Gordon Boswell Romany Museum
{{short description|Museum of Romany artifacts}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
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| coordinates = {{coord|52.77238|-0.14314|region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
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| established = {{Start date|1995|02|25|df=y}}
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| location = Clay Lake Spalding Lincs PE12 6BL
| type = Museum
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| website = {{URL|https://gordonboswellromanymuseum.com/}}
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The Gordon Boswell Romany Museum is the lifetime's work of Gordon Boswell (died 27 August 2016, aged 76{{cite news|last1=Harrison|first1=Lynne|title=Funeral for man who touched many lives|work=Lincolnshire Free Press (Print version)|date=6 September 2016|page=7}}), who amassed a collection of artefacts, photographs, and several examples of the characteristic Gypsy wagon or Vardo.{{cite web|url=http://www.boswell-romany-museum.com/|title=The Museum's own web site|access-date=3 October 2009|archive-date=3 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703223140/http://www.boswell-romany-museum.com/|url-status=usurped}}{{cite web|title=Gordon Boswell Romany museum|url=http://www.culture24.org.uk/am17550|work=Culture 24|publisher=Department of Educartion|access-date=1 May 2013|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402125046/http://www.culture24.org.uk/am17550|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Gordon Boswell * Museum* |url=http://gypsyjib.wetpaint.com/page/GORDON+BOSWELL+*+Museum* |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505151930/http://gypsyjib.wetpaint.com/page/GORDON+BOSWELL+*+Museum* |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2010 |publisher=Romany Jib |access-date=1 May 2013 }}{{cite web|title=Boswell museum |url=http://www.mylearning.org/museums/gordon-boswell-romany-museum/ |publisher=My Learning |access-date=1 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521035330/http://www.mylearning.org/museums/gordon-boswell-romany-museum/ |archive-date=21 May 2013 }} The museum also operates a number of non-Romany vehicles, including a horse-drawn hearse. The collection is housed at Clay Lake, Spalding in Lincolnshire, England.
Background
Building bridges to the non-Romany community was a tradition in Boswell's family. His great-grandfather had been an important source of information on Romany traditions and language for Victorian academics including George Borrow. Gordon Boswell's father Sylvester published in 1970 a best-selling autobiography, "The Book of Boswell",{{cite book|last1=Boswell|first1=Sylvester|title=The Book of Boswell|date=1970|publisher=Penguin}} which portrayed the Romany life. Gordon Boswell gradually collected waggons, carts, and other artefacts of Romany life over many years. The museum that resulted was opened on 25 February 1995.{{cite news|title=Fitting send-off for 'great ambassador' of Romanies|url=http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/whats-on/arts/fitting-send-off-for-great-ambassador-of-romanies-gordon-boswell-of-spalding-1-7582792|work=Spalding Guardian|date=15 September 2016|page=7|access-date=21 January 2017|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202010146/http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/whats-on/arts/fitting-send-off-for-great-ambassador-of-romanies-gordon-boswell-of-spalding-1-7582792|url-status=dead}}
Access
The museum is open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from, roughly, Easter (Good Friday) to the last weekend in September each year. There is access to all exhibits for the disabled. An admission fee is charged. The museum uses one of the wagons for organised trips in the nearby Fenland.{{cite web|title=Gordon Boswell Romany Museum |url=http://www.explorelincolnshire.co.uk/things-to-do/gordon-boswell-romany-museum-spalding-36668.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505034009/http://www.explorelincolnshire.co.uk/things-to-do/gordon-boswell-romany-museum-spalding-36668.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |publisher=Lincolnshire county council |access-date=1 May 2013 }}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://gordonboswellromanymuseum.com/ Gordon Boswell Romany Museum] – official site
Category:Museums in Lincolnshire
Category:Agriculture museums in the United Kingdom
Category:Transport museums in England
Category:Carriage museums in England
Category:Ethnic museums in the United Kingdom
Category:Spalding, Lincolnshire
{{Romani topics}}
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