Epsom & Ewell’s local history museum to be born again?
Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell, a cherished repository of local history, faces an uncertain future as its esteemed curator, Jeremy Harte, prepares for retirement in March 2025 after 35 years of dedicated service. Harte’s tenure has been marked by significant contributions, including the curation of approximately 17,000 artefacts and 45,000 photographs that represent the lives of tens of thousands of people who’ve lived in the area since the Ice Age.
Concerns have arisen within the heritage community regarding the museum’s continuity post-Harte’s departure. Jon Cotton, President of the Epsom and Ewell History and Archaeology Society, expressed apprehension over the Council’s succession planning, stating, “We fear that no such planning has been put in hand, and there is a growing belief that the Council intends to wind down its commitment to the Museum, its staff, premises and collections.”
Epsom and Ewell Times asked the Council: “Does EEBC intend to keep the museum open after Jeremy Harte’s retirement and is the Council actively recruiting a new curator?”
In response, Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee (RA Ewell Village), affirmed the council’s commitment to the museum’s future, stating, “We are putting plans in place to determine how we will continue to run the museum into the future. There are currently no plans to close Bourne Hall Museum.”
Bourne Hall Museum has been instrumental in community engagement, recently participating in the national Kids in Museums ‘Takeover Day’ by collaborating with Ewell Grove Primary and Nursery School. This initiative, part of the council’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy, aims to inspire local youth by providing hands-on museum experience.
As the museum approaches this transitional period, many remain hopeful that Bourne Hall Museum will continue to serve as a vital educational and cultural resource for future generations.
Related reports:
Bourne Hall’s Christmas Supremacy
Kids takeover Ewell’s Bourne Hall
Ewell History Day returns to Bourne Hall
