To celebrate its status as the oldest surviving independent museum in Wales, Tenby Museum and its Friends organisation held a commemorative event on Castle Hill on Saturday, July 26.

The celebrations began in Tudor Square in the early afternoon with an announcement by the town crier, John Thomas. This was followed by a procession to Castle Hill by local actors in the roles of Tenby citizens of 1878 who were involved in the actual opening ceremony of the museum in that year. Ladies in the procession travelled in a horse-drawn carriage with 'Victorian driver' John Dooner. At the same time Tenby blue badge guide Marion Davies, dressed in Victorian costume, led a number of visitors to the museum.

On Castle Hill, which had been specially decorated by Friends and Trustees, following another introduction by the town crier, the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas, formally opened the celebrations. She congratulated the museum on obtaining its important anniversary and stressed the significance of the museum to the town of Tenby.

The Mayor concluded by commending the hard work of the museum staff, volunteers and Friends and wished Tenby Museum continuing success in the future.

A performance then took place (adapted from original texts) of the opening ceremony as conducted on July 26, 1878. That ceremony had taken place indoors, away from the public gaze, but the reconstruction on Castle Hill was performed before a large audience containing a number of additional actors playing Tenby Harbour characters who cheered and jeered and made appropriate comments throughout the proceedings, all of which added to the fun.

The main characters in the performance were Edward Laws, the leading figure in the founding of Tenby Local Museum in 1878, and Professor George Rolleston, of Oxford, who performed the original opening ceremony. The parts of these dignified gentlemen were superbly played by David Owen and Rhob Pattinson.

Very popular with the crowd around the museum was the virtuoso performance of Miranda Davies playing the part of local artist and writer Fanny Price Gwynne. Her dramatic rendition of a poem specially written for the day was greeted with loud applause which she acknowledged with great dignity.

The other actors convincingly took the parts of trustees of the museum and other local worthies. They were superbly dressed as befitted upright Tenby citizens of 1878; they presented an elegant spectacle, paying particular attention to the rather formal etiquette of mid-Victorian times. These characters presented replicas of artefacts which had been donated to the museum at the time of its opening, including items of archaeology and natural history.

The actors included Len Harvey, Mike Thorne, Hillary Harvey, Maggie Thorne, Andrew Davies, Rowland Evans, David Hughes, Doug Perry, Jackie Hicklin, Joni Whitfield, Lou Evans, Scarlett Davies and Wesley Davies.

Before and after the performance, the audience on the hill was entertained by the delightful playing of the St. Mary's hand-bell ringers and later in the afternoon by an excellent performance by the Tenby Town Band. The actors from the play, accompanied by museum volunteers, also elegantly dressed in mid-Victorian costume, paraded around the hill as the band played.

At the lower end of Castle Hill, a sedan chair (a replica of the one displayed in the museum), specially made by volunteer John Horne, was prepared for Clarisse Griffiths to ride in and was carried by Aaron Torok and Tommy D'ortez.

In addition, the Friends and volunteers presented a number of successful stalls on the hill, such as raffle, bottles, 'Guess the Name of the Dragon', and refreshments. Proceeds from the Welsh-cake stall, held at St. Johns Church earlier in the day, were kindly donated to the museum funds.

Tenby Museum and Art Gallery is grateful to everyone who helped to make the day such a resounding success. Thanks are extended to all the participants, including the Friends, museum volunteers, Tenby Players, Tenby Town Band, the St. Mary's hand-bell ringers, St. Johns Church Welsh-cake making team and Mr. John Dooner.

Throughout the day the price of admission to the museum galleries was levied to sixpence per person (the exact cost of admission in 1878), but many of the hundreds who attended gave generous donations. The staff of the museum have been very pleased at the public support for the event and for the letters and telephone calls of appreciation received, especially from Tenby people.

Tenby Museum and Art Gallery will remain open for seven days a week up to December 7 this year. For details of the museum's exhibitions and events, please see the museum website at http://www.tenbymuseum.co.uk">www.tenbymuseum.co.uk or call the museum on (01834) 842809.