An Ironbridge museum has reopened for summer with some new additions, after a generous gift from the family of its former owners.
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust has received a gift of original saggars and pipes that have gone on display at the Broseley Pipeworks in time for it's summer opening this week.
In spring this year, 33 years later, the family contacted the Trust as it wished to gift the saggars to the museum. The Trust’s curators were delighted, even more so when they opened the saggars and found thousands of clay pipes arranged neatly inside, laid out for firing. The Broseley Pipeworks was originally called the Crown Pipeworks and owned by Rowland Smitheman. From the mid-19th century Smitheman, along with two branches of the Southorn family, was one of the big three pipemakers in Broseley. Pipes from Broseley were sold in the UK and all over the world.The Trust’s curators believe that sometime before the 1920s Smitheman’s son gave up pipe making.
All the saggars, with the pipes inside, have gone on display in two rooms at the Broseley Pipeworks. The museum is now open throughout the summer Thursdays and Saturdays until September 14.The pipeworks will also host pipe-making demonstrations led by Oliver Meeson and James Ashwell from Thursday, July 25 to Saturday, August 31 and volunteer pipeworkers the following two weeks.
Traditionally pipe moulds were made from cast iron. When pipe making declined many were melted down, and originals are now collector’s items and rare.
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