A very special guest will be offering his expert insight into the stories behind some treasured objects in a showcase event at a North Yorkshire museum.
The Green Howards Museum, in Richmond, will be welcoming TV auctioneer Angus Ashworth for its Militaria Showcase event in September.
With interest in the museum still at a high following BBC1’s Antiques Roadshow D-Day Special feature on the Stan Hollis VC, The Green Howards Museum will be inviting the public to a free admission 'Bring, Show, Tell' event on Saturday, September 14.
Home to 35,000 objects, The Green Howards Museum has more than a few stories to tell, so with experts on hand, the museum is keen to hear the tales behind the public’s treasured old militaria objects and collectibles.
Museum chief executive officer, Emma Woods MBE, said: "Whether it’s a uniform button, dog tag, a letter, or a regimental cap badge, Angus Ashworth and the experts from the York Army Museum will be ready to give some insight into that special or unusual historical piece of family history.
"Naturally, as a family-friendly event, the museum is asking that no weapons be brought into the building but the experts will no doubt have their hands full with plenty of enigmatic and obscure curiosities."
Regular viewers of television’s The Yorkshire Auction House will be familiar with Angus, the owner of Ryedale Auctioneers at Kirkbymoorside on the edge of the North York Moors.
As a former Green Howards Territorial Army infantry soldier, Angus served in Iraq and Afghanistan before setting up the auction house in 2010.
As a military museum in the heart of Richmond’s Market Place and with many decades of strong regimental connections rooted in the town, The Green Howards Museum accepts many donations and loans for its collections and exhibitions.
Amongst such donations and loans are centrepieces from the current D-Day 80 Exhibition, including the Victoria Cross of CSM Stanley Hollis VC - the only soldier to be awarded the VC on D-Day - and the dog tags of 98-year-old Private Ken Cooke, one of the last surviving veterans of June 6, 1944.
Head of collections, Zoe Utley, said: ‘Our connections to old objects we’ve either inherited or purchased are often complex.
Read more:
- For Valour: The North-East's greatest D-Day hero who saved the lives of many men
- Glimpse into caring character of North East D-Day hero in extraordinary letter
- Following in the D-Day footsteps of Boro's VC winner, Stan Hollis
"Sometimes, we know quite a bit about that army cap handed down to us by a great aunt or that letter written by a grandfather serving overseas some80 years ago, but more often than not, we know very little about an object that caught our eye in the charity shop or car boot sale.
"Even if we can’t find out too much about previous owners, this special event promises to be an enlightening insight into the object itself.
To book a slot, visit the website at greenhowards.org.uk/ or call into the museum in Richmond Market Place.
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