The Duleep Singh Family
Maharajah Duleep Singh's son, Prince Frederick, gifted Ancient House to the people of Thetford in 1921. The museum opened to the public on 11 December 1924. Prince Frederick wished the museum to preserve local history and heritage, and it is our privilege to also share the story of his remarkable family.
Displays in our downstairs spaces tell the story of Maharajah Duleep Singh, his parents, Maharajah Ranjit Singh and Maharani Jind Kaur, and his first wife, Bamba Müller. The new displays include an exquisite model of three of the room settings from Elveden Hall, the country house near Thetford where Maharajah Duleep Singh and his family made their home in the 1860s. Duleep Singh commissioned John Nash, architect, to turn Elveden Hall into an Indian palace, inspired by the Palace at Lahore.
Drawing on contemporary descriptions, archival photographs, inventories and other research, model maker Ethan Goodbody has spent many months building his miniature recreations of the Hall's Dining Room, Drawing Room and Library which reflect this rich Anglo-Punjabi heritage. With Elveden Hall itself not open to the public, these beautiful models are the closest visitors can come to experiencing the Hall as the Duleep Singh family would have known it.
The styles and motifs employed in Duleep Singh's transformation of Elveden Hall have also provided the inspiration for the designs of the displays, with purple, cream and gold accents reflecting the Hall's rich decoration.
These include the 'Treasury Room' which features displays on the Anglo-Sikh Wars, the Koh-i-noor diamond and the Great Exhibition (including replica diamonds showing how it was recut by Prince Albert), and the Maharajah as country gentleman. This is along with a case showing artefacts from the Peter Bance Collection, which change annually.
Peter Bance, Sikh historian and consultant says, "The Ancient House owes its very existence to the generosity of Prince Frederick Duleep Singh, son of the last Maharajah of the Punjab. It is fitting to be marking the museum's centenary with new displays about the family. I first visited the area and the museum nearly 30 years ago and I have been fascinated since then to research, collect and publish about the Maharajah and his family. It was the visit to Ancient House all those years ago that started my interests."
In the museum's 1901 kitchen there is interpretation which tells the story of three servants at Elveden Hall, the Maharajah's valets and the Maharani's lady's maid. All the interpretation has been created in close consultation with key partners over many years, many of whom are from the Sikh community, to ensure accuracy and authenticity throughout.
Dr Priya Atwal, historian and consultant on the project says, "I am delighted have worked with the team at Ancient House to tell the stories of the Maharajah Duleep Singh and his family. It has been particularly fascinating to consider ways to adapt cutting-edge academic research for museum visitors. We are increasingly uncovering new layers and greater nuance in our understanding of the lives of this young man and his family, whose extraordinary story sits at the cusp of South Asian and British history.
"The Duleep Singhs may have been royalty, but their experiences as exiles and members of the local community echo down the ages and are of poignant relevance to many people in Britain today. It's been so exciting working with the Ancient House team to help visitors learn to take on the role of a historian, and to work with us to make sense of the nuances in this rich, thought-provoking historical narrative."
The displays are part of the Prince Frederick's Thetford Museum project which is supported by a generous grant from National Lottery players through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional funding from Thetford Town Council, Breckland Council, the Friends of Thetford Museum, Norfolk County Council and Arts.
