Thousands of men will have sat on it. Now the chair from a long-gone barber’s shop is to get a wash and brush up for display in Brightlingsea Museum.

Thanks to a grant from Community Reach, the organisation that helped fund The Lozenge, Springmead and Brightlingsea Harbour’s first ferry, the chair from Mr Chaplin’s shop on the corner of Victoria Place will benefit from a little tlc.

Purchased in 1935 for £7, 10s, the chair has been on regular display in the museum.

Community Reach has also provided funds to restore an album of 19thC  watercolours of cottages, houses, and farms in Thorrington and Frating. The album was given to the museum for safe keeping but was in desperate need of cleaning and restoration.

The museum’s curator, Margaret Stone, said: “The museum is most grateful for this donation as it is important we care for items donated to ensure they are available for generations to come.”

With the 25th Brightlingsea Free Music Festival coming up, the museum is hosting an exhibition of memorabilia from past events, (pictured below) which will run until August 10.

On Saturday, July 26, from 3-4.30pm, the festival committee will launch this year’s event at the museum. There’ll be the chance to buy some festival merchandise, a performance from The Motley Crew – one of this year’s festival performers – and reminisce.