Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, 1897
What’s on
This Autumn we are re-running the first series of Jailbreak, which was set in 1898 and ran at St Neots Museum between April and July 2018. These repeats are being offered for people who were unable to book sessions during spring 2018, or who have only recently become followers of Jailbreak. If you have done the Jailbreak challenge before you are of course welcome to repeat it, but please be aware that whilst some of the clues have been tweaked, the essence of the challenge is the same.
‘Jailbreak 1 revisited’ is a limited season, and will be running on Saturday 12, Sunday 13, Friday 18, Saturday 19, Sunday 20 October and Saturday 2, Sunday 3 and Monday 4 November.
If you would like to play Jailbreak 2, sessions for this are being held on various dates between 15 November and 8 December, and there is a separate page for booking these.
The challenge
It is the 2 June 1898. Earlier today, St Neots was celebrating the public hanging of Walter Horsford, who was recently found guilty of the murder of his cousin Annie Holmes.
You – his friends – were angry at what you feel to be an unfair verdict and went out to console yourselves after witnessing the dramatic hanging in Cambridge. Unfortunately, you got into a brawl outside the Cross Keys and – following complaints from local residents – have been arrested and brought to St Neots Police Station cells. You now stand accused of being ‘drunk and disorderly’ and ‘creating a public disturbance’.
You will be transferred to Huntingdon Assizes in the morning to face formal charges, and your prospects for the coming hours are a night in a cold, miserable, cramped cell.
You are determined to try and escape! There are some people who are sympathetic to your cause and may have left information, clues and items around the building that will help you to escape, but do you have the skills to effect a Jail Break?
Unique, handmade gifts by local artists and craft makers
Join us for a complimentary drink and some nibbles and see what bargains you can find for the little ones stockings.
This Autumn we are re-running the second series of Jailbreak, which was set in 1916 and ran at St Neots Museum between October 2018 and the end of the year. These repeats are being offered for people who were unable to book sessions last autumn, or who have only recently become followers of Jailbreak. If you have done the Jailbreak challenge before you are of course welcome to repeat it, but please be aware that whilst some of the clues have been tweaked, the essence of the challenge is the same.
‘Jailbreak 2 revisited’ is a limited season, and will be running on Friday 15, Saturday 16, Sunday 17 and Satudat 30 November, then Monday 2, Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December.
If you would like to play Jailbreak 1, sessions for this are being held on varous dates between 12 October and 4 November , and there is a seperate page for booking these.
The challenge
It is the 16th November 1916. You and your colleagues are employed by Mr Bartlett, renowned butchers of St Neots. Last week you all received your call up papers to join the Bedfordshire regiment and to prepare to begin military training before travelling to the Western Front in France to serve with His Majesty’s forces.
But you believe it is imperative that the people of St Neots continue to have a good supply of meat, and without your presence, there will be an acute shortage of butchers and slaughtermen. You have therefore appealed against your conscription into the army and in consequence you have been summoned to St Neots jail, where you will be held for one night before appearing at Huntingdon County Appeal Tribunal before Lord Sandwich and Lieut. Carter representing the Military, who will consider your appeal.
But you know Lord Sandwich’s reputation as someone who will not allow people to avoid military service, as the tribunals have been ordered to be as strict as possible. Therefore, you are determined to escape, but do you have the skills to effect a Jail Break?
Father Christmas will be making some special stop-offs at St Neots Museum during the festive season. So add a little extra bit of magic to the festive season for little ones (and the young at heart). A wrapped gift and card from Father Christmas for every child.
£4 per child
Join us for fun history-based activities aimed at younger children and take home your very own work of art. £3.50 per child, babies and accompanying adults go free for this drop-in event.
Father Christmas will be making some special stop-offs at St Neots Museum during the festive season. So add a little extra bit of magic to the festive season for little ones (and the young at heart). A wrapped gift and card from Father Christmas for every child.
£4 per child
Father Christmas will be making some special stop-offs at St Neots Museum during the festive season. So add a little extra bit of magic to the festive season for little ones (and the young at heart). A wrapped gift and card from Father Christmas for every child.
£4 per child
The museums Winter Craft and Gift Fair is in full swing now with lots of lovely craft items made locally; wooden bowls, sewn Advent calenders, silver jewellery and much more, open this Saturday 11.00am - 4.00pm
Tomorrow, Toddler Time at the museum will be all about archaeology! We will be looking for things in the collection that have been dug up, sharing an archaeologist's bag and making some clay dinosaur prints.
This is a drop in session and runs from 10.30 to 11.30 - £3.50 per child, babies and accompanying adults free.
Lost! one of the baby dolls we have representing the St Neots Quads, for children to play with in the museum, has gone missing. Instead of quadruplets we now have triplets! Please get in touch if you have any information - no questions asked if you can bring him back!
Don't forget... the Winter Craft and Gift Fair is now open at St Neots Museum!
The fair is full of unique, handmade art, crafts and gifts made by local artists and makers. The sale runs until 24 December and is a great opportunity to buy something original and local.
The museum is open 11:00-1600 from Tuesday to Saturday, and is opposite the Pig and Falcon pub in New St, St Neots.