Author leads campaign for happy ending
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Written by terrypratchettbooks.org
Friday, 29 July 2005 |
By Emma Cooney
Bath Chronicle
Discworld author Terry Pratchett is launching a fundraising campaign for the city's postal museum.
The bestselling fantasy fiction writer is spearheading a campaign to modernise the museum's displays.
For 20 years the museum operated from 8 Broad Street, where the first Penny Black was posted in 1840.
But, next spring, it will be moving into new premises beneath the main post office in Green Street, as part of a redevelopment of the city's main post office.
It is in desperate need of money to completely redesign, light and furnish its new home and a campaign will be launched by Mr Pratchett at an event in the city next week.
The museum's administrator Steve Bailey said: "A year ago we thought we were going to close.
"We thought we would be packing up the museum and dispersing the collection.
"Now we have been thrown this lifeline by Future Heritage, which is redeveloping the post office.
"The museum is very important as we are the only proper postal museum in the country."
Mr Pratchett is a patron of the museum, along with other well-known figures, such as Lord Bath and Richard Briers.
It already sells the Terry Pratchett stamps released to coincide with the launch of his novel Going Postal.
Mr Bailey hopes the new museum will have a Terry Pratchett post office selling the author's Discworld merchandise and adding a lively fantasy twist to the space.
He added: "Considerable funds are required to allow the museum to modernise its displays with a view to impressing all sections of the wider community.
"In particular, we aim to encourage children to learn of their heritage.
"We also plan to extend our facilities for people with impaired abilities.
"Our appeal goes out to all, especially the numerous individuals who write to the council stressing the necessity for this museum to continue."
As well as its own fundraising campaign, the museum is appealing to the National Heritage Lottery Fund for help.
The museum is currently spread over three floors and will have to downsize to squeeze its vast collection into a basement, which has to be redesigned, lit and furnished.
Its current exhibitions include telegrams and postmen's paraphernalia collected over the decades.
Mr Bailey said: "Our collection includes whistles which were used until just before the war.
"In residential areas, when the postman was about to empty the post box, he would blow the whistle and people would run out of their homes to post their letters. It was a different world then."
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