The Mapping Museum research project was created to look at the increase in the number of museums in the UK. As part of this project, Mary Lee, Bob Baldwin, Myriam Norrie, Ewert Johnstone, and Chris Sutton were interviewed about the Smethwick Heritage Centre.

Explore more about the Mapping Museum project here and read the interview below:

Interview summary

Name of persons being interviewed: Mary Lee, Bob Baldwin, Myriam Norrie, Ewert Johnstone, Chris Sutton

Location of interview: Smethwick Heritage Centre

Date of Recording: 18 July 2019

Recording Length: 01:34:38

Name of interviewer: Dr Toby Butler

Description: Smethwick Heritage Centre is concerned with the social and industrial history of Smethwick (near Birmingham). The town boomed in the nineteenth century, attracting a wide range of famous manufacturing industries. The Centre is located in a converted park-keeper's lodge.

Summary of main points in interview: Mary Lee was a founding member; Bob Baldwin was vice-chair, joining in 1999 and involved in fundraising; Myriam Norrie is the current archivist; Ewert Johnstone is current chair and Chris Sutton is the Heritage Centre manager. Lee describes how David Bryant established a committee of the History Society to establish a museum with the aim of saving artefacts from local industries that were closing. They discuss fundraising and how objects were rescued from skips and donated by local people. They discuss how they have successfully worked with schools. They describe the museum opening and the extent of the collection. They discuss the development of Smethwick as a boom town with many famous manufacturers; how industries declined in the 1980s and 1990s and how important that the history of such an industrially significant place should not be forgotten. Sutton discusses a successful exhibition on Black Country Sikhs and how he is often approached to talk about Malcolm X’s visit to Smethwick. They discuss the roadshows which allow them to display more of the collections and attract different audiences. Various books they have published are discussed and how the magazine has evolved. They discuss high points of their involvement and the struggle to find younger trustees.

The transcript document includes a copy of the Smethwick Heritage Centre timeline handout.