A BRIEF HISTORY OF BAFM
It is sometimes easy to forget that Friends of museums exist in many other countries besides our own and have done for a long
time. In 1972, the Friends of the Fine Arts Museum in Barcelona, as
part of their 40th anniversary celebrations and with encouragement from their Director, Luis Monreal, decided to try to find out whether Friends of museums
in other countries would like to get to know one another and form an
international network. They wrote to as many Friends groups as they could find
all over the world; (no mean feat in the days before databases, instant
print-outs, the world-wide web and e-mail) inviting them to come to Barcelona.
Three people made the journey to Spain from the UK; David
Mawson, then Hon. Secretary of the Friends of Norwich Museums; Cherry Barnett,
organiser of the Friends of the Tate Gallery; and Eric Hebden, Hon. Secretary of
the Friends of the National Army Museum. They had a marvellously stimulating
time discussing what should be done with people from Europe and farther afield.
It was agreed to establish a World Federation of Friends of
Museums, full membership of which would only be open to national associations
of Friends. Steering groups and working parties were set up to
draw up a constitution and plan of action; it was agreed to meet again in
Brussels in 1975.
No national association existed in the UK, so David
and the others, keen to be part of the international group, set about
establishing one. Groups were contacted and invited to attend a meeting at the
Victoria and Albert Museum - which must have been productive because those
present agreed to go ahead and set up a British Association.
Warden Swinfen, a solicitor and Friend of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, offered to
work with David Mawson on drafting a constitution; Dawn Muirhead found herself
acting as Honorary Secretary and recruiting members. The hand-written card
index which Dawn started still exists in the 'archive' and shows that founding
members included, apart from the Tate, Norwich and the National Army Museum, Friends from Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Enniskillen,
Glasgow, Leamington Spa, Lincoln and The Whitworth Art Gallery at the
University of Manchester.
Each group put £1 in the kitty to set the ball rolling. Charity registration was sought,
advice sheets for members written - amongst the most useful of which was 'How
to set up a Friends Group', including a model constitution and a list of
speakers ('have slides will travel') compiled.
The fledgling committee decided that Annual meetings should be hosted by a
different group each time to share the orgnanisational load and introduce an
element of rivalry. A newsletter, edited in turn by different member groups, was
published twice yearly and in 1977 the first regional meeting took place in
Blackburn, Lancashire, hosted by the North West Museum Service.
Cordial working relations were developed with the Museums
Association and BAFM was closely involved with the progress of The World
Federation of Friends of Museums through David Mawson, who combined his role as
Chairman of BAFM with being President of WFFM.
By 1978 the hundredth member group was welcomed into the Association and growth has
continued with over 400 groups now represented.
BAFM, from its humble beginnings over 30 years ago, has entered the new Millennium as a
mature, vibrant and progressive Association working tirelessly for and on
behalf of its members, looking forward to the next 30 years with enthusiasm and
confidence.
In the Autumn of 2006 our constantly evolving newsletter finally became a 'journal' and moved from two colour to full colour - carrying a rich diversity of news and information for members.
You are welcome to come and join us. |