Fordingbridge Museum to celebrate its 25th birthday with weekend of events including punting river trips, duck race and sports

A SIMPLE question to a father from his 12-year-old daughter led to the creation of Fordingbridge Museum which celebrates its silver anniversary this year.

Local builder and undertaker John Shering’s 12-year-old daughter Mary asked him what a gin trap was and, horrified by her lack of knowledge, he started to collect items to teach her about her heritage.

The collection soon outgrew his home and in 2000 he and his brother Richard donated the collection to the town, and Fordingbridge museum – then an old flour mill – was born.

Now it is celebrating its 25th birthday with a series of special events over the weekend of 2nd and 3rd August.

John’s daughter Mary Deverell will be appearing at the celebrations which include an invitation-only event on 2nd, at which Mary and Phil Harding from Wessex Archaeology will unveil a green plaque on the front of the museum.

It one of a series of green plaques placed on notable buildings around the town as a legacy project.

Phil and Mary will then cut a cake decorated with Fordingbridge-related pictures.

At the museum there will also be displays in the Victoria Rooms about Fordingbridge Regatta, which was once a major event in the town and was dubbed ‘The Hampshire Henley’.

There will be interesting films of old Fordingbridge featuring events, and maps and documents about the town will be displayed showing how things have changed over the years.

At the recreation ground there will be punting trips on the river, echoing the past when it was a popular pastime.

There will also be light-railway rides, maypole and Morris dancing and rustic sports. Miniature raft racing will take place on the river with prizes for the best presented and winning rafts.

The annual Rotary duck race will also be run on the river.

Museum manager Jane Ireland said: “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved over the last 25 years. The economy and vibrancy of the town has been significantly improved by the thousands of visitors to the museum that we have every year.”

The museum in Kings Yard, Salisbury Street. will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm.