HRH The Duke of Gloucester opens Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron

As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, HRH The Duke of Gloucester officially re-opened Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron on Wednesday, following the museum’s complete refurbishment.

His Royal Highness has a long association with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and has previously visited Coalport China Museum and the Hay Inclined Plane in 1976, Blists Hill Victorian Town and other sites in 1990 and opened the Cover Building that protects the Old Furnace in Coalbrookdale on 27 July 1982.

On arrival to the Museum of Iron His Royal Highness was welcomed by a crowd of well-wishers including school children from St Ann’s Heath Junior School and Broxbourne Primary School. Before touring the museum a number of guests were presented to HRH including The High Sheriff of Shropshire, Mr Charles Lillis, Cllr Stephen Reynolds, Mayor of Telford & Wrekin Council, Mike Lowe, President Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT), Barrie Williams, Chairman IGMT, Gaye Blake-Roberts, Deputy Chair IGMT and Anna Brennand CEO IGMT, who escorted His Royal Highness on a tour of the museum. During the tour His Royal Highness met the skilled craftsmen who helped restore the building and the curators who created the exhibition.

The Museum of Iron is housed in the Great Warehouse of the Coalbrookdale Company and reopened to the public at Easter. The Museum explains how Coalbrookdale changed the world forever as the widely recognised birthplace of the Industrial Revolution through its pivotal role within the global iron industry. Displays explain how the geology of the Gorge is fundamental to the story and charts ironworking in the area from medieaval times. The museum also celebrates the people who were central to the story including different generations of the Darby family, John Wilkinson and the women who helped save the company following the death of Abraham Darby III. It also explains the role played by the thousands of men and women who worked in the mines, foundries and factories.

Amongst the many displays are example of magnificent cast-iron sculptures, fountains and items of furniture, including the Eagle Slayer, currently on loan from the V&A, that was made by the Coalbrookdale Company for the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Following the tour of the Museum of Iron, His Royal Highness met trustees, volunteers, Friends, staff and supporters of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, who have helped with the refurbishment of the Museum of Iron and the Trust’s charitable work of education and heritage conservation in the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.

Speeches were made by Mr Barrie Williams and Miss Gaye Blake-Roberts following which His Royal Highness unveiled a commemorative plaque and was presented with a cast-iron door stop in the shape of the Iron Bridge. Both the plaque and doorstop were made using traditional techniques by the skilled artisans at Blists Hill Victorian Town.

Anna Brennand, Chief Executive Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust commented: “The trustees, staff and volunteers were delighted to welcome His Royal Highness back to Coalbrookdale. We hope that he enjoyed returning to the museum and seeing how much it has changed.”