The Pinner Association was pleased to be invited to the Grand Opening of the new Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner Memorial Park.
The rain held off and a large crowd gathered at 2pm on Saturday 15th October to observe the ceremony which was MC’d by a Pinner resident Daniel Edward, and at which Cynthia Wells, Acting-Chairman of West House & Heath Robinson Museum Trust, Cllr. Rekha Shah, the Mayor of Harrow, Stuart Hobley, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund London, and Peter Higginson, Chair of the Heath Robinson Trust, all spoke to thank the many volunteers who had worked so hard for so long to achieve the creation of the first purpose built museum in London for the last 40 years. The Heritage Lottery Fund was thanked for the grant of £1.3 million and the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund for the funding to purchase additional works by William Heath Robinson.
Michael Rosen, the well known writer and broadcaster, who was brought up in Pinner and who attended West Lodge School, then formally opened the new Museum, with the help of an ingenious contraption designed and built by the “Heath Robinson Inventors’ Club” of St Helen’s School:
After the formal opening ceremony the museum opened its doors to its first paying customers, who on this special day benefited from a half price entry fee and who received a “golden ticket” to commemorate being one of the first visitors to the Heath Robinson Museum. In the park the crowds were entertained by the Harrow Steel Band and the Merrydowners Morris Dancers, there was storytelling and activities for children, and refreshments were supplied by Carpentier & Co and Daisy’s in the Park. A great time was had by all!
The Museum will be open on Sunday 16th October 11am-4pm and then for the same hours on Friday-Sunday until mid-November. Full information may be found on the Heath Robinson Museum website: https://www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org/visit