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Everton treasures secured

By David Prentice :  28/09/2007 :  Comments (15) :
From the Echo:

The future of the famed David France Collection has been triumphantly secured. The most comprehensive collection of football memorabilia in the world, the David France Collection, has recieved Heritage Lottery Funding that will guarantee its future as a.

A timeline of the history of Everton FC, the 10,000 piece assemblage of medals, caps, documents, programmes, ledgers and tickets not only documents the Toffees? rich history, it also provides a unique insight into the social history of the city of Liverpool.

Conservatively estimated to be worth £1.2m by auction house Christie?s, a Charitable Trust was set up a couple of years ago to help secure the collection from the man who put it together, Dr David France.

Driven on by former Blues director Lord Grantchester, masterminded by the ambitious and enterprising Toffees shareholder, Tony Tighe, and supported tirelessly by chief executive Keith Wyness, the appeal has finally recieved the news that it has just secured Heritage Lottery Funding.

Together with the donations from Everton and Lord Grantchester himself, the Collection can now pass into public ownership and be enjoyed by every supporter in the city.

The important news is that the Collection will remain intact and accessible. And with Capital of Culture year looming, that is wonderful news for lovers of association football everywhere.

Reader Comments

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Gerard Madden
1   Posted 28/09/2007 at 15:49:06

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Great news for our club and city. I would like to express thanks to all the hard work of many people (too many to mention) in securing this collection for our region.

I?m made up too with the news from our clubs official site that parts of it (from time to time) will be displayed at our new stadiums museum.
Paddock Boy
2   Posted 28/09/2007 at 16:03:37

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Great news - well done to those concerned who have done or the work in securing support and eventually lottery funding.

In reality the club should have been able to secure this historic collection without having to go ’cap in hand’ - but I’m not going to open up old wounds again. I’m just pleased that it’s been saved and will hopefully be on permanent display for all to see - so every Evertonian will ’Know Their History’!
Chris Jones, Wakefield
3   Posted 28/09/2007 at 17:31:17

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Before people rush to scoff at E.F.C. not stumping-up all the money for this themselves, Lottery funding being necessary to complete the purchase, let’s not forget two things ...

1. This was a worthwhile thing for the Lottery Heritage Fund to spend all our money on. It’s a massively important heirloom for ALL football fans, and footie is our NATIONAL game after all, and

2. If Manyoo plc, one of the world’s richest clubs, can take £30k from the lottery, as they did a couple of years ago to fund a keep fit scheme for its (non-playing) staff, then why can’t E.F.C. "have some" too?

Let’s not cavil, let’s just celebrate!
Anthony Newell
4   Posted 28/09/2007 at 17:50:40

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And with Capital of Culture year looming lets keep Everton FC in it’s rightful place - in our city
steve callaghan
5   Posted 28/09/2007 at 18:37:58

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So, when we move to Kirkby - will this collection remain at the ’Liverpool Record Office’ or be moved to Kirkby? Just a thought....It seems to me that the collection belongs to the Heritage company now - and not Everton per-say (mind you this is probably a good thing as we have a habit of selling off our material assets)
Lee Spargo
6   Posted 28/09/2007 at 19:10:34

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Why do people have to turn things around and have a dig all the time?


This has nothing to do witrh moving to Kirkby, why mention it?

Great news. Well done to all concerned.
Peter Singer
7   Posted 28/09/2007 at 19:47:49

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Excellent news indeed. But you shouldn’t blame people who think of the K word when our history is mentioned.

You see, this story really demonstrates that it’s possible to decide with your heart and your head together. And these are the best decisions.
Park End Stand
8   Posted 28/09/2007 at 20:33:30

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Absolutely excellent news.If I remember correctly David France did not ever want the collection to be owned in full by Everton.Anyway good luck to the collection when it is up and running and Everton for the season.
Tony Tighe
9   Posted 28/09/2007 at 20:39:28

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In Answer to Steve Callaghan. The Charitable Trust owns the Collection now and that is run by Evertonians for Evertonians. There will be a total of 18,000 items in the Everton Collection once the Club donates their archive.

We will have so many items in the Collection that our task in the future is threefold.

  • Firstly to add to the Collection and maintain its status as the Best in the World,
  • Secondly to maintain the Collection in pristine condition; and
  • thirdly to make it accessible to football fans at the Record Office and worldwide though our new website.
We now have the budget to conserve the Collection properly we will be digitising it (copying it) so the Brain of the Collection will always remain in the Record Office while at the same time we will be taking it out to the people by showing parts of the Collection at National Museums Liverpool, the National Football Museum, we will loan parts to the Anfield Museum and naturally if we get a new stadium our own museum will be able to stage a rolling programme of themed exhibitions on the history of the Blues... that will be totally unique! I hope that allays your fears.
Gerard Madden
10   Posted 28/09/2007 at 21:03:28

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Thanks Tony for that information - a cracking collection it appears to be, if you don’t mind i’ll give a trip to the Anfield museum a miss but am made up it can be loaned out to the club for our own future museum. In the meantime i’m looking forward to displays through the National Museums Liverpool.

Anyway congratulations on all the hard work you and the club have been doing over this - you deserve a medal!
tommy gibbons
11   Posted 28/09/2007 at 21:01:57

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It is great news (except of course to pricks like s.callaghan and his ilk).. It is a history of EFC and wherever we play it remains OUR history.. or do you think the small matter of moving to another L postcode and having to travel underneath a motorway is more powerful an image to people than the history of our club?! If we do move to Kirkby how do you think the history books will describe the move.. it’ll be something like this.. and in eg. 2010 Everton moved to The New Goodison Park, Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby, Liverpool, Merseyside L33.. substitute Kirkby, for Speke, Gillmoss, Scotland Road etc... The club will remain in fans hearts because of its history, it will nor fade away... Anyway, well done to all those involved..a job well done!!
Pete Moore
12   Posted 29/09/2007 at 06:48:13

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What a great result in securing the future of a great past. Massive well done and thanks to Tony Tighe and all involved with and supporting this essential securing of the greatest collection of memorabilia...which is the greatest the world has ever seen. A true embodiment of NSNO indeed!
Jamie Yates
13   Posted 29/09/2007 at 13:25:48

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About time.

well done to everyone involved in securing this priceless collection, really would?ve been a crime to see it bought privately or dismantled.

to think the money the club has wasted on hopeless signings that could?ve been spent on securing this treasure trove a long time ago.

here?s hoping it is exhibited in style and maintained in a befitting manner as a tribute to the efforts of dr. france and the illustrious history of our great club.
calumroy
14   Posted 29/09/2007 at 18:31:50

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this site is run by wankers and not real blues pricks
arthur jones
15   Posted 30/09/2007 at 05:16:36

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Unfortunately I never got to see the preview of the collection at Goodison a few months ago but I’ve spoken to people who were priviliged to go . One comment I heared from a young blue who’s memories only really go back to the 1995 FA cup final , she went there with her uncle , a long time supporter , who told her he could have brought a sleeping bag and slept there for a week just to take it in . That comment speaks volumes for me of what it’s like to be a blue , one who has " the Everton thing " the bug , The reason why securing the collection for us is so important . Well done Tony Tighe , Lord Granchester and all those involved .
Les Smith
16   Posted 30/09/2007 at 14:00:00

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Great news to learn that the Everton Collection hase been secured for all time. Also a big vote of thanks to Dr David France for having the foresight, interest and perseverance to accumulate such a fantastic range of Everton memorabilia and to Tony Tighe, Lord Grantchester and their team for obtaining the money required to purchase a collection which, together with the spirit of Goodison Park, forms a substancial part of the soul of Everton Football Club.
Denis Byrne
17   Posted 03/10/2007 at 11:50:32

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Incredible, thank god that the collection has finally been secured and thank all the other gods that EFC do not have it! I trust the Charitable Trust unequovically, sadly, and I am ashamed to admit this, but the same cannot said for the current administration of our club. I’ve just signed the petition for Howard Kendalls knighthood, now lets get on to the the Pope to make Dr. France a saint, because he is THE modern hero of Everton Football Club. Thankyou Dr.France, I will now go an light a candle for you and get absolutely bevvied to celebrate, and then look forward to some half arsed recognition from the club at the next home game. Everton forever and ever and ever...
matthew bailey
18   Posted 19/05/2008 at 19:30:26

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lfc r gay and should be religated were the best and i want chelsea to win instead of the gay mancs manchester scum.


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