Decision details

This decision relates to one new loan request for items in the Ipswich Borough Council Museum collections.

Ipswich Transport Museum

Horse-drawn manual fire engine from Ixworth, Suffolk, dated 1854. Made by Messrs. Shand-Mason.

IPSMG: R.1954.123

The Shand-Mason fire engine was donated to Ipswich Museum in 1954 by the Suffolk and Ipswich Fire Authority. It was subsequently loaned to Colchester Road Fire Station where it was on display for many years. More recently it has been on loan to The Museum of Food, Stowmarket, Suffolk.

The Museum of Food now wish to end the current loan agreement and return the fire engine to Ipswich.

Ipswich Transport Museum have a significant collection of firefighting equipment, but do not currently have this type of fire engine on display. The Shand-Mason fire engine would therefore complement their displays and Ipswich Transport Museum wish to borrow the fire engine for immediate display.

This would allow the fire engine to continue to be displayed to the public and be enjoyed by residents of Ipswich as there are no immediate plans to display the fire engine within the Ipswich Museums venues, resulting in the fire engine needing to go into storage.

The decision made is for a three-year loan which takes effect from April 2024 through to March 2027. Ipswich Transport Museum open seasonally from the end of March through to November.

To approve the loan of Horse-drawn manual fire engine from Ixworth, Suffolk, dated 1854 to Ipswich Transport Museum.

Reason:

To allow for the fire engine to continue to be displayed.