New energy curator John Beckerson. © Chris Foster / MOSI
The Museum of Science and Industry is set to see sparks fly as a new energy curator joins the museum, adding new items to the Electricity and Gas Galleries.
Dr John Beckerson has collected several new items for the collections including a home made electrical adaptor made in the 1920s before plugs were standardised.
“It was the invention of a local engineer who got frustrated with the many different kinds of plugs he met on his travels,” said John.
“He even painted beautiful little watercolour drawings showing how to use it on the lid – I’d like to have met him, he was clearly a real craftsman!”
John will care for a massive range of pieces in the museum’s collections including the huge turbo generator from the Back o’ the Bank power station in Bolton, which John has personal connection to.
“I’ve always had a passion for social and technical history, so to be energy curator at MOSI is a particularly appealing job for me!
“My great-grandfather, an electrical engineer, also commissioned the Back o’ the Bank Power station, so it’s wonderful to be responsible for the turbo generator on which he must have worked.”
For more information on MOSI and its collections follow the details below.
