West Sussex Fire Service to the Rescue
The Plumbers’ Museum Workshop faced a difficult problem last month, until the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service came to its aid.
On Tuesday the 15th October, the Plumbing Museum was facing what appeared to be an unanswerable problem. How to move a Lead Planter from the Plumbing Museum located inside the Gin Building at the Amberley Museum, to its new display location outside the Gin Building. The problem was that when assembled the Planter weighs some 296Kg!
Fortunately, a group of Fire Officers from the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, were at the Amberley Museum carrying out an exercise. Following an approach from Mark Saunders, Amberley’s Facilities Operative, they very kindly offered their help and expertise. The Fire Officers quickly and efficiently conveyed the Planter out of the Gin Building and onto a specially constructed display plinth. Everyone in the Plumbers’ Group at the Museum are most grateful to the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Officers for their help.
The Planter which is now on display outside the Gin Building at Amberley, is similar to an original and unique Planter that was specially crafted for Her Majesty the Queen. It was presented to Her Majesty by the Plumbers’ Livery Company in 2012, to mark Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. This unique Planter has been placed in the grounds of Sandringham House.
The Planter on display at its new location at Amberley Museum, while of a similar design, was made utilising the original moulds used for Her Majesty’s Planter.