Loom

This loom from Ghana was given to the museum in 1904 by one of its most important supporters, Arnold Ridyard. He was a Chief Engineer on a steam ship owned by Elder, Dempster & Company’s West Africa Service. Within a matter of months it was on display in the museum’s basement gallery devoted to objects from Africa. It was a star item and it soon featured in an article in the newspaper, The West African Mail: “The West African section of the Liverpool Museum has been enriched by the recent acquisition of many interesting objects from various parts of the Coast presented by King Amonoo of Anamaboe, King Cudjoe Ababio of Accra, Prince Tackie of Accra and Chief Ocloo, Kwitta per Mr A. Ridyard, of the steamship “Nyanga,” who has also added many interesting objects to the collection, the principal one being a native working loom, complete in every detail, which may be seen in the Mayer Basement, mounted exactly as used on the Gold Coast.” The loom was still on display in 1931 and a short description along with its photograph featured in the museum’s Handbook and Guide to the African Collection. It was still on display on the 3 May 1941 and was destroyed as the fire ripped through the basement.