Brighton Toy and Model Museum is proud to announce that we have a new resident, one Horatio C. Gull, former watchbird of the Lord Nelson Inn. He now sits above the cabinets in our shop, watching visitors come and go and admiring the photos of his friends and family in our local history section.
But how did he come to be here? Well, a few months ago Horatio's former boss, Graham Boyd, left the Lord Nelson after longs years of glorious service and Horatio felt an itch in his wings and an urge to move on as well. He bid his co-workers a fine farewell, helping them on one last crossword (7 down; cosmopolitan) and flew the nest.
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| Left to Right: Horatio, Annie, Toby, Nelson Gnome and Lizzi |
Now, Horatio has not been out into the big wide world for some time and it took him a moment or two to find his land wings. Well, he'd been out for one last photo with the staff and regulars as a present for graham but he'd been under someone else's wing at that point.
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| The fine folks of the Lord Nelson Inn |
But with goodbyes done, people moving on to new things and the cricket memorabilia taken down it was truly time to head off. A Seagull can only wait around for so long after all. The future is waiting!
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| Feather in beak, Horatio flies the coop |
But where was he to go? Now you and I both know where he goes but at the time Horatio was rather unsure. Such decisions are hard for your average person, let alone a former watchbird. It should be noted that Horatio is very well read, hence his always welcome help with the crossword (though Sudoku still confuses him), and enjoys a good a book so he soon found something very nice when he stumbled across Nick's Book stall. A wondrous range of literature and reference books lay before him! Horatio had a very good browse.
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| Sadly he could not find a copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull |
As fun as it was to be surrounded by books Horatio knew he could not live the rest of his life with his beak buried in a book. He was a working bird! That is when he spied an inviting red sign and an interesting little establishment.
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| Yes, it's under the bridge, below the train station. Come visit us! |
A museum!? A museum was a great place for Horatio to start a new life. He could watch the front desk and make sure the volunteers behaved and when the museum was shut and the toys were safe and sound he could read the books in the shop or the resource room. A quick meeting with the Director, Chris Litttledale, and Manage, Tigger Savage, and he had the job just like that. They knew talent when they saw it!
And so Horatio took up his spot as if he had always meant to be there. Welcome Horatio, it's nice to have you here!
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| Horatio stands watch |
Horatio's reading list
- Shire book of Mail Trains
- for the love of TRAINS
- great days of the Southern Railway
- Classic Steam
- Vintage Meccano Magazines
