FORTHCOMING EXHIBITION ON THE MAHARAJAH 

In summer 2010, The Museum at Thetford Life will hold a year long exhibition on the life and times of Maharajah Duleep Singh and his family. The Exhibition will open in June 2010. We will update further details of this Exhibition as they become available.

HISTORY OF THETFORD MUSEUM

Maharajah Duleep Singh had a great affection for the historical town of Thetford and so did Prince Frederick, he noticed how empty the town was without a museum of its own and decided it was time that Thetford should have its own exhibiting house. In 1921 the Mayor of Thetford consulted Prince Frederick Duleep Singh about setting up a museum in the town.  

The Ancient House, c.1900

White Hart Street, c.1905

The Ancient House, c.1910

 The Ancient House, c.1920

The Prince very generously responded by purchasing the old Tudor House in White Hart Street, known as the ‘Ancient House’ and presented it to the Mayor and Corporation of Thetford for this purpose.

 Prince Frederick Duleep Singh (Standing on right, wearing a fur coat) with the Duchess of Grafton (centre) and the Mayor of Thetford

The 15^th Century house was carefully restored at an estimated cost of £550 to which Prince Frederick contributed. The Duchess of Grafton officially opened the museum on the 11th December 1924.  To start the museum, Prince Frederick gave many relics and artefacts of local history from his own collection.

In 2004 the museum closed for major renovations, and a year later it opened as a large and extended exhibiting house renamed ‘Museum of Thetford Life’.

The museum houses many relics of the generous Prince and his family, including a family photo album, the bible presented to Maharajah Duleep Singh by the Earl of Dalhousie in 1854 as a parting gift, military uniform of the prince from the Norfolk Yeomanry, and many original prints and photographs.

On the 12 March 2008, the marble gravestone of Maharani Jind Kaur was unveiled at a ceremony at the Ancient House Museum where it will be on permanent display. The unveiling ceremony was conducted by the Mayor of Thetford Robert Kybird with guests including the High Sheriff of Norfolk and the Mayoress of Thetford.

Recently the museum added a new relic of the family, being the marble gravestone of Maharani Jind Kaur, the mother of the Maharajah Duleep Singh, who was the first Sikh woman in Britain amd died in London in 1863. (for more on the Maharani click here)

 Address: White Hart Street, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1AA