NEWS RELEASES
French Troops Expected in Horsham
24 June 2009
Instead of welcoming the French two hundred years ago Horsham was a fully armed garrison town ready to repel the “Frenchies” and “Boney”. As part of the Horsham's FrenchFest (Friday 3 - Sunday 5 July) Horsham Museum is showing this forgotten side to the town’s rich history; a time when the town was full of soldiers ready to die for King and country against the Emperor of France. For centuries Horsham has traded with the French, the Town’s crest is French in origin, our iron and glass industry used French technology and expertise in the Tudor period, our Lord of the Manor was French - this too will be explored through a French Horsham trail around the Museum.
In a special display, created just for the French Festival, Horsham Museum will also relate how the world’s first rifle regiment was formed in the town, how the town’s folk got together to form a militia, how a son of Horsham achieved nationally recognised hero status at Trafalgar, and how the army set up barracks for the troops. Some of the more fascinating aspects of the Town’s involvement with the troops are told through a series of tabloid-style newspaper accounts, rather than the dry legal documents they are based on. With original drawings, model layouts and other objects, such as a contemporary charcoal sketch removed from a Horsham pub, it will certainly give a different approach to Horsham’s French fest.
Look out too for the arrival of the 45eme Napoleonic Camp, re-enacting Napoleonic troop movements in the Carfax and across the town on Saturday 4 July from 10am - 5pm.
‘The French are coming’ runs for two days, Friday and Saturday, 3 and 4 July, and to give a real French flavour to the exhibition a traditional French story of the period, involving food (what else could it involve?) will be told on Saturday 11.30am and after a long French lunch, bought from the traditional French market, at 2.30pm in the Museum.
So to enjoy a different aspect to the French festival try Horsham Museum during French Fest, you will be surprised by what’s in store!
For further information please contact Jeremy Knight, Curator and Heritage Officer.
9 Causeway,
Horsham.
RH12 1HE
http://www.horshammuseum.org
Tel: 01403 215959