by Rebecca Hannant
A £3,000 grant is to allow Withernsea Lighthouse to transform one of its displays for the first time in more than 35 years.
After receiving funding from the Humber Museums Partnership, Withernsea Lighthouse is planning to create a new permanent exhibition, Stories from the Seaside, which will highlight the talents and achievements of individuals connected to Withernsea.
For decades, the museum has paid homage to Withernsea’s most famous resident, Kay Kendall, who went on to become a Hollywood star. The museum features memorabilia from her career and even includes a mock-up scene of what Kay Kendall’s bedroom would have looked like.
However, after 35 years, lighthouse manager Lindsey Jones said the museum was ready to diversify the range of talent represented and applied for the grant to transform the bedroom scene into a space showcasing the achievements of other local people.
Lindsey said: “We’re moving beyond just Kay Kendall. While she remains a cherished figure, we want to highlight that you can come from a small seaside town and achieve incredible things. This exhibition will tell those inspiring stories.”
The idea for the new exhibition came about last year when the lighthouse museum held a temporary exhibition in the cottage, featuring information about local talent from a range of fields, from businessmen to West End stars, footballers and writers.
Those expected to be included in the exhibition include musicians and performers Mark Pearman, also known as Gary Marx, and Amanda Board Salmon. Gary is a musician who was a founding member of the band Sisters of Mercy. Meanwhile, Amanda, now a performing arts teacher, is known for her West End roles including Starlight Express and Les Misérables.
The exhibition will also include sporting star Stuart Gray, a former professional footballer for Nottingham Forest, Barnsley, Aston Villa, Southampton and Bognor Regis Town. He previously managed Southampton, Northampton Town and Sheffield Wednesday, and has been a caretaker manager at Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, Portsmouth and Fulham.
Simon Waterson, a personal fitness trainer who has worked with Hollywood actors such as Daniel Craig, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Evans, Chris Pratt and Jake Gyllenhaal for roles in films including James Bond, Captain America, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars and Jurassic World, will also feature.
Others set to be recognised in the exhibition include Don Suddaby, the inventor of Lorenzo’s Oil, artist Ian McKeever, musician Kenny Baker, Matthew Pottage, head of horticulture and landscape strategy at London’s Royal Parks, and Richie Culver, a multidisciplinary artist and musician.
A small section dedicated to JRR Tolkien will also be included.
Lindsey said she hoped it would help inspire the next generation.
She said: “When school groups visit, they often only aspire to climb the lighthouse tower. They don’t always realise the incredible people who came from their own streets.
“This exhibition will show young people that they can come from a small seaside town and achieve amazing things, whether that’s becoming a footballer or a rock star.”
For the first time, the museum will incorporate updated technology such as QR codes to provide links to their work, while the funding will also be used to create new, updated display panels.
The exhibition is expected to be completed in mid-June.