You are here: Home > Museum - Stannard

Museum - Stannard

The Museum is located in 'The Stannard Room' on the first floor (the floor above the ground floor, access only via a flight of stairs) and includes the 'slops' shop; and 'The Europa Room' (on the ground floor); both are in some of the few remaining original buildings of HMS Europa in Sparrow's Nest, Lowestoft.

 

 

Lining the walls of the Europa Room are the 17 boards listing the 850 or thereabouts honours won by members of the RNPS during WW2, including a VC, along with a list of over 200 'Mentioned in Despatches'. 

The VC was awarded to an ex-Merchant Navy officer, Lieut. Richard Stannard, of the Hull trawler Arab, for his continuous gallantry 28th April to 2nd May in Namsos Harbour during the Narvik campaign, gazetted on August 16th, 1940, and included fighting a fire in an ammunition dump, setting up an armed camp and resisting 31 bombing attacks on Arab, and whilst leaving the fjord shooting down a German bomber.  His junior officer, Sub-Lieut. E. T. Lees, R.N.V.R., was awarded the DSO and three other members of his crew received decorations. There is also a record of the CBE awarded to Commodore Daniel de Pass for his services at the 'Nest' during WW2.

 

 

 

In addition to a mock-up of a wheelhouse there are numerous small exhibits including photographs and models of many of the ships of RNPS and much war memorablilia such as shields, uniforms, flags and personal possessions. The photographs illustrate many of the members of RNPS at their various duties, in many parts of the world and at various locations in Lowestoft. Many include unidentified members and so if you visit and can recognise anyone we have not identified please let us know.

 

 

Additional material not able to be displayed is also available for research purposes and there is a small reference library.

Admission to the Museum is free and it is generally open throughout the year on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings until noon but......

......Museum opening is subject to the availability of volunteers to see you in. As with all volunteer run enterprises the planned opening times cannot always be relied on, so if you are travelling a long distance to visit it will be worthwhile checking in advance whether or not the museum will be open and if possible arranging an appointment.

 

 

Admission to the Museum is free but donations to assist in its maintenance will always be gratefully received.

 

 

Submenu

Museum Opening Hours

The Museum is normally open to casual visitors on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9.30am until 12.30pm. 

Over the Christmas period the Muesum will close on 11th December and re-open on 8th January.

Newletter 94 - Summer 2023 The latest Newsletter is now online.

General admin - we now have a Paypal account and payments may be sent to us at hq@rnpsa.co.uk. Please make sure that you also email us at the same email address with details of the payment, who you are and what the payment is for. If buying from the Slops list please email us details and wait to receive a request for payment which will include shipping to your country.

Death of Tony Addison - we are sad to report that we have heard that our past Treasurer and one-time trustees Tony Addison  has died. His funeral will be private for family only.

 

Volunteers needed

Under normal circumstances the Museum is open to casual visitors on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9.30am until 12.30pm.

We might be able to open for longer if we had sufficient volunteers to man the museum. As with many other voluntary organisation we are desperately short of helpers.

If you have any sort of interest in the Royal Naval Patrol Service and its connection with Lowestoft and could offer a few hours per week please contact us. We will give you any training necessary and voluntary work at a charity will look good on your CV.

 

Charlie Harris RIP

 

The funeral of our Vice-chairman 'Charlie' Harris took place at the Lowestoft parish church of St. Margaret on Friday, 26th July. A moving service was conducted jointly by the Rector of Lowestoft, Revd. Michael Asquith and Superintendent Tim Jenkins, of the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen.

The packed church included many RNPS Association members and after introductory prayers the service opened with memories of Charlie by members of his family. After the Navy Hymn, 'Eternal Father', our President, Commander Garry Titmus RN, related his memories of Charlie and read the Pilot's Psalm.

This was followed by further prayers and after a brief address came the hymn 'Abide with Me', followed by a closing prayer and commendation. A private committal took place in Lowestoft Cemetary.

Many joined together to exchange memories of Charlie at the Norman Warrior, one of Charlie's favourite venues. It is understood that many tots were drunk and lamps swung in keeping with the occasion.

Charlie was a stalwart of the Headquarters head office and any new arrival was always greeted with his invitation to have a tea or coffee. The galley has since been renamed 'Charlie's Kitchen' in his honour.

 Anno Domini

Sadly the passage of time continues to take its toll on members of the Association who once served in the RN Patrol Service. Surviving relatives might like to help us commemorate the contribution made by those who served by joining the Association in their own right. You would be very welcome.

Museum news

This space is reserved for the Museum Curator who will use this area to publicise help he needs in relation to the Museum, for example with cataloguing museum exhibits, etc.

Website news

We have updated the links from a number of pages of our old site to pages within this site. Where they don't quite match we have linked to the nearest page above so please update your favourite pages or bookmarks.

Minor amendments have been made to the Memorial database records

Content copyright © 2002-2019 RNPS Association & G. A. Michael Sims

Powered by CMSimple_XH | Template by CMSimple_XH as modified | (X)html | css | Login