The Passmore Edwards Museum was a museum in Stratford, East London. Earlier in its life it was also known as the Essex Local and Educational Museum of Natural History. It began life as the collection and library of the Essex Field Club, which formed the new museum's nucleus by agreement between the Club and the Corporation of West Ham. In an agreement made between the Corporation of West Ham and the Essex Field Club, dated 25 July 1898, the Museum was to be founded as follows: : - The Corporation agreed to dedicate the main portion of the building to the purposes of a Museum of Local (Essex) Natural History, Prehistoric Archaeology and Anthropology, and of educational series relating to the same; to warm, light, and provide for the caretaking of the building; that the Club should have the sole scientific control of the collections, and the appointment of the Curator, and be allowed to keep its Library in the building; the Corporation also agreeing to make a grant of not less than £100 per annum towards the curatorial expenses. : - The Club agreed to place their county collections, cases, and cabinets in the Museum (except the

Epping Forest Epping Forest is a area of ancient woodland, and other established habitats, which straddles the border between Greater London and Essex. The main body of the forest stretches from Epping in the north, to Chingford on the edge of the London ...

collections, which were to be retained in the Forest Museum at

Chingford Chingford is a town in east London, England, within the London Borough of Waltham Forest. The town is approximately north-east of Charing Cross, with Waltham Abbey to the north, Woodford Green and Buckhurst Hill to the east, Walthamstow t ...

); to do their best to increase and improve the same; to undertake the selection and scientific control of the collections; to raise a certain capital sum for the further equipment of the Museum; to appoint a Curator, and to devote a sum of £50 per annum towards the curatorial expenses.

John Passmore Edwards John Passmore Edwards M.P. (24 March 1823 – 22 April 1911) ODNB article by A. J. A. Morris, 'Edwards, John Passmore (1823–1911)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 200 accessed 15 ...

contributed substantially to the foundation of the museum and its name was later changed to reflect this. mentions a donation of £2500. On 6 October 1898 he laid the first stone. The museum building adjoined the West Ham Technical Institute and was opened in 1900 by

Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick Frances Evelyn "Daisy" Greville, Countess of Warwick (''née'' Maynard; 10 December 1861 – 26 July 1938) was a British socialite and philanthropist. Although embedded in late- Victorian British high society, she was also a campaigning sociali ...

. Its central space had a galleried top-lit dome. It closed in 1994, and its collections were transferred to Newham Heritage Service and other museums. Its building is now used as the Student Union for the Stratford Campus of the

University of East London , mottoeng = Knowledge and the fulfilment of vows , established = 1898 – West Ham Technical Institute1952 – West Ham College of Technology1970 – North East London Polytechnic1989 – Polytechnic of East London ...

References

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External links

Archiseek - Passmore Edwards MuseumPat Wilkinson, Archaeology at the Passmore Edwards Museum, StratfordWaymarking - Passmore Edwards Museum
{{coords, 51.5432, 0.0097, display=title Defunct museums in London Museums in the London Borough of Newham 1900 establishments in England 1995 disestablishments in England Grade II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Newham Stratford, London