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| Gainsborough's swordstick |
To University
College Suffolk yesterday evening to attend the awards ceremony for Suffolk
Museum of the Year.
For the second year
running Gainsborough’s house was shortlisted for this award, but once again I
am afraid we were not successful in winning the main prize. That went to Ickworth House, where the
National Trust has clearly made a great effort in recent times to improve
presentation and interpretation for visitors.
Nevertheless we were
very pleased to be ‘there or thereabouts’ once again, and new Director, Mark
Bills, did not come away empty handed.
The museum won the ‘ Object Award’. This competition relies on votes from the
public, who decide which particular object, nominated by all the museums in the
competition, they like the best.
Our object was
Thomas Gainsborough’s Swordstick, which he was probably carrying when robbed
while travelling by stage into London with a group of friends (including the
composer J.C. Bach). He lost cash and a
pocket watch, but these were returned to him when the highwaymen were caught, and later executed.
The stick is on display with other objects belonging to the artist at
Gainsborough’s House
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