Deal widow: 'Museum forced me out of my home'
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By Beth Robson
brobson@thekmgroup.co.uk
An elderly widow says she has had to leave her home because of
stress brought on in a dispute with the trustees of Deal Maritime
and Local History Museum .
Kathleen Thomson's family say the museum's trustees have erected
a four metre fence around the 82-year-old's kitchen, blocking out
the light from her windows.
Judith Dore, curator of the St George's Road museum, said the
fence was built to protect the property and its artifacts on the
advice of police.
Martin Catt, the pensioner's son-in-law, said: "She has lost two
stone in weight since this all started and we've now paid to put
her in a residential home for two weeks while we start a petition
to send the Charities Commission.
"She's suffering and if we took her back there, like we have
before, she
's almost
hysterical with the stress of it."
The dispute started in 2008 when issues about access and land
rental flared up after Mrs Thomson objected to a protective
covering that the museum began building over one of the boat
artefacts in the yard.
According to Mrs Dore, the neighbour had rented a portion of the
museum's land for a peppercorn rent of £4 per year.
This was an agreement between previous owners of her house and
the museum.
But the trustees were alerted that it would not be allowed by
the Charities Commission and that the agreement should never have
been made in the first place.
After consulting solicitors, the land was reclaimed in January
2010.
"We were advised by police to erect a fence to prevent us being
able to look into her windows," Mrs Dore said.
Mrs Thomsett used the land as a garden, tending to many potted
plants.
Mr Catt added: "Her garden was her life.
"We found something on the internet that states she's got a
right to light because she's been there for more than 20
years."
He believes the Land Registry documents state she has still got
a right to access but Mrs Dore said the family has taken this out
of context.
"We've already spent more than £2,000 to try and get her right
of access back," he said.
Deryck Murray, chairman of the trustees, said: "It's a storm in
a tea cup.
"We had a six month notice period to honour and we issued her
with a notice of our intention to reclaim the land on July 15 2009
and we put that into effect in the end of January.
"All documents relating the land at the Deal Maritime and Local
History Museum are available for inspection," he said.
A Facebook group, called Shame on You Deal Maritime Museum, was
launched on Thursday.
By 10am on Friday, membership had rocketed from 29 to 222 and it
continues to rise.
Nathan Sewell, a former pupil of Mrs Thomson, is one of the
group's administrators.
He said: "I'm delighted that people from outside the area have
joined the group to back Mrs Thomson.
"There's a few of us who want to support these people who try
but cannot support themselves."
Tuesday, June 22 2010
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