Stanmore museum secures National Lottery grant for heritage project – Harrow Online

Bentley Priory Museum in Stanmore has received a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support a new heritage project and temporary exhibition in 2025. The initiative will mark 100 years since the founding of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) in October 1925.

The Royal Observer Corps was a civilian defence organisation that played a critical role during the Second World War and the Cold War. During the Battle of Britain in 1940, it was referred to as the “Eyes and Ears” of the Royal Air Force for its role in identifying and reporting enemy raids. In 1955, the ROC was tasked with reporting nuclear bomb bursts and fallout. By 1963, 1,500 underground posts had been built nationwide to provide protection and sustenance in the event of bomb blasts. The ROC’s headquarters was based at RAF Bentley Priory.

The upcoming heritage project will involve interviews with former ROC personnel and the creation of a temporary exhibition co-curated by volunteers and museum staff. The exhibition will open in 2025.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to capture first-hand accounts of ROC personnel. Volunteers will be integral to the project and will learn new skills, enabling them to preserve and share the stories they uncover,” said the Museum Collections Manager.

Anyone interested in participating in the project, including supporting interviews, research, and the exhibition, is encouraged to contact Chloe Marley, the Museum’s Collections Manager, at collectionsproject@bentleypriorymuseum.org.uk.