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Catalogue

Bowes Museum Collection

Reference: D/Bo/E Catalogue Title: Bowes Museum Collection Area: Catalogue Category: Antiquarian and Composite Records Description: Bowes Museum

Covering Dates: 1864-1942

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Catalogue Description

The Museum was founded by John Bowes and his wife, Josephine, Countess of Montalbo, and work on its building commenced in 1869. Their original intention had been to erect a museum at Calais, but Barnard Castle was finally chosen as the site because of its close associations with the family. Building operations progressed slowly and the museum was still incomplete when John Bowes died in 1885. It was not opened to the public until 1892, by which time the site and building were estimated to have cost around £138,000. John Bowes left a legacy in excess of £140,000 to the Museum on his death.

The building is constructed in the French Renaissance style from designs by a French architect, Jules Pellechet of Paris, but it was a Newcastle architect, John Edward Watson, who supervised the building works and made some alterations to the plans. It is similar in design to the Hotel de Ville at La Harve, while some of the architectural details were borrowed from the Tuileries and other public buildings in France.

The construction of a chapel in the French Gothic style within the grounds was begun by John Bowes in 1875 in memory of his wife who died the previous year, but this was never completed. In 1926 it was dismantled and its stones used to build a simpler church which was finally consecrated in 1928.

The records in this section are principally building accounts, but there are a number of other papers relating to the insurance of the Museum and its contents. These include a number of receipted accounts for antiques and works of art (D/Bo/E 30) and some inventories (D/Bo/E 32). One other item of particular interest is the memorandum of John Bowes relating to the opening procedure of the Museum (D/Bo/E 5).

Catalogue Contents

Bowes Museum Collection (Ref: D/Bo)The Bowes Museum (Ref: D/Bo/E1-41)

Correspondence and draft conveyances re purchase of land in Newgate Street, Barnard Castle, from C.B. Lee Mainwaring and others as a site for the Museum, 1864 - 1875
(2 bundles)


Tax receipts, etc. re lands in Newgate Street, Barnard Castle, 1866 - 1869
(1 bundle)


Correspondence with Ralph J. Dent re laying of the foundation stone of the Museum, 1869 - 1870
(1 bundle)


Memorandum (copy) of John Bowes re opening procedure of the Museum, n.d.
(1 paper)


Miscellaneous papers re building the Museum and Park and the orangery at Streatlam Castle, including correspondence between J.E. Watson, architect. R.J. Dent, agent of John Bowes, and Joseph Kyle, the main contractor, 1875 - 1886
(1 bundle)


Miscellaneous receipted accounts re building of the Museum and Park, arranged chronologically in yearly bundles, 1869 - 1885
(17 bundles)


Miscellaneous papers re final accounts for the building of the Museum and Park, including correspondence between J.E. Watson and R.J. Dent, 1880 - 1884
(1 bundle)


Accounts of Joseph Kyle for building the Museum, 1882 - 85
(1 bundle)


Accounts of the executors of John Gibson, painter and glazier of Newcastle, for work done at the Museum (1875 - 1882), 1882 - 1883
(1 bundle)


Papers re succession duty payable on the Museum and its lands, including correspondence, valuation and plan. 1874
(5 papers)


Receipts of Jonathan Backhouse & Co. for money to be placed to the account of Joseph Kyle for building the Chapel at Barnard Castle, 1875 - 1877
(1 bundle)


Correspondence and policies re insurance of the Museum and the contents of Streatlam Castle with the London Assurance Corporation and the Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Company, 1862 - 1887
(1 bundle)


Receipted accounts for the purchase of antiques, works of art, etc. for the Museum, 1869 - 1870
(1 bundle)


Correspondence with Ralph J. Dent re valuation of effects at Streatlam Castle intended for the museum, 1878 - 1879
(7 letters)


Correspondence, insurance policies and inventories prepared main1y for insurance purposes re antiques, works of art, etc. at Streatlam Castle and the Museum, 1879 - 1886
(1 bundle)


Circular letter from Edward Young Weston to Ralph J. Dent as one of the executors of Mrs. J. Bowes, Countess of Montalbo, re ownership of property and the future of the Museum, 1885
(1 letter)


Bank accounts of the trustees of the Museum with Barclay & Co. (formerly Jonathan Dackhouse & Co.) of Barnard Castle, 1893 - 1913
(2 volumes)


Funeral cards of Isaac Raine of Middleton-in-Teesdale and Robert Harley, curator of the museum, 1884
(2 cards)


Handlist (typescript) of manuscripts offered for sale by Alan Keen Ltd. of Clifford's Inn, London, 1942
(1 file)


Bowes Museum. Report (typescript copy) of the Library Committee to the quarterly General Meeting re manuscripts offered for sale by Alan Keen Ltd., 1942
(1 paper)


Letters from Alan Keen Ltd. to Sydney E. Harrison, curator of the Museum, re Barnard Castle deeds, etc. offered for sale, 1942
(2 letters)