Blog

Written by the Museum team, the Blog brings you stories from Horsham District’s past, in-depth studies of curious objects, video tours behind-the-scenes in our galleries, and much more.

Use the search box and drop-down list to search for particular topics, or view all posts in date order.

Is there something you’d love us to write about? Email your ideas to museum@horsham.gov.uk

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poster unemployment horsham

Unemployment in 1921 - 100 years on

We are currently seeing a rise in unemployment caused by the impact of COVID-19. Interestingly, 100 years ago, the impact of Spanish Flu and the post-war depression had a similar effect.

Published: 13 Jan 2021

Woman at fireplace

Home is Where the Hearth Is

We look at that key feature of a home, the hearth, which has historically been central to homemaking.

Published: 08 Jan 2021

St Peters Cowfold

A Stained Present

A dazzling, jewelled-like masterpiece has been acquired by Horsham District Council’s Horsham Museum and Art Gallery.  The bright radiant colours, as fresh as they day they were painted, adorn a stunning miniature version of the original design for stained-glass windows at St Peter’s, Cowfold.

Published: 18 Dec 2020

Hogarth Harlot

Horsham Harlots

A look at corruption in 18th Century Horsham

Published: 10 Dec 2020

Colour photograph of a woman with a short grey bob wearing a purple jumper, Dr Annabelle Hughes. She is sat on an armchair in from of a patio door and next to a chess set.

Dr Annabelle Hughes (13/8/1941 - 28/11/2020)

Obituary of Dr Annabelle Hughes (13/8/1941 - 28/11/2020) by Jeremy Knight.

Published: 30 Nov 2020

Market Square Horsham

The Local Coffee Shop

Horsham Museum is looking at the early days of coffee drinking and the town’s first known café.

Published: 30 Nov 2020

gingerbread stand

Gingerbread

For centuries people have indulged in, snacked on, even licked gold leaf off, the humble gingerbread, but never before has any one produced such a detailed study of this popular delicacy.

Published: 25 Nov 2020

Image of vaccine

Vaccine Hope: an 18th century tale

Everyone is talking about the new COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccine it is a strange word, obviously medical as most strange words tend to be. For many people the word has an 18th century connotation, this is due to an enormously important scientific discovery on par with the creation of the new COVID-19 vaccines.

Published: 24 Nov 2020

John Bishop postmark

Horsham Man Transforms World Trade

The physical delivery of cards or parcels in the post was made possible due to the work of a Henfield man. Whilst he has been celebrated in the small Sussex village and among philatelists, he is unknown to the wider public. Yet without his idea the service that we take for granted may not have developed.

Published: 18 Nov 2020

william penn

Warminghurst's role in the US Constitution

It may come as a surprise to our readers that some of the ideas behind the major arguments taking place across the pond during the election campaigns were formed in a tiny hamlet in Horsham District. That hamlet, Warminghurst, is known today for its wonderful 18th century church interior and was once the home of a “billionaire” property developer with a religious conscience. Over 300 years ago William Penn, the landowner, settled in Warminghurst where he and colleagues met to draft out how a new colonial government would work.

Published: 05 Nov 2020