Westbury Mayor Jane Russ took a trip back in time to 150 years ago when she opened the latest exhibition at the town’s museum.

Packed with artefacts, information and pictures, the three-month exhibition focuses on Westbury 150 years ago.

It features everything from what people earned, the sorts of jobs they did, town shops and local personalities.

Westbury 150 Years Ago displays feature items from the railway, the cloth mills and the inns as well as a 19th century silk day dress and a handmade Victorian nightgown.

Visitors can see the carefully weighed meagre portion of bread and cheese that would have been allocated as lunch for an adult man in the town’s workhouse.

Sally Hendry launches the Westbury looking back in time exhibition.Trevor Porter 77267-2Sally Hendry launches the Westbury looking back in time exhibition. (Image: Trevor Porter)

In the school corner, a Victorian desk is ready for its latest pupils and visitors get the chance to try copy writing italic style like their forebears would have done.

There is also information about the many schools that were in the town and the sorts of lessons children would have been taught.

Opening the exhibition Cllr Russ said: “During my year as mayor I shall be concentrating on community and a town museum is central to how a community sees itself.

“The sterling work done by volunteers of the Westbury Heritage Society to keep the museum at the heart of the community is admirable.”

Lily Munday worked at Boulton’s glove factory in Westbury and still works in that profession at Dents in Warminster. Trevor Porter 77267-3Lily Munday worked at Boulton’s glove factory in Westbury and still works in that profession at Dents in Warminster. (Image: Trevor Porter)

While there are no photographs from the 1870s, the exhibition features some of the museum’s oldest photographs, giving visitors a chance to see how their town has changed.

The exhibition in the museum on the first floor of the town library will run until November. Entrance is free and everyone is welcome.

Westbury Museum, which had been closed until recently due to water damage in the roof, has been repaired and repainted.

Westbury Heritage Society secretary Brenda Pyne said: “It’s great to be up and running again and to be hosting such an interesting exhibition.

"We really hope people will come along and enjoy it.”