UNITED KINGDOM MARITIME COLLECTIONS STRATEGY

Notes of the Meeting held at the National Maritime Museum 19February 2002

Attendees: Michael Barrett, Neal Brown, Roy Clare, Emily Cook, Bill Ferris, Julia Green, Richard Holdsworth, Margarette Lincoln, Campbell McMurray, Charles Payton, David Penn, Matthew Tanner, Tony Tibbles, Colin White.

Apologies: Dr David Fleming, Brian Lavery, Dr Lindsay Sharp, Stephen Riley.

Minutes: Nicola Reeves

Updates

1. Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
CMcM explained that the project on the wreck HMS Sussex continues. It is very much a live issue and may become a test case.

2. UKMCS website
ML noted that the website had been well received but was currently underused. She asked members to send materials to the NMM (with images, as appropriate) so that the website could be updated on a regular basis.

3. MCG report
MT reported on the last meeting of the MCG at Fleetwood. There had been broad support for UKMCS proposals to facilitate touring exhibitions and loans. MT explained that Fleetwood might possibly become a Lead Museum for Fishing, and touched on the decommissioning scheme for fishing boats. There is currently no 'lead' in the community to advise the government on the scheme - and this may be an item to put on the agenda for a future meeting of the UKMCS. CMcM was congratulated on being elected Chair of the MCG. Finally, MT advised that plans for the Ulster meeting of the MCG in May were well advanced.

4. Trafalgar commemoration, 2005
CW explained that as Director, Trafalgar 200 at the NMM and Chairman of the ONCC, he would be coordinating a programme of commemorative events and projects for 2005, as well as completing his own research on Nelson's letters.
He invited the UKMCS to contribute by offering their own ideas and initiatives.

CP asked what resources/financial backing were going to be available, since the marketing budget alone would need to be substantial

CW explained that there was no central budget for the programme. His role was essentially to coordinate a range of projects and initiatives that would be independently funded. Properly promoted and coordinated, the 2005 commemorations would be a real opportunity to raise public understanding of the importance of the sea to Britain, past and present. All maritime museums could potentially benefit. CMcM agreed that there were benefits to be gained from joint marketing of related events.

5. Ship model store at Chatham
RC explained that the initiative met a real need and was progressing well. An agreement had been drafted between NMM, IWM, NMSI and Chatham. It was understood that HLF would be looking favourably on such partnerships as funding becomes tighter.

MB, Head of Corporate Communications at the NMM, stated that a press release had been prepared, and also a piece for the Museums Journal.

Discussion

6. Plans for a UK-wide network (draft paper)
ML explained that at the Fleetwood meeting of the MCG, it had been agreed that a small working group should meet to try to relate the UKMCS network to Re:source's proposed network of regional 'hubs'. The working group had since produced a draft for circulation and comment. MT had raised a number of points, copied to members, which touched on the concept of a 'Lead Museum'.

CP raised the issue of conservation in relation to lead museums. MRT has expertise in organics and operates as a commercial concern in this specialist area. Other museums have expertise in different types of conservation but might find themselves in competition with the MRT. CMcM advised that when defining Lead Museums, conservation was better regarded as a specialist skill than a defined subject area. ML explained that all maritime museums were able to use the UKMCS website to outline their areas of expertise - although it was inappropriate to use the website for blatant advertising.

It was agreed that the concept of a Lead Museum should be discussed and refined at the business meeting of the UKMCS at Ulster in May.

It was also agreed that the working group's draft paper offered a useful framework that could be promoted to Re:source in support of its own regional proposals, with the proviso that the gateway/Lead Museum structure was only provisional at this stage. NMM undertook to draft a letter to Re:source (copy to the AMCs) offering the support of the UKMCS and explaining that was developing a structure whereby it could offer access to specialisms nationally while operating regionally. It was suggested that the working group's paper be published online in a protected area of the UKMCS website. The NMM undertook to contact the institutions mentioned in the paper as possible 'gateways'.

It was also agreed that the UKMCS needed an integrated strategy for better promotion. It was suggested that a leaflet be produced, giving the UKMCS website address, that a piece be prepared for the Museums Journal, together with a press release. MB offered to help with this and to circulate drafts to members.

7. Exhibitions
It was agreed that ideas were needed for future touring exhibitions but that such exhibitions would only be successful when partners came together to organize joint events that met identified needs and when all partners could see real benefit. In this area, communication is key. It was suggested that the website could be used as a mechanism for better communication (although it might need to be supplemented by other means, e.g. emails to members). It was also agreed that members could consciously add to their exhibition project planning an initial stage when they considered the possibility of touring the exhibition and sought potential partners. It was agreed that the MCG should ask members to declare the extent of the space they had for touring exhibitions and that this item would appear on the agenda for the next UKMCS meeting.

BF made the point that the UKMCS now needed to develop action plans (in a number of areas) and there was an urgent need to consider how best these might be put together.

8. Loans
ML explained that the NMM was actively seeking to facilitate loans to other maritime museums in the UK. A pack was distributed giving details. The Museum's Registrar would be happy to speak to a later meeting of the UKMCS or answer individual enquiries.

9. AOB
CMcM drew the attention of the meeting to the current financial situation of Explosion! at Priddy's Hard and asked members to write in support of increasing that museum's recent funding allocation. The UKMCS collecting policy in modern naval technology is at issue.

The meeting asked for clarification of the AEMM and ML undertook to circulate this.

10. Date and subject of next meeting
This would take place at the Ulster MCG meeting, 16-17 May 2002 (MT to finalize details and circulate to members). The main agenda item would be to re-visit the concept of Lead Museums.

Actions

MT Organize UKMCS business meeting at Ulster MCG meeting
NMM Write to Re:source (copy to AMCs)
MB Draft UKMCS leaflet, press release and piece for Museums Journal
NMM Get quotes for UKMCS leaflet
NMM Put working group's draft paper on UKMCS website
NMM Contact potential Gateways
All Send material for UKMCS website to NMM
MT Write to MCG members asking for extent of their space for touring exhibitions
All Consider adapting project planning for exhibitions to take account of potential for touring
ML Circulate details of the AEMM
All Write in support of Explosion!