The collections at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT) total more than 400,000 objects and includes buildings and monuments, archival material, books, and costume, as well as collections relating to the decorative arts, industry and engineering, local history, transport, and natural history.
IGMT also has a Reference Library and Archive which hold an extensive range of materials relating to these subjects. Anyone is welcome to consult the collections by appointment.
All of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust's collections are designated as being of national significance by Arts Council England and can be accessed for free. To find out how to access the collections please contact us using the Get in Touch details below.
Discover what life was like for disabled working class people in the East Shropshire Coalfield during the 19th century in this blog post, which was guest written by Melanie Williamson, a freelance researcher, as part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust’s ‘Hidden Histories' project.
Display a print from IGMT's designated collection in your own home, license an image for commercial use or pay for research undertaken by our team on your behalf.
In a project made possible through a Headley Fellowship with Art Fund, a little-known part of the archive has been brought to light. The archive contains some 730 orders undertaken by the Coalbrookdale Company ironworks in the late 19th - early 20th century for decorative and architectural work such as gates, railings, verandas, and fountains.
Sir Arthur Elton was a pioneering documentary film maker, collector of material relating to the Industrial Revolution, and early supporter of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. His collection, which came to Ironbridge in 1978, has been described as ‘the best in Europe and perhaps the most important in the world’.
Research carried out by social historian Ruth Goodman, on behalf of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, has revealed new insights into the fascinating and vital contributions that women have made to the industrial history of the Ironbridge Gorge.
To celebrate the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust have collaborated with Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation to produce a replica 19th-century women’s football kit.
Discover the story of Maurice Darby (1894-1915), the son of Alfred Darby II who fought and died in the First World War. His letters, written from the trenches on the Western Front, provide an insight into the realities of warfare in the early 20th century.
The collections at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT) total more than 400,000 objects and includes buildings and monuments, archival material, books, and costume, as well as collections relating to the decorative arts, industry and engineering, local history, transport, and natural history.
IGMT also has a Reference Library and Archive which hold an extensive range of materials relating to these subjects. Academics and researchers are welcome to consult the collections by appointment.
All of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust's collections are designated as being of national significance by Arts Council England and can be accessed for free.
Visiting the Collections
The Collections are available for researchers to visit in person, at no charge. To arrange a visit please contact us via collections@ironbridge.org.uk and provide details on what you would like to see, and dates when you would like to visit.
We will respond as quickly as possible, however please allow up to 5 working days.
In 1851, the UK census introduced terms like "imbecile," "lunatic," and "deaf and dumb" to classify disabilities, reflecting the negative views towards disabled individuals during the Victorian Era. Despite this, these terms help us identify and explore the lived experiences of disabled individuals during this time. One such person was James F. Truscott, a Deaf man who became a successful photographer in Coalbrookdale.
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In this volunteer spotlight, Ellie Denton gives an insight into her experience as a recent university graduate volunteering with IGMT, and discusses how she researched for and curated a new display in the Iron Bridge Tollhouse for Black History Month.
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Discover what life was like for disabled working class people in the East Shropshire Coalfield during the 19th century in this blog post, which was guest written by Melanie Williamson, a freelance researcher, as part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust’s ‘Hidden Histories' project.
Read more
The Victorian era was a time of great change in the study of astronomy. In the 18th century and early 19th century, astronomy focussed on recording the positions and movements of stars and planets, and producing star charts to record them. However, as the 19th century progressed, astronomers used new developments in maths, physics, chemistry, and geology to learn more about the universe.
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The image of a plump, jolly man who delivers presents wearing a red suit and sporting a bushy white beard is one of the best-known symbols of the Christmas season. This familiar figure goes by many names: Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas. But what are the origins of this figure and why does he have so many names?
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Fish and chips is a popular and iconic British dish, and is one of the few trades represented at Blists Hill Victorian Town that is still commonly found in modern Britain. But what are its origins in the UK? The answer is: no one really knows. What we do know is that they started as two separate trades, with vendors selling either fried fish or chipped potatoes.
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This is the story of a team of working class men from a small mining community in the East Shropshire Coalfield, whose attempts to retain the Shropshire FA Cup had been, in their eyes, thwarted by the unscrupulous ‘County Townites’ of the Shropshire FA. The story of St. Georges expulsion from the 1886-87 Cup is an extraordinary one.
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To celebrate the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust have collaborated with Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation to produce a replica 19th-century women’s football kit.
Read more
In a project made possible through a Headley Fellowship with Art Fund, a little-known part of our archive has been brought to light.
Read more
Sir Arthur Elton was a pioneering documentary film maker, collector of material relating to the Industrial Revolution, and early supporter of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. His collection, which came to Ironbridge in 1978, has been described as ‘the best in Europe and perhaps the most important in the world’.
Read more
A hitherto underexplored Coalbrookdale Company archive of some 730 client orders from the 1890s and early 1900s - the subject of Senior Curator Georgina Grant’s Headley Fellowship with Art Fund - is shedding new light on this significant ironworks.
Read more![- SIMPSON DONATION [possibly IGMT copyright].jpg](/media/326676/simpson-donation-possibly-igmt-copyright.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&rnd=133204298100000000)
Census records are often associated with family or house history research but they can be used to investigate the social history of Britain and reveal the diversity of households and family units that existed in the past. The release of the 1921 census opened many new avenues of research and has provided revelations about the lives of many historic individuals and their families, including the family of Cecilia Maw (1876-1942), a locally born artist, and Florence Amy Thursfield (1867-1948).
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Many of the leading industrialists who were connected with Coalbrookdale and the development of the Industrial Revolution were members of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers.
We sat down with Professor Ben Pink Dandelion, Honorary Professor of Quaker Studies in the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham and Director of The Centre for Postgraduate Quaker Studies, to ask some common questions about Quakers and their approach to life, business and religion.
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Holidaying by the sea first became fashionable in the mid-18th century when sea bathing for health reasons became popular. However, this was only affordable to the wealthy in society, and it wasn’t until the Victorian era that a day out to the seaside became affordable for working people.
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The role of women in industrial history has often been hidden, overlooked, or forgotten. However, research carried out by social historian Ruth Goodman, on behalf of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, has revealed new insights into the fascinating and vital contributions that women have made to the industrial history of the Ironbridge Gorge. In this interview, Ruth Goodman discusses her research with the Trust's Interpretation Curator, Lauren Collier.
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Creating a replica debutante gown from the late 19th century is a challenging task. Follow the story, as told by the Trust’s Senior Costume Interpreter, Alison Phillips, of how and why the museum was commissioned to create one of these iconic garments for Lanhydrock, a National Trust property in Cornwall.
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An item from the Maw & Co. Collection in the Museum Library & Archives assisted conservators and researchers at Westminster Abbey in piecing together the history of one of their most celebrated treasures.
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Coalport China Museum is home to some truly spectacular displays of china and porcelain but, amongst the finery, it is the humblest looking objects in the collection which are arguably the most significant.
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Women's contributions to industry and mining have been, and continue to be, overlooked and underrepresented in the histories of the industrial revolution. Women were, however, employed in a range of industrial roles and here we will look at the work of one particular group, the Shropshire Pit Girls of the East Shropshire Coalfield.
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This stunning section of an encaustic floor was almost destroyed by Nancy Astor, but survived and is now in the collection at Jackfield Tile Museum.
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Discover the story of Maurice Darby (1894-1915), the son of Alfred Darby II who fought and died in the First World War. His letters, written from the trenches on the Western Front, provide an insight into the realities of warfare in the early 20th century.
Read moreIf you have a question about something you’ve seen on display in one of our museums, an object you own, or historical research then please get in touch with the Collections Team at collections@ironbridge.org.uk or phone the museum switchboard on 01952 435900.
Alternatively get in touch directly with a member of the team.
Nick is responsible for setting the curatorial and learning strategy for the Trust. He oversees the management of the varied collections within its care.
Click here to email Nick
Kate is responsible for the care and management of our designated collections across the museum sites.
Click here to email Kate
Lauren is responsible for the interpretation of the collections across our museum sites as well as the Museum's exhibition programme.
Click here to email Lauren
Mike is the IHSO for England and provides information, training and support for industrial heritage sites and the organisations that run them.
Click here to email Mike
Sarah is based in the Library & Archive and looks after all our historical documents and records.
Click here to email Sarah
Joanne is based in the Library & Archive and manages the documentation of all our collections.
Click here to email Joanne
