It’s a very special building, not just to all of us here at the Museum, but also to the people of Stowmarket, and we know that when we open the doors to this Eighteenth Century Queen Anne style house, many will be be waiting to see what has been achieved using the Heritage grant which has helped fund this ambitious project.

We’ll be revealing a nine-room exhibition centre which celebrates everything that makes East Anglia special, and all of those figures that are entwined in the rich history of this part of the country, from Robert Ransome to Lady Eve Balfour, George Ewart Evans and beyond. We’re looking at what East Anglia means to the people that live there, with powerful and meaningful displays which capture the heart within the history.

As well as the house itself, we’ve also seen the restoration of Crowe St Cottages, which housed workers from the house. The cottages will represent the lives of those that lived there, giving an physical example of social history.

We cannot wait for the grand opening next year, years of preparation and hard work are finally coming to fruition in a project which is giving a whole new lease of life to a brilliantly well deserved building. We hope that our supporters and current visitors, will join the many new visitors that are sure to visit the house, in showing your support with a visit to Abbot’s Hall in 2012. We’ll keep you informed on all the dates closer to the time.

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On Friday 25^th November from 12pm until 7pm, the Museum of East Anglian life will be getting in the Christmas spirit with our Christmas Event, including a Christmas craft fayre, Santas grotto and as always our beautiful Christmas trees on sale.

With our craft fayre, we will have a selection of quality craft stalls, selling a variety of goods that will make interesting and original Christmas gifts. Held within our beautiful thirteenth century tithe barn, and with free entry, it truly is worth popping in and seeing what’s on offer.

Old Saint Nick is waiting for you to pay him a visit! Santa and his faithful elf will be here to add a bit of Christmas magic into you and your children’s lives. Santa will be available on the 25^th November, and subsequently on every Saturday up until Christmas

If you want to capture the true Christmas spirit, a plastic tree just won’t do it! Nothing says Christmas quite like that authentic Christmas tree smell when you walk through your front door, so come along and check out our fine selection of trees for sale. Christmas trees will be on sale alongside Santa’s grotto.

With just one month till the day itself, the Museum of East Anglian life’s Christmas craft fayre is the perfect place to find some of your Christmas essentials, as well as joining us in a bit of Christmas spirit and celebration.

Entry to the Craft fayre is free of charge.

Santas grotto will cost £2 and will include a small gift

For more details Tel: 01449 612229

Website: www.eastanglianlife.org.uk

Email: enquiries@eastanglianlife.org.uk

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Gates open at 6:30pm when you will be able to enjoy the sights and smells of traction engines in steam, and a selection of Old Tyme Amusements from an East Anglian Fairground Family. The bonfire will be lit on the top field at 7pm and the fireworks will start at 7:30pm.

Food and refreshments will be available throughout the event.

Tickets will be available in advance from the Mid-Suffolk Tourist Information Centre in Stowmarket – Adults: £4, Children: £3, Special Family ticket: £12 (2 adults and up to 3 children) or alternatively buy your tickets on the night – Adults: £4.50 and Children: £3.50 (no family ticket on the night).

For further information about this or any event at the Museum, please contact:

Tourist Information Centre, Phone:  01449 676800

OR

Patsy Cane Office Manager

Phone: 01449 612229 or email: patsy.cane@eastanglianlife.org.uk

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Come along to two grand days out at the Museum of East Anglian Life this half term!

On Monday 24th of October from 10am ‘til 1pm, see Wallace & Gromit in their cracking film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)! The film follows Wallace and his loyal dog, Gromit, as they set out to discover the mystery behind the garden sabotage that plagues their village and threatens the annual giant vegetable growing contest.

Alongside the film showing there will be two Were-Rabbit Walks and a Gromit Aeroplane Art workshop. The walks will involve surprise and humour, strange vegetables, and tactile touchy things ….all linked to the Were-Rabbit! Children who join us in the hunt will be given a map and an Anti-Pesto Rabbit Round-up Bag to help catch the crafty carrot cruncher.

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit will be screened in Abbots Hall Barn from 10.45am-12.00am, with walks taking place at 10.00am-10.30am and 12.15am-12.45pm. There are only 25 children’s places per walk so please book in advance through the Tourist Information Centre in Stowmarket on 01449 676800. This event is part of Film Flurry – a Suffolk-wide, two week event celebrating children’s films, cartoons and animation.

Get your pencils at the ready on Thursday the 27^th of October when the museum will be holding its annual Big Read, Big Draw in the BIG Barn, 10am – 3pm. This year children’s author and illustrator Lorna Murphy and artist Laura Haines will be running art workshops in Abbot’s Hall Barn based around the book ‘Maisie’s Mountain’ by Lorna Murphy.

‘Maisie’s Mountain’ tells the story of Maisie, a little girl who can’t stop collecting things and never, ever, throws anything away. In fact she collects so much that she creates a mountain of objects that stick out of the roof of her house!

Visitors will be able to hear Maisie’s story, meet the author, create their own characters and add drawings of their favourite things to a 3-D Maisie’s mountain. The Big Read, Big Draw is part of a nationwide event taking place throughout October by The Campaign For Drawing.

For all of October half term, fantastic free entry for children with a paying adult!

Admission £6.50 for adults, children age 6 –14 yrs FREE for October Half Term (no more than 3 children per adult). There is no extra charge for the activities.

For more details Tel: 01449 612229

Website: www.eastanglianlife.org.uk

Email: enquiries@eastanglianlife.org.uk

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Printing For All is a one day event on the 28^th August for visitors to learn about the history of printing, its relevance to East Anglia, watch demonstrations and have a go themselves. The event will consist of working demonstrations of the Museum’s printing presses, hands on workshops and talks.

Various aspects of printing will be demonstrated including letterpress, lino cuts, screenprinting and stencilling and visitors will be encouraged to have a go where possible.

Taking place in our Industrial zone, there will be a number of print volunteers demonstrating various methods of printing. With the opportunity to make posters and postcards to take away with you.

This event is the perfect family activity, including potato printing for the little ones, with something for everyone to enjoy.

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On the weekend of the 13^th & 14^th August 2011 the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket will be holding its fifth annual Steam & Traditional Crafts Weekend.

Throughout the weekend craftspeople from around East Anglia will be demonstrating a variety of crafts and techniques with the chance for visitors to ‘have a go’ wherever possible.

Alongside, the Museum will be running its annual Steam Engine Driver Training Event. This involves locally owned steam traction engines in action around the site, each with a couple of students learning the basics of engine ownership, maintenance and use from the engine owners.

This is the 9^th year that the course has run at the Museum and it continues to be as popular as ever. Over 125 students have enjoyed the opportunity so far, with many coming back year on year to enjoy the experience of working with these incredible machines.

The event also includes a selection of Commercial Vehicles and Vintage Tractors owned by enthusiasts from the area. We are particularly pleased to welcome members of the Ferguson club who are celebrating their 25^th anniversary this year, as well as our regulars from the local David Brown Club who will be demonstrating their machines throughout the weekend.

Museum Training Officer Paul Palmer says, “ this year we will be promoting our Traditional Skills and Leisure courses, which will be open to all visitors and age groups. On the weekend we have Natural Dyeing and Water Colour painting work shops, as well as the traction engine driving. This is just a few of the opportunities we have on offer for 2011”. Further details can be found on our web site, www.eastanglianlife.org.uk

Visitors to the museum will be able to talk to the craftspeople and steam engine owners whilst they demonstrate their crafts and engines. There will even be a chance to make your own poster on the museums original 1870 Colombia printing press.

The Museum of East Anglian Life is open late March to October, Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 11-5.

For more details contact the Museum on 01449 612229 or check out our website on www.eastanglianlife.org.uk

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Tickets

Day season ticket price includes free on-site parking, admission to all daytime events (space allowing) and free programme (sent in advance on request). Most indoor events are open only to day season ticket holders. If you want to see the guests, attend the talks and special events, you will need to buy a ticket in advance! We welcome children at all events – you can get the best deal by buying a family ticket before 1st August. Camping is available to day season ticket holders only. Facilities are basic (no showers or electric hook-up). For accommodation, see www.eatmt.org.uk/accommodationmidsuffolk.htm or contact Mid Suffolk Tourist Information Centre on 01449 676800.

A map showing the vehicle entrance for advance ticket holders is available here. Please note this is for TICKET-HOLDERS only. The postcode you need for sat-navs is IP14 1BQ, not the museum code, which will take you up a cul-de-sac in the wrong place entirely!

Tickets are not available on the day unless pre-ordered, although access to many of the outdoor events is available by buying a museum entrance ticket on the day. This does not give access to the concerts, talks and other special events, as these are what TMD ticket-holders are paying for! There is no onsite parking for people buying museum-only tickets.

Guests 2011

Duck Soup

From English dance music to border ballads, and French Canadian
marches to 1920s novelty hits, played on everything from melodeon
(Dan Quinn) to dobro, mandolin and mouthorgan (Ian Kearey) to
marimba, phonofiddle and musical saw (Adam Bushell).

The result is a cross between an English tune session in your
favourite pub and a collision in an instrument shop … and great fun!

http://www.myspace.com/soupofduck

The Orchard Family

Perennial favourites, the Orchards are back to celebrate the 10th Traditional
Music Day with us. Both Jean and Tom have a family background of
music-making, singing and stepping and sons Ashley and Richard are
keeping it going.

Expect historic ballads side-by-side with popular classics,
lively music and superb stepdancing.

Shirley Collins

Shirley’s distinctive singing has been hugely influential through her seminal recordings
and performances in the 1960s and 70s. She now gives occasional lectures including
field recordings and archive images of singers from the south of England.

She is supported by Vic and Tina Smith, well-respected singers in their own right.

Visit Shirley’s website. http://www.shirleycollins.co.uk/

Jim Causley

Jim has a fine, rich bass voice and a cheeky stage presence which
makes his solo performances very entertaining! His repertoire varies
from soulful ballads to jolly cider-drinking songs.

He was a big hit at Traditional Music Day a few years ago with
The Devil’s Interval and recent collaborations have been with
Waterson Carthy and David Rotheray (Beautiful South).

Visit Jim’s website. http://www.jimcausley.co.uk/

A New Vintage

Ed Rennie (Bismarks) brings his new band, playing irresistibly stompy
English music, to Suffolk for the first time.

Both Jenny Read (piano) and Matt Norman (mandolin) are also superb
Dartmoor stepdancers, so keep an eye out for them in that role too!

Ed (melodeon) is also a fine singer and will be contributing some
songs to various events.

Visit the band’s Myspace page. http://www.myspace.com/newvintagedanceband

Potiphar’s Apprentices

Sue and John Cubbin and Adrian May got together for EATMT’s “Vaughan
Williams in the East” event three years ago, to sing songs collected in Essex .

They feature in “A Focus on Essex” and also in Sue’s talk “That Precious
Legacy” about Vaughan Williams folksong collecting in Essex in the early 1900s.

Visit the band’s website. http://potiphar.org.uk/

Pat Pickles
Pat and her late husband Rennie were well known on the folk scene a few decades ago, but it’s now rare to see Pat’s collections outside her home.

She will be hosting the Jig Doll Party, with some special examples of these percussive dancing dolls, and we also hope that she will be able to display some of her extensive collection of postcards on British folklore and customs.

Dave Hunt
A legend in his own lunchtime, Dave Hunt (aka Dr Sunshine) is a well-respected and much-loved dance caller and childrens’ entertainer who will be calling for the afternoon ceilidh and leading a craft workshop for children in the morning.

Visit Dave’s website. http://www.redowa.co.uk/sunshine.htm

Daytime Events 2011

The programme includes:

Concert Spots
Enjoy some extended sets from our guests in the intimate atmosphere of Edgar’s Farmhouse: Duck Soup, Jim Causley, The Orchard Family plus Shirley Collins’ Romany Rai talk.

Stepdancing
The biggest gathering of steppers from Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and beyond. Showcased in the Stepdance Special and at informal events throughout the day … you may even end up having a go yourself!

Big Music Session
An English Country Music jam session hosted by various guests throughout the day. Great music for participants and listeners alike.

Song sessions
A chance to sing or listen: all singers welcome.

Focus on Essex
Featuring Potiphar’s Apprentices and others. The fourth in our series of regional county-focused events.

Ceilidh
An afternoon barn dance with A New Vintage and caller Dave Hunt. Bring your friends and family and join the fun!

Stories through Songs
The museum’s Story Hut provides a relaxed setting for young and old to enjoy some stories told through song. Traditional folk songs and ballads very often tell a story – whether it is of corn growing and being turned into beer, as in the centuries-old “John Barleycorn” or a news item such as “The Ballad of the Red Barn” which tells the story of the murder of Maria Marten, from Polstead in south Suffolk. One song lasting 5-10 minutes on the hour and half-hour – there will be a list available so you can check if the content is child-friendly or not!

Talks
- Shirley Collins will be giving two illustrated talks: “I’m A Romany Rai” and “You Never Heard so Sweet”. Tina and Vic Smith look after the pictures and the sound in both shows.‘I’m a Romany Rai’ is about the songs of Southern English Gypsies. Using field recordings and some wonderful images, this is a lively and often moving show. In ‘You Never Heard So Sweet’ again using field recordings, Shirley presents some of the singers and songs that Peter Kennedy met in the South East of England in the 1950s, when he was commissioned by the BBC to record traditional songs throughout the country. This talk features the remarkable Dorset gypsy Queen Caroline Hughes and many contemporary photos and images. Shirley has just selected material from this collection for three CDs to be released on Topic Records later this year as part of second The Voice of the People series.
- Sue Cubbin presents “That Precious Legacy” about the composer Vaughan Williams’ first folk-song collecting trips in Essex in the early 1900s. Supported by Potiphar’s Apprentices (including John Cubbin and Adrian May).

Exhibitions
Antique melodeons and postcards of British folklore customs will be on display during the day.

Jig dolls
Have a go at using a dancing doll from our Big Jig collection, with live music: great fun! This year we are also delighted to welcome back Pat Pickles, author and expert on jig dolls, who will be bringing some of her extensive collection of antique dancing dolls and hosting a Jig Doll Party – to which you are invited to bring your own!

Play an instrument
Have a go on one of our instruments: melodeons, concertinas and mouthorgans.

Have a look at …
… photographs, instruments and displays throughout the day
… the animals, buildings, exhibits and nature trails around the site

Enjoy something tasty …
… mini beer festival in the Barn, with help from CAMRA, featuring the best of local brews, plus ciders, soft drinks etc
… delicious food from the new Osier Cafe at the Museum, who will have stalls around the site with hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, ice-creams etc.

and in the evening …

Traditional Night Out in the Tithe Barn

A good-time evening: with a variety of songs, music and dance, including spots from all the guests, supported by some surprise “turns” – superb performers who have often been guests in previous years, but come back again because of the unique character of this special event. A magical evening in the atmospheric setting of the museum’s medieval Tithe Barn. 8pm-11pm.

NB: separate ticket required for this very popular event.

The new cafe at the Museum is offering a hot meal (with vegetarian option) for £6.50 to be served between 6.30pm and 8pm – this must be pre-booked with your concert tickets. The bar is open at this time too. There is indoor seating, or if it’s fine, plenty of space to spread outside at picnic tables in the pretty gardens.

Why not come to Traditional Music Day in 2011 and see what all the fuss is about?

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We’ll be having a Teddy bears picnic here at the Museum of East Anglian Life on Thursday 4th August from 12-3pm, and we’re inviting family’s to this special event!

A family ticket costs just £10 and includes the picnic, games, songs, crafts and a teddy themed treasure hunt! So for a fantastic family activity, that the kids (and they’re best bear friends) will thoroughly enjoy, why don’t you pick up a ticket? Tickets are available from our on site cafe The Osier, so pop in and say hello!

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You are invited to An Edible Compass: come and make scarecrows, eat great food, watch live images unfold, share recipes and contribute to our Encyclopedia, at the Museum of East Anglian Life. These fun activities take place as preparations across the first part of the week, before becoming an extraordinary weekend of feasting, filmmaking, and unusual live events.

 An Edible Compass – A Feast www.onlandguardpoint.com/feast

In a field at the Museum of East Anglian Life, a very long table is set for dinner. Here many hundreds of people from across the region will come together and share a giant communal feast – a picnic of food that tastes like home, made from recipes found in the On Landguard Point Cookbook and beyond. This enormous feast will also be captured for the On Landguard Point film.

Professor Martin Jones, from the Department of Archaeology at Cambridge University asks:

‘What does it mean for us to assume access to ingredients from around the World? How does each dish need to be served in order to offer it appropriately? What are the protocols for how to eat these foods, and do Western models of dining fit in each instance?’

We don’t need to leave the East of England in order to reach the world – our own community reaches much further than that. The On Landguard Point team are now attempting to collect recipes that represent as many diverse notions of ‘home’ as possible, in order to create and share a new free On Landguard Point Cookbookthat genuinely reflects our region.

You are warmly invited to join us at An Edible Compass – A Feast. Please bring as much food as you would like to eat or share. The event will take the form of a giant ground picnic, with the first few hundred people to arrive also invited to dine at a specially laid table, and become part of the OLP film. You are invited to wear anything you wish, but any visible logos are strongly discouraged.

For Limited Availability FREE* tickets register here and feature in the On Landguard Point Film which will premiere across the UK in 2012.

*Terms and conditions: Free tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis only. Specially discounted MEAL prices for tickets thereafter resume at £5 for adults, £3 for children and £10 for families (up to 2 adults and 3 children) and can be bought on the day of the event at the Museum of East Anglian Life Participants are asked to wear clothes that feature no visible logos/endorsements. Filming will last between 3-4 hours. Please visit www.onlandguardpoint.com/feastregsiter for more information on the event and full details on terms and conditions.

An Edible Compass- The Ring www.onlandguardpoint.com/thering

An Edible Compass- Scarecrow Making Workshops www.onlandguardpoint.com/scarecrows

Come and help us in our Olympic effort to make 205 scarecrows, which will be placed in a field after dark and filmed as part of the On Landguard Point film! Who will you model yours on, what will it wear, and could it become the next big star of stage and screen?

Scarecrows have been made to represent a number of things over the ages from hastily crafted person-like decoys, used to protect perishable crops from hungry flocks of birds, to magical all-knowing creatures that come alive at night. Their traditional image is well known across the East, as are many myths and tales that surround them. But because they protect the harvest and our food source, they are also emblematic of the themes of both trade and defence that underpin OLP.

We will be running professional scarecrow workshops all week, to ensure taking part in this mass making activity is fun yet easy to succeed at. This event is perfect for families and groups, or for individuals who want to turn up alone and be assured a friendly welcome. Please bring any old clothes that you wish to donate to the scarecrow wardrobe, and after the event we will make sure they get to charity shops or recycling centres.

For more information please visit www.onlandguardpoint.com

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Event: Steam Traction Engine Driver Training at the Steam & Traditional Crafts Weekend

Date: Saturday 13^th August 10am – 5pm and Sunday 14^th August 11am – 5pm, 2011.

Venue:Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket

Press contact: Paul Palmer, Training Officer

The Museum of East Anglian Life (MEAL), Stowmarket are working with local engine owners to run their 9th Driver Training Course at the Museum on the 13^th & 14^th August 2011 as part of the Museum’s “Steam and Crafts” weekend.

The museum can now offer two last minute places on the course on a first come first served basis!

The course is for adults over 21 years old who hold a full driving licence.

The aim of the weekend is to give training in the working of all variants of road steam engines and the opportunity to acquire the basic skills of driving, along with the responsibilities associated with engine management.

There will be a nominal cost of £195 for the weekend. This is to cover the costs of coal, engine owner’s minimal expenses, course training notes, and a certificate of attendance. A special voucher can also be supplied if you would like to use this as a gift – just let us know!

This is the 9^th year that the course has run at the Museum and it continues to be as popular as ever. Over 125 students have enjoyed the opportunity so far, with many coming back year on year to enjoy the experience of working with these incredible machines.

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