West Park Museum is a small but beautifully formed collection of the surprising and unusual. The museum was the idea of Marianne Brocklehurst, the daughter of Macclesfield’s first MP and silk manufacturer John Brocklehurst. Today it contains a sample of her collection of Egyptian artefacts, along with fine art and local history.
Marianne has an amazing story. Along with her companion Mary Booth (together known as the MBs), she travelled to Egypt recording her visits in her diary and watercolours, and returned with a variety of treasures to share with the people of Macclesfield. They went on their first trip in 1873 with her nephew Alfred and liveried footman George Lewis, who both enjoyed shooting and wanted to ‘bag’ a crocodile. A special exhibition about their trip,MBs’ Trip Up the Nile, is now open at the Old Sunday School and includes the mummy case of Shebmut which once contained the remains of a 12 year old dancing girl.
