A Message From the Chair

Our volunteers have just begun in earnest preparations for our 2020 exhibitions, which we aim to have in place for the first County game of the season. Rob Boddie, the Museum’s curator, and his team have already made plans to develop Gallery Two to show tributes to the Brighton Brunswick Club which in 2020 celebrates its 150th Anniversary and Arthur Gilligan, who 100 years ago made his debut for Sussex. It is hoped to have a ball from the Durban test of 1920 and some items from the tour of Australia.

It is intended that in Gallery Three the Buss cabinet will change to a display on Arnold Long, the captain of the 1978 Gillette cup winning team, who will be celebrating his 80th anniversary. The Thomson display will be replaced with a display of donated items and there will be a separate display on Jofra Archer. It is also planned to update the Women’s cabinet, in time for the arrival of The Hundred in Hove.

Jon Filby, Chairman of the Museum Trust

As well as preparing the new exhibitions, other volunteers continue the work of researching the history of Sussex Cricket. Norman Epps, Nicholas Sharp, Phil Barnes and David Jeater have all been working on a number of publications which will hit the shelves over the coming months. ’On the Level’ by John Goulstone, a very interesting read about cricket in Brighton during the time of the Prince of Wales will be published in November, a biography of John Wisden will be ready for a launch in April 2010 and a biography on the Rt Revd David Sheppard titled “Batting For The Poor” by Prof Andrew Bradstock is to be launched at an event on December 9. In addition, it is hoped that there will be a publication about Jofra Archer’s early life and cricket career available from late November.

The Museum Trust is very lucky to have two such superb officers as Mary Gallivan who is our secretary and helps to ensure that we keep well in touch with our friends and patrons who offer such valuable support and Cliff Robinson, our Treasurer who has been very busy managing all the numbers, paying our bills and making sure that we operate at a small profit each year.

The Museum would not be here without the volunteers so if you would like to support us either by becoming a volunteer yourself (there is no shortage of work to be done) or by becoming a friend or patron please contact Mary at scmmembers@yahoo.com or call into the museum to see us.