Our Story
Despite serious setbacks in the form of landslips and gale force winds blowing out all the windows, the Scarborough Museum managed to open ahead of schedule, if a
little over budget.
On Monday 31 August 1829 flags were hoisted from the museum’s windows and half a brick was presented to the Archbishop of York to mark the occasion. A public dinner was held at Hanson’s Hotel, “Tickets, inclusive of wine & dessert 13/6”.
“At four o’clock that day, accordingly, sixty two gentlemen sat down to a sumptuous dinner, the table being spread with every delicacy of the season; Amongst the profusions of confectionaries etc which decorated the festive board, was a model of the Museum and surrounding garden, furnished by Mr Grayson-Confectioner;”
Sir John Johnstone Bart was in the chair ably supported by Samuel Crompton Esq. M.P. for Derby and Sir George Cayley Bart. The remaining company was made up of important local men including two Mr Blackdens, three Mr Woodalls, four Mr Travises and no less than nine Reverends.
After the cloth was drawn they all got down to the serious business of drinking toasts and giving speeches.
Sir George started the speeches by calling on Sir John Johnstone who outlined his involvement in the Philosophical Society and then passed the baton to John Dunn, first secretary and creator of the Scarborough Philosophical Society. In his speech John Dunn set out the objectives of the museum,…..”to give energy, concentration and effect to native talents; to examine the great laboratory of the earth, to establish the locality of natural objects to trace analogies with distant parts of the earth; to explore worlds of organized beings, till lately unheard of; and to make acquaintance with others now in existence of which we were before ignorant; to collect and to arrange in a simple, harmonious and intelligible form, the various objects of natural science and in fact to trace the finger of the Almighty in his multiplied and magnificent operations are some of the sublime objects of this society;”
The formal dinner concluded when Sir John Johnstone left the chair at 10.30. He was succeeded by Mr Hebden and “the company did not break up until a late hour highly gratified with the good humour, hilarity of the chairman and the general conviviality and harmony of the evening.”
The Scarborough Museum is now known as the Rotunda, the William Smith Museum of Geology, and reopened on Friday 9th May 2008, after complete redevelopment generously supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Scarborough Borough Council and sponsorship and donations from the private sector. It is very much part of Scarborough’s heritage and a landmark within the town. The Rotunda, beautifully refurbished, re-opened on time and on budget.