We like to feature new and interesting items from our stock on the pages of this Blog, as well as news of our fairs and other activities, but occasionally we’ll be writing about some of the places and objects that we discover, that we think will be of interest to our customers and followers.
One such place that we would whole-heartedly recommend is the Tin Shed Experience.
Tin Shed Experience Laugharne
Located in the Welsh coastal town of Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, the Tin Shed Experience is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, and is a fascinating and inspiring 1940s museum, as well as a brilliant venue for events, retro photography and film-making.
The Tin Shed was built in 1933 by the father of current owner Andrew Isaacs, and spent many years being used as a garage including a period during the second world war when it was used to store and service vehicles for the War Office. It later fell out of use as a garage and had more recently been used as a stable and a storage facility, before a chance meeting between Andrew and his former work colleague, Seimon Pugh-Jones, led to it’s remarkable reinvention as a museum. Andrew’s meeting with Seimon, an avid collector of wartime memorabilia, resulted in Laugharne’s memorial hall being used to stage a 1940s themed dance supported by a temporary exhibition of Seimon’s collection at the Tin Shed. This proved so popular that plans were soon developed to turn the former garage into a permanent museum, and in June 2011 the doors of the Tin Shed Experience were opened for the first time.
The museum sets out to educate and entertain by focusing on the inspiring personal stories of those involved in war, both on active service and on the home front, and their stories are brought to life by the museum’s collection of period artefacts and by the friendly and knowledgeable museum volunteers who offer personal guided tours of the museums exhibits. Their collection includes a fine selection of uniforms representing the conflicts of the twentieth century along with many personal items that graphically illustrate life during wartime.
Home Front Exhibits at the Tin Shed Experience
Arnhem attic display at Tin Shed Experience
The museum is also home to a superb worker’s tin cottage complete with fascinating period contents, and it is a special experience to step back in time as you enter this beautifully presented exhibit. The period feel is maintained by other outdoor exhibits include an Anderson shelter and a “dig for victory” garden.
Tin Cottage
Interior of tin cottage
Interior of tin cottage
The meticulously assembled period reconstructions at the Tin Shed and Seimon’s expertise as a professional photographer and cameraman have led to the venue being used for retro photo shoots and filming, and this is just one of the exciting and ambitions projects under way at the venue. The Tin Shed team of Andrew, Seimon, and Marketing Manager, Matthew Hughes, have plans to stage regular live music and entertainment events, including linking up with local drama groups to stage theatrical productions. The venue is also a popular location with wartime and period re-enactment groups who enjoy the period authenticity and the beautiful backdrop of Laugharne.
Live events at The Tin Shed
Live events at the Tin Shed
The town of Laugharne was the last home of the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, whose centenary will be celebrated in 2014, and the Tin Shed is taking part in those celebrations by bringing to life characters from Thomas’s most famous work, the play for voices, “Under Milk Wood”. They are planning to create a series of life-size models of some of the plays most notable characters which they hope to place in suitable locations around a town trail.
Captain Cat exhibit at the Tin Shed Experience
2014 will also see the start of four years of centenary commemorations for the Great War, and the Tin Shed will be organizing exhibits and events that reflect on the first world war and in particular on the personal stories of the local men who left Laugharne to go and fight for King and country.
On a recent visit we were pleased to be able to donate to the Tin Shed collection a small group of wartime posters that had been produced to advertise fund-raising events for the war effort in Carmarthenshire. These are the sort of memories that the Tin Shed Experience is helping to keep alive so that younger generations will know about the sacrifices and realities of everyday life during wartime.
Wartime posters we donated to the Tin Shed
A visit to the Tin Shed Experience is a chance to step back in time and share in the personal stories that shine a light on the dark days of wartime, but above all it’s a fun and inspiring place to visit and it’s run by a great bunch of people.
The Tin Shed Experience run a very active facebook page and twitter feed, and their activities can be followed on their web site. They welcome donations and are always looking for patrons to help support their work. They are also looking for sponsors for their Dylan Thomas Centenary Project.
More Information
Tin Shed Experience Website
Tin Shed Experience Facebook Page
Tin Shed Experience Twitter Feed
Andrew Dally 