A NEW display area has been unveiled to commemorate the role Richard Shering played in founding and supporting Fordingbridge Museum.

The display in honour of Richard, who died in July, was launched on Monday (May 22).

The Shering family have been builders and undertakers in the town for generations and when John Shering started his collection of local history artefacts more than 60 years ago to teach his young family their heritage, his younger brother, Richard, soon became involved and a specially built building was constructed to house this expanding collection.

By the end of last century hundreds of local people had enjoyed visiting the collection and the time had come to hand it over to the town, which was done in 2000 when Fordingbridge Museum was established.

Museum manager Philippa Duckworth said: “Fordingbridge Museum is inextricably linked with the Shering Collection and both brothers were determined that as many people as possible were given access to their collection. It therefore seemed very fitting that the money collected at Richard’s funeral should be donated to the museum, an idea approved of by Richard.

“There is already a display area dedicated to his brother John, who died in 2006, so it seemed entirely appropriate that the money was spent on a display area in memory of Richard.

“We were honoured to have Richard as a patron of the museum and the support he gave to the trustees was invaluable. I am pleased to say the Shering family continue to help and encourage the museum.”

The new display area will enable the museum to show items to the public that are not displayed at the moment due to lack of space.

Philippa said: “We have an extensive collection of artefacts and photographs in storage that we will now be able to expose to a wider audience. Local organisations and schools may also be given access to the area so that they can mount their own displays in collaboration with the museum.”

The plaque commemorating Richard’s display area was unveiled by Jo Shering, Richard’s wife, in the presence of other members of the family.

An exhibit about Fordingbridge Regatta is the first display to occupy the space.

Richard’s wife Jo said it was an “honour” to have the display area in memory of her late husband.

“We are very pleased they have decided to do something practical. He would have been very pleased as he was a practical man."

The museum was chosen as a beneficiary of the collection at Richard’s funeral.

“He loved the history of Fordingbridge,” said Mrs Shering.