On Friday, January 16, 2026, we met up at the gallery for a special day on object handling and then a tour of the stores. We were joined by two gallery volunteers and the day was hosted by Alison and Marnie, gallery staff. Unfortunately, several of our Friends group succumbed to winter bugs so were unable to come.
Alison explained her role of curator of the gallery collections and their collections policy. Their overall aim is to collect items that relate to Hyndburn and its people, as well as the Tiffany glass. The collections currently hold well over 4000 individual items, covering oil paintings, works on paper, coins and medals, decorative art, social history and the Tiffany glass. We were shown how to handle artefacts in a safe, secure way to avoid any damage. It was our priviledge to be allowed to handle several items of Tiffany: vases, bowls and a pen stand, as well as other items including a mysterious one that has never been identified. None of us had a clue though of what it could be, so it remained mysterious.
After that, we enjoyed a Jacob’s Join lunch, which turned out quite a feast. Then it was time for a tour of the stores. It was so interesting to be able to see behind the scenes where items are stored and collection work is done.
Many thanks to Alison and Marnie for sharing so much with us.
