Community project saves local shop history
See the exhibition for yourself at WWT Welney Wetland Centre
A model and photographic archive of a Fenland ironmongery shop which had supplied the local community for over 100 years is spending the summer in the visitor centre at WWT Welney.
Visitors can enjoy soaking in the history of this exhibition in the wigeon cafe, which also gives fantastic panoramic views of the Fenland landscape.
The shop has a link to the historical pastime of Fen skating. Once a great hobby in the Fens, local villages such as Welney and Littleport were home to World Champion speed skaters including James and Fish Smart. When the washes flooded and froze in the winter, skating became a way for the people who worked on the land to pass the time.
J H Adams and Sons ironmongery became sole UK importers of the world renowned Hagen Ice Skates and regularly fitted and repaired the skates of the champions.
Within the first week of the exhibition being on display at WWT Welney Wetland Centre visitors had commented:
‘We are lost for words! The work that has gone into making this model, photographic record book, DVD and play is unimaginable; absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. What a gift to posterity’.
Visitors can see the display whether they are just stopping in the cafe for lunch or light refreshments or, leave time at the end of their visit if they are planning to spend the day out on the reserve exploring the wetland habitat. The visitor centre and reserve are open daily 9.30am – 5pm, more information can be found at http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/welney.
