What's A Memory Box?
Behind every person and every object is a story.
Memory Boxes are themed kits containing social history objects, photographs and other resources that can be used as memory prompts. Using these kits for reminiscence can bring pleasure, stimulation and meaning to older people in care, and has the potential to lift depression and improve communication. The Memory Boxes should be chosen in consultation with participants so as not to exclude individuals from enjoying the sessions, especially if covering sensitive themes such as those related to war.
Memory Boxes in Cornwall
Royal Cornwall Museum | Constantine Heritage Collection | Penlee House | Helston Folk Museum | North Cornwall Museum Service
Royal Cornwall Museum
The following boxes are available for loan (following training only):
Beside The Seaside
Memories of outings, trips and holidays to the seaside!
Childhood
Games, toys, rhymes and activities bring back vivid memories of the best days of our lives!
Entertainment
Memorabilia of home entertainment, special occasions, parties, fun and games.
Health
Childcare and maternity, home remedies and hospitals. How did we try to stay healthy and strong and what happened when things went wrong?
Home Cooking
All sorts of kitchen gadgets and products to remember home cooking, baking and making a little go far.
Home Sweet Home
What did women do all day? This box recalls the endless household chores to keep the home running.
Looking Good (I & II)
We all love sprucing ourselves up! These boxes are packed with objects for both men and women to remember their dress routines and special occasions.
Make Do & Mend
"A stitch in time saves nine". Recall the ingenuity of home crafts and DIY. Includes objects related to sewing, knitting, crochet and darning.
School Days
Re-awaken vivid memories of friends and teachers, inky fingers and the nit nurse!
The Great Outdoors
Recollect the pleasures and pains of outdoor leisure - hiking, cycling, camping and touring.
Work (2 boxes)
Stimulate memories of working life and the skills and equipment used in all walks of work.
Charge:
Loan period: 3 weeks (charges apply for late return)
To enquire about training and for booking please contact:
Louise McDermott, Community Engagement Officer
Tel: 01872 242784
Email: louise.mcdermott@royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk
Constantine Heritage Collection
The following boxes are available for loan:
Education
This box is actually a school desk! We are happy to deliver for a small donation. Sit at the desk and open the lid and reveal the exercise books, pens, slates and reports.
War
An evacuee's suitcase, with an oral history account and documents needed for the war years including an original label!
Sports and Games
Leather football boots and boxing gloves, blow football and tabletop cricket are just some of the items for the armchair sportsman/women.
Charge: FREE, but donations are encouraged as we are a volunteer run museum. A returnable deposit of £25 will be required on hire.
Loan period: Two weeks
To book a box contact:
Tracey Clowes, Honorary Curator
Telephone: 01326341353
Email:havssula1@hotmail.com
Helston Folk Museum
The following boxes are available for loan:
Domestic & Home Life
Contains items such as wash board and carpet beater, poison bottle, camera, butter pats and curling tongs as well as a Victorian scrapbook and home and activity information sheets.
Toys
Contains hoop and truckle, card games, beach bucket, puzzles, skipping rope, camera, slate and pencils, etc.
World War One
This box contains a walking stick, union flag, spurs, postcards, bayonet, German and British helmets, and various documents relating to the war.
World War Two
There are actually three boxes to this theme containing adults and children's gas masks, home front woollies, kitchen recipes, ration book, bicycle lamp, evacuee's suitcase with contents, assorted documents.
Holidays
A wooden spade and metal bucket, camera, beach bag and towel, bus tickets are contained in this box together with various ephemera.
Cleaning Technology
A flat iron, box iron, early electric iron and a bellows and scrubbing brush are in this box, with the usual activity sheets and teaching hints.
Weighing and Measuring
A measuring chain, baby scales, milk recorder, sieve, half-pint bottle and a kitchen scales are included in this box, together with a photograph and information sheet for each artefact, and activity sheets.
Lighting
Miners' lamps, candle spike, candlestick, bicycle, van and carriage lamps with photographs and activity sheets are enclosed in this box.
Charge: £5 (plus £20 returnable deposit)
Loan period: 1 week (Mon-Fri)
To book a box contact:
Janet Spargo, Curator
Telephone: 01326 564027
Email: Janet.Spargo@cornwall.gov.uk
North Cornwall Museum Service
Boxes can be made up from objects held by the service. We also have photographic packs available with notes. These can be purchased for £5 each- Seaside, Victorian Town, Fishing, Farming.
The following boxes are available for loan:
Home Front [2 boxes available]
Wardens helmet, Wardens rattle, incendiary bomb, car light deflector, bicycle light with deflector, gas mask war time shop packaging, selection of photographs, posters and teachers' notes.
Britain in 1930's [2 boxes available]
Box camera, seaside rock packaging, electric iron, radio valve medicine bottle, sauce and coffee bottles, bean slicer, food mincer set of food measures, telephone, selection of photographs, posters and teachers' notes.
Domestic Life Laundry
Laundry objects range of irons, wash board, sleeve ironing board table mangle, selection of photographs, posters and teachers' notes.
Victorian Life [2 boxes available]
Marmalade shredder, bean slicer, cheese grater, apple corer butter pats, jelly mould, poison bottle, lemonade bottle with marble, flat iron, glove stretcher, fan, pair of ladies shoes, shoe/boot hook, selection of photograph/pictures, teachers' notes.
Toys
These are replicas and include skipping rope, yoyo, pop gun, climbing monkey, snobs etc.
Charge: £5
Loan period: 2 weeks
To book a box contact:
Stephanie Meads, MDO North Cornwall
Telephone: 01208 851409
Email: Stephanie.meads@tiscali.co.uk
