Time something was done to Town Hall

Apr 26 2012 Buckinghamshire Advertiser

I agree it is high time something was done to Beaconsfield Town Hall, and am very much in favour of having a museum there.

But I am puzzled by your front-page heading ‘Town Hall should be Blyton tribute.’ Why? I agree Enid Blyton is world-famous and, like many people of my generation, her books were an important part of my childhood, but I don’t think the museum should solely focus on her. What about all the other significant people who have Beaconsfield connections? For instance, Benjamin Disraeli, G K Chesterton, Edmund Burke, Edmund Waller, Dame Wendy Hiller, Terry Pratchett, Alison Uttley, and Robert Frost.

But why stop there? Your article states that Beaconsfield is the only historical town in Buckinghamshire without a museum, which is shameful for a town so rich in history. So why not have a museum to encompass everything about the town, similar to the one in Chesham, which is full of fascinating exhibits depicting the town’s history, its factories and workshops, everyday life, its shops, Chesham at War, and so on? Visitors there can find out about archaeology, have access to video history interviews, and look at old photos and maps. They can also take part in guided heritage walks round the town, and Reminiscence Sessions on themes such as the Second World War and the 1950s. And a museum like this need not take up the whole of the building – there could still be room for things like a cafe and a tourist information centre – all of which would bring the building to life and make it a focal point in the town.

Marion Scourfield