Swindon’s proud heritage as an industrial and business centre is celebrated in a newly refurbished gallery at the town’s museum and art gallery.
The old Victorian Gallery, previously home to what the museum described as “a mish-mash of Victorian exhibits”, will now be known as Made in Swindon following its makeover. 
It reopened last week to tell the story of Swindon as a town that is constantly growing and changing, making and moving.
The gallery celebrates production and design in Swindon from the 19th century, when its massive GWR railworks became synonymous across the globe with engineering excellence, and showcases many of the creative people who have emerged from the town.
Among the wealth of products assembled for Made in Swindon and which have contributed to the growth and identity of the town are record players made by the world-famous Garrard’s factory and the sign from McIlroys, the town’s grandest department store, pictured above.
Garrard’s opened in Swindon in 1919 with 40 employees but by 1950 it employed more than 1,400 people and was renowned worldwide for its high-quality record gramophones. 
A selection of recording equipment from Garrard’s is on display, including a rare miniature record deck with enamel cover, pictured right.
McIlroys dominated Regent Street for 123 years and a shop frontage sign from its heyday is on display in the gallery.
A ballroom was added to the department store in the 1930s which later attracted the likes of The Beatles and Swindon-born film star Diana Dors, who is also represented in the new gallery along with a range of local performers and artists including singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan, mural artist Ken White, official World War Two artist Leslie Cole, president of Swindon Artists’ Society Harold Dearden and poet and author Alfred Williams.
Also on display is an array of ceramic and glass bottles produced by the many brewers and medicine and drink manufacturers at one time based in Swindon.
Swindon-crested china and local postcards are also showcased, showing the town’s sense of humour as well as many images of Swindon through the years.
The gallery refresh was part of the 2014-16 Heritage Lottery Funded project Hidden Potential: Understanding, Centralising, Caring for and Sharing Swindon’s Stored Collections.
It helped rediscover Swindon Museum & Art Gallery’s diverse collections – many of which were in long-term storage – and share them with the community.
