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'My city collection got so big, I opened a museum'

Vanessa Pearcein Coventry
BBC Scott Duffin is wearing a dark grey coat, with collar turned up. He is standing in front of prints which ar part of the Coventry Market exhibitionBBC
Scott Duffin says the exhibition is the result of five years' work

An avid collector of city memorabilia has said his collection has grown so large he has set up his own "museum", which has opened to the public free of charge.

"It's called the Coventry Collection because it is for Coventry," Scott Duffin said.

"It's been put together by the people of Coventry, donated to by the people of Coventry and supported by them too."

It "constantly grows," with hundreds of items going on display in the city's market, he said.

The project was the result of about five years' worth of work, he explained.

It includes signages, archives from historic city shops, the results of bottle digging, medals, coins, clothes as well as pictures and paintings.

"Pretty much anything to do with our city's history, we've tried to acquire archives relating to that," he added.

An exhibition wall showing paintings and framed prints depicting Coventry as well as antique signage.
There are pictures and old city signage on display

"Just this morning we've had a Blitz archive dropped off, which will join our display," he explained.

"Yesterday, we had an original part of a Coventry tram."

Wooden signs show the shop signage of Charles Ager as well as other shoe brands such as Kickers, Start-rite. Wellies and First Shoes
The collection holds the archive of Coventry's oldest shoe shop Charles Ager

An old plaque from the city's Livingstone Baths is on display, he said, along with "the whole shop archive, dating back to 1860, from Charles Ager shoe shop, which was the city's oldest".

Paper documents showing "who's who" in the city's London Road Cemetery sit alongside a plaque from the city's War Memorial Park from when it first opened, he said.

"We've got part of Fords Hospital from 1509, we've got a Coventry Police display, it carries on, and carries on and carries on," he added.

A War Memorial Park plaque shows an elephant crest in the middle of a bright pink and green circle. It has Camera Principis in gold lettering. To the right of the picture a bronze plaque reads: "Living stone Baths, Foleshill Leisure Centre, Coventry - 1937-2014. Served by so many, fotgotten by none
A plaque from the city's War Memorial Park as well as Livingstone Baths form part of the exhibition

Before moving the collection to the market "it was a bit everywhere," he added.

"I've got a storage unit, I've got a garage, I've got an attic, but we're getting most of it here now.

"We don't have space for the large items, so we'll be doing special exhibitions in the weeks to come, constantly changing up archives and bringing new things in."

A "fabulous" model of the city's oldest pub, the Golden Cross had been donated to the collection about two years ago.

"The guy was around 93 years old when he made it," Duffin said.

"So just items like that that have taken so much personal time, to then have the thought to donate it to the collection I think is really special."

A model of a timber-framed building, Coventry's Golden Cross pub, sits among exhibits
A model of the city's Golden Cross pub had been donated

"Every item has a history of Coventry and its past and its people. It really is a museum for Coventry.

"I'm an avid collector... Some people would call me a hoarder, but I also receive a lot of donations - I can't say no."

Display cabinets and boards at the museum in Coventry Market
The exhibition is open every day apart from Thursday and Sunday from 12:30 until 16:30

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