Coventry locals have expressed their concerns over several museum artefacts being disposed of. Some of the artefacts include plates and old tools.
Locals are Calling for the Artefacts to be Saved
Many locals are calling for the pieces to be saved. One piece in particular has the name of a mayor on it, and it dates back to 1782. There are also glass plates that show a crowd of people fishing in Coventry. Fishing has always been a big part of the area’s history, and it’s still relevant today. The Coventry Canal offers the chance for people to catch perch, pike, and even zander.
Over the last few years, fishing in the UK has seen a huge spike in popularity, with modern media having a huge part to play here. Shows like Trawlermen: Hunting the Catch are very popular, with Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing experiencing huge success. Fishing podcasts are also on the rise, and in gaming, fishing simulators are very popular. Even casino games like Fishin Frenzy The Big Catch 3 are popular, alongside other games like Cod Chaos: Deep Waters.
Titles like this help to depict fishing in a new light, with fun and bright graphics that help to show the appeal of the sport. With fishing being so big right now, and with Coventry in particular having such a strong fishing history, it’s important to preserve artefacts like this so that future generations can look back and see what life was really like.
The Importance of Preserving Coventry’s History
Almost 600 pieces have been marketed for disposal so far, with some of the items including vintage camera equipment and old tools from several shops.
Some food items are being disposed of as well, but a lot of this is due to the contamination risk that they pose. Locals have scrutinised the list, saying that it’s understandable how some pieces are duplicates, or in bad condition overall, but several items should be preserved.
They have highlighted how important it is to keep anything that could have the word “Coventry” on it, as there is a reason why this is relevant, especially as some artefacts have the Coventry coat of arms on them. There is also a model of Coventry made out of matchsticks, which dates all the way back to 1600. Bottles made by historic Coventry companies are also present, and even though they may not be in brilliant condition, it’s so important that steps are taken to try and preserve the country’s history.
The cultural director of CCT, has explained that even though keeping things that could be relevant to the local area is in fact important, having a clear-out from time to time is also important. Items would be offered to museums before being destroyed, but they believe that robust measures have to be put in place to make sure that not everything is being kept for the sake of keeping it, as this simply takes up space for other artefacts that could hold more significance.
This is a submitted article
