For the last few months, the rooftop of the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society museum on Broad Street has looked a little different. While building works have been taking place, the well-known weathervane was removed for restoration – exactly 30 years after it was first placed on top of the museum’s roof.
On Wednesday 4th November 2026, the artefact made its triumphant return to the Society’s Grade II-listed building. The project’s buildings team reinstalled the iconic item for residents and visitors to the town to enjoy the sight of once again.
Made largely from copper, the weathervane dates from around 1810. It represents a three-masted seagoing vessel, of a type that would have been used to transport goods into and out of Spalding when the port was still active.
The weathervane has an interesting history. It came from the former Ship Warehouse, in Double Street, when the building was demolished in 1964. It remained in the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society museum for many years before it was erected on the roof in 1996, thanks to Society member Geoff Sharman.
In the months since its removal, the weathervane has been repaired and refurbished under the watchful eye of another member, Robert Frost, who runs a local engineering company, RF Welding Ltd. It took 150 hours to painstakingly restore the weathervane. Its return to the rooftop is a sign of the positive progress being made towards the museum being ready to welcome visitors back in spring 2027.
The building was originally built in 1911 and later extended in the 1950s and 1960s. Due to ageing construction methods and ground conditions, these later extensions were subsiding and placing strain on the original structure. Historic England identified the building as being at risk and recommended the removal of the rear extensions.
‘New Beginnings’ is a multi-year project that aims to secure the Society’s future. The first phase of the project is funded by a Museum Estate & Development Fund (MEND) grant. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds MEND, which is administered by Arts Council England. These essential works will help secure the building’s future for generations to come and enable the Society’s museum to be repaired, refurbished, and fully re-displayed for the first time in over a century.
This is just the start of plans to expand and increase the Society’s reach – helping to connect members, visitors, schools and the wider public with the world through interactive engagement with its collections.
Find out more about the plans of Spalding Gentlemen’s Society and see how you can get involved at www.sgsoc.org
