Behind the scenes

 I can’t believe four weeks is already over! It has gone so fast, but looking back it seems like I have done a great deal. Working at the East Lothian Museums Service has given me a much better idea of what the day to day work is like at a museum (and how busy it can be!). I have had the chance to do a variety of work, from packing archaeological material to attending professional development ‘fieldtrips’. Everyone at the museums has been fantastic and has really gone out of their way to make sure I get the most out of this placement. The most important things I have learned aren’t the sort of things you would learn from a textbook, but something that only being in a working environment could teach you. First, be prepared for anything and when it all goes wrong just breathe. There will always be unexpected things that happen so flexibility is important. Second, being able to multi-task is vital. I was surprised at how much was going on at any one time and of all the details that had to be taken care of. Third, tea is key. Being from the United States I was never a big tea drinker, but now I think I am hooked. Not only is occasionally taking a minute for tea a good break from a busy day, but it is also a good way to get to know people. I have learned a lot about museums over tea. Finally, working at a museum lets you use many of your skills, not just one or two.  It is constantly challenging and I have had the chance to edit, design, research, write, etc. It is exciting to go into a field where I know that no talent is wasted. These things may seem general, and they aren’t even close to everything I have learned, but they are still valuable lessons I know I will use wherever I eventually end up working.

In addition to the museum experience, however, this placement has given me an opportunity to get to know East Lothian better. I had not been out to East Lothian for any real amount of time before I began my placement. The more I saw through working with the museum, however, the more I wanted to see and I began bringing my friends out on the weekends to explore. Learning about objects, like the Mak’Merry pottery pictured here gave me a deeper appreciation for the area, its history and its significance, making me want to see more. I have now even gotten to know people in East Lothian outside the museum. I plan on continuing my day trips when I can, because East Lothian covers such a variety of places I haven’t gotten to see everything yet! I think that one of the special aspects of museums is that, whether working at one or visiting, you are exposed to new people, places and ideas that you may not have otherwise encountered. Museums, especially ones focusing on local history, can show visitors the real depth of a place, and make them fall in love with it. I must say that I am honestly sad that my placement is over.

Sarah has already posted about the object she chose for the BBC AHOW site, and I have chosen something altogether different (although no less attractive in its own way). I decided to put up an East Lothian Banknote, from 1821. Hopefully a version of this blog will be on the Museums Galleries Scotland blog too.

Why, you ask? (or at least I hope you do) The note is interesting, has a great story attached to it, and it is quite aesthetically pleasing too! Did you know that the first Scottish Banknote was issued in 1696? In those days these things were much larger than they are today, although no less ornate. This one is 12cm by 18cm – imagine a few of those crammed into your purse along with all that plastic, all those receipts, all that loose change (or is that just me)?! What interests me about this object is that whilst for us paper money is so commonplace as to be mundane it actually hasn’t been around that long in historical terms. Paper money started largely in response to the lack of precious metals to make coins out of, and forgery was a problem just as it is now. Banks used watermarking, embossing, detailed engraving, colour printing and the signature of Chief Cashiers to deter imitations.

The fact that banks operated on such a local level (although they weren’t terribly successful from what I can find out) is also very interesting, as is the information that the chief cashier, one William Borthwick, caused the bank to fail in 1822 when he absconded with the banks deposits. This caused a great scandal at the time and the tale resonates in the present day with the current global banking crisis. As more and more people begin to ‘think local’ it is interesting to re-examine stories like this one. For more about this object why not visit www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld or www.scran.ac.uk?

What would you like to see us (museums in general) put on to this site? Do you have things in your own collection or just kicking about the house that people might be interested in? The key thing for me is that whatever you choose needs a story. Just like a good film or book the narrative has to be engaging beyond the cover, which is the lure to get you to look in the first place! And remember what you might think won’t interest anyone outside your family will almost certainly resonate with someome, somewhere, sometime.

I could use a personal example here. I found a little pocket sized Bible the other day (I am ashamed to say in my sock drawer) that my Grandmother gave me, along with a coin purse and a pair of needlework scissors. They all belonged to her mother, who I am named for. My Great-Grandmother Kate carried the little Bible down the aisle with her when she married (and I can’t remember the year, oops) and carried it with her throughout her life. Ordinary? Yes. Boring? No. This little story (which I could elaborate on but not here) has religion, belief, tradition, habit, convention and a wedding. What more do we need!