Putting Away Childish Things

An exhibition showcasing objects from the collection of the Museum of Everyday Life

The Gerald Moore Gallery is delighted to present Putting Away Childish Things, on view in the GF Gallery from 5 March to 4 April 2026.

The exhibition showcases objects from the collection of the Museum of Everyday Life dating from the 1920s to the 1970s, exploring experiences of childhood in London, with a particular focus on children’s lives and lived experiences.

The Museum of Everyday Life draws from the archive of the Lewisham Local History Society, an extraordinary collection comprising thousands of objects, images, and items of ephemera spanning more than two hundred years. While the collection is accessible digitally via the museum’s website, the physical objects are stored in a location not open to the public.

This exhibition brings a selection of these rarely seen childhood-related objects into public view, offering students and local communities in Lewisham, Bromley, and South East London the opportunity to engage directly with material histories of growing up in the twentieth century.

The Private View is on Thursday 5 March 2026, 6 - 8pm

Origins of the collection

The origins of the collection can be traced back to a Local History Workshop that was formed in Lewisham in 1967/8 with the objective of promoting local history in practical ways. Meetings were held in a corner shop in Brightside Road, Hither Green. In 1969, the Workshop became the Lewisham Local History Society Study Group.

In 1971, the group was invited by the Lewisham Natural History Society to share a flat above the then New Cross Library at 116 New Cross Road. Items were taken into the collection, either through donations, accidental finds, or saving material from demolition sites.

In 1975, the collections of the Study Group and the Natural History Society were merged into one collection, and in 1988 the Lewisham Local History Society took responsibility for the whole collection.

A Museum for Lewisham

For many years, the Group campaigned for a physical Local History Museum in Lewisham and, to some extent, the collection was accumulated and stored with that intention. An initial approach to the Council in 1974 was turned down due to a lack of funding.

In 1987, as part of the Lewisham History Festival, the Group staged a major exhibition of items and actively campaigned for a ‘Museum for Lewisham’ including presenting a petition to the then Mayor, Norman Smith. The campaign was not, however, successful and a physical museum has never been realised.

With current limitations on public space, funding, and resources, a physical Local History Museum for Lewisham seems highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.

The Museum of Everyday Life continues the pioneering and dedicated work undertaken by the Study Group, and will eventually build the collection into a resource that can be utilised and enjoyed more widely.

The Gerald Moore Gallery is an art centre for modern and contemporary art with learning at its heart. Opened in April 2012, in Mottingham, the gallery is uniquely set within the grounds of Eltham College and is a valuable resource for the students and the local community. The gallery has gained momentum hosting some exciting exhibitions including works by Matisse, Louise Bourgeois, and Cornelia Parker, whilst supporting emerging local artists. In unison with the exhibitions, the gallery's outreach programme works with local community groups, teachers, and schools, creating lasting relationships with our locality. Gerald Moore Gallery was made possible with the foresight and generosity of Old Elthamian, Dr Gerald Moore, many of whose works are archived at the gallery and who has a permanent exhibition on display.

For more information, images, and interview requests, or to attend the Private View please contact: Haf Anuar at info@geraldmooregallery.org

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