Thursday, June 7

Chip Foundation Chronicles: Coalbrookdale

Saturday 2nd June 2018 saw the Chip Foundation going 'quackers' in Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge, seeking out duck sculptures whilst continuing our mission to visit all of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums...

- More museums moments -
The entire Chip contingent is present and correct as I join the number 9 bus at Compton for the now-familiar journey through Bridgnorth and Broseley. Conversation covers topics such as digital storage, cricket and the many charms of Southport before we reach Coalbrookdale eager to experience Enginuity - the big kids amongst us certainly had fun playing with the various exhibits including a fly wheel and electricity generators. The Museum of Iron then awaits just across the courtyard so that we can ponder the giant whaling pot and objects from the 1851 Great Exhibition.

- Vote or no vote? -
A new feature since I was last here in January is the 'Vote or No Vote?' installation, created to celebrate the Votes for Women centenary. The 1918 Representation of the People Act gave some women the right to vote for the very first time, so life-sized silhouettes represent the 37 local ladies to which the franchise was extended while noting that full voting equality was still another ten years away. The display can be found on the Green in front of the Old Furnace, the remains of the site where Abraham Darby I commenced iron production.

- Swallowed by a Stovepipe -
Our museum medley continues with a look around the Darby Houses, home to various generations of the Darby family. Dale House is the older - dating from 1717 - and is still used as a Quaker meeting place, while Rosehill House has been restored to give an impression of factory owners' living conditions circa 1850. The costume room is fun, trying on various hats and bonnets although the tall stovepipe isn't perhaps the best fit where Mr B Senior is concerned!

- Mr B meets 'Natural Bee-uty' -
Afternoon refreshment comes courtesy of the Coalbrookdale Inn, a Victorian pub on Wellington Road where the Hobson's Champion Mild proves worthy of the 2018 Good Beer Guide - a cracking pint. We can then begin our Quackers Quest whereby ten duck artworks have appeared at locations across the Gorge. The first of these is Natural Bee-uty, a wildflower and bumble bee inspired design at Dale End Park. As with similar projects such as Wolves in Wolves and the Birmingham Big Sleuth, the aim is to have fun, encourage tourism and raise money for charity.

- Doctor Duck -
Further duck discoveries are positioned on the Merrythought car park (Mr Darby) and beside the Museum of the Gorge (Doctor Duck, complete with stethoscope). None of us are in need of a medical consultation but some lunch would be nice, so we call into the chip shop where Mr B Senior performs a disappearing wallet magic trick - it was in his coat sleeve all along! Panic over, we can discuss the importance of iron as an industrial innovation without which the Black Country might never have existed.

- The Coracle Shed -
Next on the agenda are important coracle considerations, starting with a look at the old Coracle Shed beside the River Severn. Said to be the last remaining structure of its type, the shed now lies empty but there are plans to restore it and tell the story of the Rogers family, generations of whom crafted the distinctive bowl-shaped boats. The Coracle also happens to be the name of a newly-opened micropub on Ironbridge High Street so naturally we just had to investigate; Nick and I thus savoured some Gorgeous Ruby Porter (brewed locally), Ken dabbled with a drop of cider and Mr B Senior took a dislike to the Salopian Hop Twister until placated by a set of dominoes.

- Lady Victoria -
Resuming our duck hunt, we briefly cross the famous Iron Bridge to meet Lady Victoria (with apron and sweeties) who lives by the tollhouse. There are ten ducks in total; we saw five so I will need to find the rest on a later trip (hopefully very soon as the trail finishes on 8th July). In the meantime, the White Hart on the Wharfage brings this outing's pub-going to a close - Ringwood Razorback is the tipple of choice with Ken and Nick gamely battling a sofa so comfortable they struggle to stand up again afterwards. The homeward 9 from Ironbridge Square rounds off our day but keep an eye out for more quackers action in the near future...

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