Cuming Museum

Posted August 26th, 2008 by phl.costelloe
Location: 
The Old Town Hall
Location: 
151 Walworth Road
Location: 
London
Location: 
SE17 1RY
Telephone: 
020 7525 2332
Museum Website: 
Museum Webpages
Parent Organisation: 
Local Authority : Southwark Council
YLM Questionnaire Completed: 
Yes
Comment: 
Disposal Policy: 
Yes
HR On Display: 
Yes
Iconic HR: 
No
How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance: 
A number of skulls, labelled by the Cuming family as 'Celtic', but with no other information available to confirm their provenance.
How many of these human remains are well documented, with clear context of date and place of exhumation?: 
See above - with the exception of one cranium, now on display, but the Cuming record regarding this is not confirmed.
Where there are human remains in store, is there a history of use?: 
No.
Where there are human remains in store, is there potential for use, in display, education or scientific analysis?: 
Not until the museum's inventory project is completed.
Does the museum have a disposal policy, and is it including HR with negligible potential in its discussions about disposal?: 
Yes, the museum has a disposal policy, but no, this does not detail human remains. The museum did, however, recently (November 2008) repatriate a Maori skull to Te Papa Museum, New Zealand.
What sources of information about these human remains are in the public domain and where?: 
As the inventory of the collection has not yet been completed, and research confirming provenance has not yet begun, this is not yet available.
Are any of these remains currently on display and in what context?: 
A cranium (see above) that may be of preRoman date but this has not been researched or confirmed as yet.