5 - is the large photo behind the seating area in the
auditorium. This photo was taken by Henry Taunt in
1910 of children visiting Uffington Castle.

3 - is the tannery display, Wantage was once said to
have the 'largest tannery in the kingdom'. The tanning
process was a smelly one 💩
4 - is the view from the 'windows' on the reconstructed
tramway carriage

1 - is from one of the most popular exhibits in the
galleries, the model railway 🚂
2 - is the apothecary window display featuring many old
medicine bottles and other equipment used to produce
medicines ⚗️

The company has had various owners over the decades but it was in 2017 when MacDermid acquired it, renaming is MacDermid Autotype. It is still going strong in the town, with it's head quarters located at the manufacturing site in Wantage.

Even before moving to Wantage, Autotype had a link to the town when in 1874 it printed the beautiful silhouettes by local artist Jane Elisabeth Cook, for her book 'A Sculptor Caught Napping'. The book was produced to raise money for King Alfred's Grammar School.

Founded in 1868 in London as the Autotype Printing and Publishing Company it was just two short years later they changed their name becoming the Autotype Fine Art Company Limited.

Over the past few years we have not only acquired items and stories from during the pandemic but we also collected all the cards and notes placed in the Market Place in memory of Queen Elizabeth II after her death in 2022.

Although it was only 5 years ago, it is important for museums and archives to document events, such as the pandemic, when they happen so that future generations can see what life was like during that time.

These Victorian white cotton drawers (knickers) are a great example of how even their underwear was patched to make it last longer. This pair of drawers have 4 cotton covered buttons and an opening at the back, and feature a very simple frill around the legs with a lace trim.

Women became experts at sewing to mend all the families clothing and even making their own clothing out of any material that was free or at a reduced price.

The set consists of:
1. Chamois leather case with a button fastening
2. A silver container
3. A decanter
4. A drinking vessel
5. A separate handle

Whoops! You are correct. Oh, well we are a day early 😆

Weights like these would have been used on warp-weighted looms to hold the warp threads taut for weaving.
Today weavers can purchase ready-made weights but it is very likely these ones were handmade by the weaver or someone close to them.