Steam and Crafts Day August 9, 2008

Throughout the weekend craftspeople from around East Anglia will be demonstrating a variety of crafts and techniques with the chance for visitors to ‘have a go’ wherever possible. Within the museum’s reconstructed historic buildings will be spinners, weavers, printers and more. Come and try your hand at lace making or rag rugging, learn about the importance of patchwork or needlework samplers, or just reminisce with us about your memories of these activities in the past.

Alongside, the Museum will be running its annual Steam Engine Driver Training Event. This includes locally owned steam traction engines operating around the site, each with a couple of students learning the basics of engine ownership, maintenance and use from the engine owners.

This is the 6th year that the course has run at the Museum and it continues to be as popular as ever. Over 85 students have enjoyed the opportunity so far, with many coming back year on year to enjoy the experience of working with these incredible machines.

A new addition to the event this year is a selection of Commercial Vehicles and Vintage Tractors owned by enthusiasts from the area. These will be displayed on site, with their owners more than willing to discuss the work that goes into their care and restoration.

Museum director Tony Butler says, “it is wonderful to be able to fill the museum with the sights and sounds of the past. In a world of increasing conformity and mechanisation it is vital that traditional crafts and skills are preserved. Traditional ways of working provide links with the past which are becoming increasingly distant and events such as this provide a chance to pass skills and knowledge on for the future."

Visitors to the museum will be able to talk to the craftspeople and steam engine owners whilst they demonstrate their crafts and engines. There will even be a chance to make your own poster on the museums original 1870 Colombia printing press.