Chesham Town Guide 2023/4

Chesham Museum
In June 1981 Councillor Arnold Baines delivered a
spontaneous and passionate plea for the creation of a
Town Museum. This was at a concert to raise money to
restore an 18th century picture of the town now known
as the town picture. At the time, Arnold Baines was
Chairman of the Trustees of the Chesham Town Picture
Fund, known as the Francis Trust. The Town Picture is
now available to view in the reception of the Chesham
Town Council building.
It was decided that the Town Picture should become
the focal point of a Chesham Town Museum and, with
that, people began to think about a premises for a
museum.
successful and well attended until
June 2017 when a change in
circumstances meant it was sadly
forced to close its doors.
In 1985 Mora Walker (latterly President of Chesham
Museum), on the Town Council, joined a working party
and clear guidelines were established for the project.
In 2004 the first premises for the museum opened in
the stables behind the Griffin, formerly the Gamekeepers
Lodge, in Bellingdon Road. This was implemented and
coordinated by Mora Walker and the then Landlord of
the Griffin, Shay Comaskey. In 2009 the museum
relocated to 15 Market Square, Chesham and was very
Since then the museum has maintained a strong online
presence through its website and social media channels,
helping to provide a connection to its audiences and users
both local, and visitors and researchers from across the
world. Most recently the museum management and
volunteers have worked hard to raise funds and volunteer
support to develop a new website. This brings the best of its
exhibitions, collections, events and opportunities for the
world to enjoy and engage with the town’s rich history. The
museum stall actively attends the monthly Chesham Local
Produce Market as well as a number of local fairs and fetes.
The museum is a registered charity and aims to
educate visitors about the rich history of Chesham and
its past inhabitants. The museum collection primarily
deals with things that are associated with Chesham, but
also the outer-lying areas: Asheridge, Ashley Green,
Ballinger, Bellingdon, Chartridge, Hyde Heath, Latimer,
Lee Common.
Please feel free to contact the museum
for any further information or with enquiries at:
www.cheshammuseum.org.uk;
www.facebook.com/CheshamMuseum;
Twitter: @CheshamMuseum;
Instagram: @cheshammuseum
Please note that whilst we endeavour to answer all of your questions
about the history of Chesham, all museum staff are volunteers and
therefore have a limited amount of time to research enquiries. If you
have an enquiry that requires extensive research you may be asked
to donate £25 to the museum to cover volunteer time and materials.
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