The former Gloucester Folk Museum

Helena has been organising activities for the local learning group associated with the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) which she attends regularly.  Today we went to a talk by a local historian at Gloucester Folk Museum on the subject of the Cotswold Way, a 102 mile path running between Bath and Chipping Camden along the line of the Cotswold Hills' escarpment. The talk was excellent being informative, witty and erudite.  If my feet were in good shape I would start walking immediately.  Instead I think some judicious driving and parking will ensue, followed by photography of ancient historical sites, beautiful landscapes and fabulous Cotswold settlements.

I decided not to listen to the second talk by Adam Horowitz about Laurie Lee, whom he knew as he was growing up. Instead I went round the museum, which is devoted to the social history of Gloucestershire, for the first time. I was delighted by not only its varied and idiosyncratic contents, but also by the actual buildings at 99 Westgate Street which are two of the oldest buildings in the City of Gloucester, a Tudor merchant's house and a 17th-century town house. In March 2016, the Gloucester Folk Museum was rebranded and is now called Gloucester Life, which is a particularly dull name.


My picture was the last one I took when I went back downstairs to the entrance.  It is of a Cotton motorcycle and a jukebox.  The randomness of such presentation is par for the course, which is perhaps why I liked it so much. I have added some other pictures as 'Extra photos' of the rear yard, the top floor stair well, the Severn Side exhibit room and other views.  Worth a look.  I will remove them from here in a week or two.