YLM Database

Cuming Museum

The Old Town Hall
151 Walworth Road
London
SE17 1RY

02075252332
Website: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/DiscoverSouthwark/heritageandhistory/Museums/TheCumingMuseum/

Parent Organisation:

Local Authority : Southwark Council

Funded by:
YLM Entry Submitted: Yes
Comments:

How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance, pre-Christian or in other way Pagan?:

A number of skulls, labelled by the Cuming family as ‘Celtic’, but with no other information available to confirm their provenance.

Total:

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 ancestors in store, is there a history of use?:

No

Where there are ancestors 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

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.

Does the museum have ancestors (human remains) on display?:Yes

A cranium (see above) that may be of preRoman date but this has not been researched or confirmed as yet.

Does the museum hold any iconic ancestors, ie. complete skeletons with a well documented story, or those considered of national or local importance, and are these on display?:
Has the museum used or considered using replicas in displays? If not, why not and what would you find useful in moving to these? If you have, what response did these receive?:

Documents:

26 August, 2008