Yelverton Paperweight Centre
Yelverton Paperweight Centre is located in Dartmoor Yelverton Paperweight Centre Yelverton Paperweight Centre located within Dartmoor | |
| Established | 1978 (1978) |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2003 (2003) |
| Coordinates | 50°29′34′′N 4°05′30′′W / 50.49272°N 4.09179°W / 50.49272; -4.09179 |
| Collection size | >1,200 paperweights |
| Founder | Bernard Broughton |
Yelverton Paperweight Centre was a paperweight museum and supplier in Leg O'Mutton, a small hamlet near Yelverton, in the English county of Devon. The museum began as the private collection of a Cornish postmaster, and grew to contain over 1,200 items. It was featured in the humorous travel book, More Bollocks to Alton Towers , which suggested that, "Even if you're sceptical when you arrive, you'll be amazed long before you leave".[1]
As of 2015[update] , the Paperweight Centre had closed and the building was up for sale.[2]
History
[edit ]The museum began as the private collection of Bernard Broughton, the postmaster of St Tudy in Cornwall. Broughton's wife was bequeathed a French paperweight in a family member's will, and this inspired Broughton to begin collecting paperweights.[1] [3] When his personal collection had grown, he began to open it for public viewings in his post office building.[3] In 1978, Broughton moved to Yelverton and continued giving the public access to his collection.[1] At the point of his death in 1984, he had amassed 850 paperweights.[3]
Between 1984 and 1997, the Paperweight Centre was managed by Kay Bolster, who had been assistant to Broughton since his move to Yelverton. During this time, the collection became a more popular tourist attraction. In 1997, the centre was taken over by David Hunter.[3]
The centre closed some time after that.
Collections
[edit ]In total, the centre had approximately 1,200 paperweights; some from the Broughton collection, others acquired by its subsequent owners. The collection contained examples of paperweights from many different countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy and China.[3] Some were from paperweight studios, such as Caithness Glass or Whitefriars Glass, while others were the work of individual artists. The centre also featured watercolour scenes of Dartmoor.[4]
The centre was a dedicated commercial supplier of paperweights.[3] Additionally, Bernard Broughton commissioned two series of paperweights, in a limited edition, from Isle of Wight Studio Glass. The first series in 1979 had a 'PO 79' embossed logo on the base. PO was a reference to Post Office. The second series had 'Y 1981' embossed on the base, a reference to Yelverton and the year they were made. The second series paperweights contain pieces of quartz collected from Bodmin Moor to add to the local interest.
References
[edit ]- ^ a b c Halstead, Robin; Hazeley, Jason; Morris, Alex; Joel Morris (2008). More Bollocks to Alton Towers. Penguin Books. pp. 72–77. ISBN 978-0-14-191877-8.
- ^ "Buckland Terrace, Yelverton, Devon". Locanto. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
Situated on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, is this former Yelverton Paperweight Centre with Planning Permission for conversion into a residential dwelling with 5/6 bedrooms.
- ^ a b c d e f "Heavyweight Artefacts Collected By Kings". Western Morning News. 9 March 2004.
- ^ Billing, Joanna (2003). The Hidden Places of Devon. Travel Publishing Ltd. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-902007-89-2.