'Life on canals': a Takeover Day exhibition

Author
Alison Hilton
Published Date
December 16, 2013

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<On Friday 22nd November, the Museum of English Rural Life worked with the Institute of Education and took part in Kids in Museums’ Takeover Day. Throughout the day we welcomed Year 5 and 6 students from Geoffrey Field Junior School, Reading, and invited them to explore artefacts in the collections that relate to canal life and become ‘mini-curators’ in the process.  Armed with white curatorial gloves and pencils, students worked in small groups exploring objects and photographs, and selecting the ones that they would display in an exhibition on the subject of Life on Canals. They were even assigned the task of writing interpretation labels for them. 

Takeover Day
Takeover Day

 

We’ve turned their work into an online exhibition…

 

‘Life on Canals’

Guest curated by the pupils of Geoffrey Field Junior School

 

Sign writing brushes
Sign writing brushes (Bushell Brother collection)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brushes label
Brushes label by Emily, Talia and Katie
Brushes label by Casey
Brushes label by Casey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the photographic collection depicting life on the canals (1965)
From the photographic collection depicting life on the canals (1965)
Boatmen by Skye
Boatmen label by Skye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teapot for a narrow boat painted at the workshop of L. B. Faulkner
Teapot for a narrow boat painted at the workshop of L. B. Faulkner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teapot
Teapot label by Leesa
Teapot label by Chloe
Teapot label by Chloe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A smoothing plane (Bushell Brothers collection)
A smoothing plane (Bushell Brothers collection)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smoothing plane label
Smoothing plane label by Richmond
Smoothing plane by Sean
Smoothing plane by Sean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painted wooden cabin block created at the Anderton Company boatyard
Painted wooden cabin block created at the Anderton Company boatyard
Cabin block label by Tyler
Cabin block label by Tyler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water can
Water can

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

watering can by Fifi_Saima
Water can label by Fifi & Saima
Watering can by Talia_Emily_Katie
Water can label by Talia, Emily & Katie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trace bobbins
Trace bobbins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trace bobbins by Jamie and Ethan
Trace bobbins  label by Jamie and Ethan
Trace bobbins label by Rachel
Trace bobbins label by Rachel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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