September 12 2013.


To help celebrate Heritage Open Days, (12-15th September 2013), Seaford Museum will be offering free admission on Saturday the 14th of September from 2.00pm to 4.00pm and Sunday the 15th of September from 11.00am to 4.00pm), when all the normal exhibits and artefacts will be on display, including the recently returned, restored figurehead "Phoebe". The Museum's archives will also be open to the public on Sunday afternoon from 1.30pm to 4.00pm.

As an added attraction on Sunday, the popular re-enactment group 79th Cameron Highlanders will be in attendance with their fascinating and occasionally loud displays of foot drill and musketry on the promenade and in the Museum Moat. It is said that Napoleon described the 79th as "devils in skirts"!

"This group visited this time last year and were very popular with visitors, old and young," said Museum chairman Kay Turvey, "Especially when they fire their Black Bess muskets. We are really pleased that they are able to join us again this year."

In addition, during the week, and with the co-operation of Seaford town centre traders, the Museum will be displaying a series of over 129 historic photographs of the central area of the town. "We know that local people find these old pictures really interesting, showing as they do, aspects of the town as it used to be," commented David Swaysland, Museum vice-chairman. "Some of the photos are very old, from the earliest period of photography, but a lot were taken within the living memory of many local people. The names of old shops that used to thrive in the town are all but forgotten today, but they still bring back many memories, some good, some not so good."

Seaford has always had a thriving town centre for both trade and commerce, but these photos demonstrate how our shopping habits have changed, including the loss of local retailers and the emergence of national or regional shopping chains, as well as a number of new local businesses, including an award-winning internet retailer; local computer sales and support firms and specialist shops.

"Of course, this initiative relies on the goodwill and support of the local firms and individuals who allow us to show our photos in their front windows. We naturally hope local people will continue to support their local traders with their businesses, so that the shops can continue to thrive and the town centre remain buoyant," added David Swaysland.


Pictured above: 79th Cameron Highlanders fire a musket volley in the moat of Seaford Museum in 2012