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Work begins
New police museum
gets £1 million boost
A visual of the new museum.
new West Midlands Police Museum waiting to start in her role which will include
is currently under development after securing accreditation for displays to ensure
A a £1 million National Lottery their long-term preservation.
Heritage Fund grant. Helen said: “Not many people get to be
Construction work on the museum part of the creation of a new museum in a
started at Birmingham’s Victorian Lock-Up new space and that’s really exciting. The old
on Steelhouse Lane in March. Historical Steelhouse Lane Police Station is an exhibit
displays will tell the stories of prisoners and in itself so people will want to visit because
staff, including the real ‘peaky blinders’ who the building is so interesting. It’s the ideal
were imprisoned in the building. Other backdrop to tell the stories that represent
collections include how the original Lock-Up the history of our people and communities
matrons of 1895 were some of the first and we want to do the story of West
women in policing. Midlands Police justice so our communities
“I am pleased that the museum has can see how policing has evolved and
secured this funding and that work is continues to change right up to present day.”
getting underway,” says Jon Nott, chair of South Wales based Trio Building
West Midlands Police Federation, “It is Contractors have started replacing the Museum manager Helen Taylor.
important that we celebrate the history of building’s roof to make it weathertight and open in summer 2022, will also create jobs
policing in the West Midlands and the conform to fire safety requirements. They and volunteering opportunities for local
museum should offer something of interest will also be creating new stairwells, people.
to people of all ages.” installing a lift and reinstating original To follow the progress of the museum
Helen Taylor has been appointed as the heritage features. follow @WMPHistory on Twitter or ‘The
manager of the museum and is ready and The new museum, which is expected to Lock Up’ on Facebook.
30 federation April/May 2021 www.polfed.org/westmids
