Portrait of James Dorman

Sponsor

Year

Amount

Beatrice Claflin

2021

$1,500

In 1978 Jim Dorman founded the first museum on Lord Howe Island, sharing a small cottage with the RSL. Jim became the President and Curator until 2002. During the 1990s he enlisted the help of Ian Kiernan to raise the funds to build the new museum, completed in 2000.

Local artist Anna Thompson has a talent for portrait painting and the museum committee commissioned Anna to complete a portrait of Museum founder Jim Dorman.

We did find a sponsor for this project, Beatrice Claflin, the daughter of Dean Claflin. Dean was a good friend of Jim and had worked with Bill Lambourne on a number of museum projects in the 1980s, including completion of a wonderful scale model of the SS Morinda, which forms part of the permanent shipping displays in the Historical Gallery. The portraits will hang above the door into the James Dorman Historical gallery.

Other past projects

Zoom In!

A recent major acquisition at the Museum was the purchase of a digital microscope, the Micro-Eye built in New Zealand by Micro-Imaging.

Woodhen book

This book gives information on often asked questions about the Woodhen, plus the story of its rescue from the brink of extinction in 1980. The production was provided by LHI Museum volunteer committee members Ian Hutton, Sue Nichols and Margaret Murray.

1960s souvenir booklet

Shirley had this booklet reprinted in memory of her mother, and to support the Lord Howe Island Museum. The original was one of the first booklets available to tourists after World War II.

Electricity generator

This generator has been part of the museum’s collection for some 20 years. Funds were used to engage local mechanic, Bing Simpson, to give the generator conservation treatment to limit future oxidation and preserve the original character.

World Heritage book

This lavish 264 page colour book is a celebration of World Heritage Lord Howe Island. Sponsorship of the book came following a visit to the Island by Michael Looker, Director of the Nature Conservancy (Australia), who felt that it is important to promote Lord Howe Island as an example of world’s best practice environmental management by the Lord Howe Island Board and the New South Wales government.

Front verandah

In 2013 the Museum carried out a major extension to the front verandah. This has provided an attractive setting for residents and visitors to enjoy the Museum facility, and also the cafe and internet services. This project cost the Museum considerable funds but it could not have been completed without the extraordinary generosity of many volunteers.