of a new publishing house starting up - here is more info and the website for further details:

WyrdBooks is a new publishing house (a virgo, born in September 2011), specialising in literary esoterica and run by non-fiction writer Sinead Spearing and Sian Thomas (poet & editor). We welcome fiction and non-fiction manuscripts on folklore, magic, myth, gnosis, transformation and the transpersonal. So far we've had some interesting manuscripts, but we're looking for something we love. Submission guidelines can be found on our website: http://www.wyrdbooks.co.uk/

Sian Thomas did a stint as poet in residence at the museum a year or so ago and we wish them both success with their new venture.

New Publication from Cassandra Latham-Jones

Have just read Village Witch by Cassandra Latham-Jones and wanted to recommend to you all. It is a brave, personal, heartfelt account  of the trials and tribulations of Cassandra's life and extraordinary career, incorporating the beauty and magic of deepest Cornwall with some humour and evocative photographs included. Beautifully illustrated it can be purchased from http://www.troybooks.co.uk/

Fab New Book

We've just been sent a lovely new book 'Mummmers, Maypoles and Milkmaids  -A Journey Through the English Ritual Year'. This large book is packed with amazing colour photographs and traces some of the many folk traditions and festivals that happen throughout our year. Some of the festivals are centuries old and some are more modern revivals but they are all interesting and the book is required reading for anyone interested in folk traditions. It is available on Amazon  and you can get to the publisher by clicking here for more information.

Friends AGM & Get Together

Great time had by all at the recent Get Together at the Wellington Hotel on November 19th. Interesting speakers including Tabitha Cadbury on Folk charms, Simon Costin on the latest news about the Museum of British Folklore, Steve Patterson on the Magic of Boscastle, and Julian Vayne stood in on very short notice speaking on the topic 'What I did on my Holidays' about his recent visit to Nepal. In the evening we had merriment and japes with music from The Jowsters who came up from Penzance, and the local singing group The Boscastle Buoys. Graham led the walk to Joan Wytte's gravestone through Minster woods on the Sunday. Judith Noble stood down as Chair and Elayne Hoskins has taken over this position. Deborah Westmancoat is now Vice Chair as well as membership secretary and Judith will now be secretary. There were a few stalls and a raffle which all helped to raise more funds. We are looking at making changes to the membership year, hoping to introduce rolling membership instead of the April to April timings we have at the moment. Thanks to all for your support throughout the year and we'll see you at the next AGM in 2012. 

Website Problem!

There is a very serious situation with the website - it looks like the domain has been stolen and information changed. We have someone working on it at the moment hope to have it rectified as soon as possible.

Welly Rooms available for the Friends Do

There are still a couple of rooms available at The Wellington Hotel for the Friends do
If you would like to book you'll need to phone as their online system is block booked for the Museum so will show rooms as being booked out
the phone number is: 01840 250202

the rooms we still have available for the 18th and 19th are as follows:

1 x Standard Double - £50.00 per room per night
1 x Superior Double - £70.00 per room per night

1 x Superior Family Suite - £70.00 (for 2 sharing) - £110.00 (if the room is occupied by 4 persons)
(Double bedroom, Bunk bedroom, Bathroom where the bunk beds are suitable for adults)

More Rumours

I'm writing this to allay any fears people may have if they are hearing ridiculous stories about the museum. It seems that despite Graham making it perfectly clear (at the recent PF anniversary meeting and other events) about his plans for the future of the museum, some people are still making up silly rumours and spreading them around the Internet and elsewhere.

Please note that the museum is NOT being sold off to the US, and the collection is NOT being split up and sold piecemeal to the highest bidder. The museum collection is IN TRUST and cannot be sold! The building is owned by Graham.

As most sensible people do, Graham is planning for the time when he will retire which is a few years away yet. Rather than risking the museum's future, he is planning ahead so he can ensure a suitable caretaker is found to lead the museum into its next stage of development. This may be at its current site in Boscastle or it may move somewhere else in the UK, this has not yet been decided. 

Understandably our visitors and supporters are concerned about the future of their beloved museum, but no one cares more than Graham and his staff. If anyone has any questions about the plans for the museum's future please email the museumwitchcraft@aol.com and ask. Please don't listen to rumours in pubs, moots, online or anywhere else.

Thanks again to everyone for their support and rest assured the museum is in safe hands.