‘The erection of the Institute… is a surprising illustration of what may be accomplished by intelligent energy in a small town in an agricultural district… There is no town in the county of Hertford… which possesses such a building devoted exclusively to literary, scientific, and educational purposes.’
Established in 1831, The Royston Mechanics Institute provided education to working men. It was very successful with 240 members by 1856 which represented 1 in every 8 of the population of the town. By 1855, £1500 had been raised to construct a building for its use. The Institute (now the Town Hall) was opened on 25 March 1856 by the Earl of Hardwicke. The Institute housed a lecture hall, classrooms, two reading rooms and a library.
In January 1856, John Warren, the Institute’s secretary and publisher of The Royston Crow, proposed ‘an Exhibition of Objects illustrative of Science + Art, and their applications to Manufacturers; Natural History, Archaeology, etc.’ A Committee was formed to organise the Exhibition at the Royston Mechanics Institute.
The Exhibition opened on Monday 12 May 1856 and was open for 12 days, during which 7000 visitors came to view over 1000 objects which had been donated and loaned by local people.
‘On entering the great hall of the Institute, we were first impressed by the vast number and variety and exceeding beauty of the objects collected together; but when we grew accustomed to the scene, our feeling became one of astonishment at the energy and industry of the promoters, and the kindness and courtesy of the exhibitors’
Hertford Mercury and Reformer, Saturday 17 May 1856
Objects on display covered a vast range of topics. Stuffed animals included a lion, leopard, alligator, and ‘a remarkable hare’ as well as jars of preserved lizards and a variety of birds and their eggs. Archaeological objects included Roman and Anglo-Saxon pots and jewellery from Therfield Heath on loan from amateur archaeologists Joseph Beldham and Edward Nunn. Antiquities came from across the world including Ancient Egypt, Rome, Mexico, India, the South Sea Islands and China. Many pieces of art were lent by the Earl and Countess of Hardwicke, who lived at nearby Wimpole Hall, along with other prominent local people.
While some of the objects were sold to raise money for the Institute, many items were donated to form a museum at the Institute. The Institute continued to hold lectures, concerts and plays until 1901, when a decline in the Institute’s popularity due to the availability of public education led to its closure. The building was taken over by the local authority and became the Town Hall and the contents of the museum were auctioned off.
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