The Friends of the Ipswich Museums share the ‘Evenki Suit’ with us

The “Evenki suit,” is part of the World Cultures collection at Ipswich Museum.  Some items were brought back by explorers and adventurers.  Some were collected by officers serving the British Empire such as Charles Partridge, a District Officer in Southern Nigeria in the early 1900s.  All have some links back to Suffolk.

CIMS on behalf of IBCThe Evenks live in the far reaches of Siberia/Mongolia.  They tended reindeer and were hunter-gatherers.  The outfit comprises a jacket, leggings, boots and a hat made of reindeer skin.  It has been in the collection for a very long time, possibly among the first items given to the Museum as early as 1852, before proper records began.

So, who wore that suit in some of the coldest regions on earth?  Was it one of the intrepid Victorian explorers, discovering the far-flung Evenks and adopting their practical clothing?  It is suggested that it may well have come back with the crew of HMS Herald in the 1840s/50s.  In 1848, HMS Herald was sent in search of Sir John Franklin’s expedition which disappeared whilst trying to find the Northwest Passage. During this voyage Herald sailed through the Bering Strait across the Chukchi Sea and discovered Herald Island, named after the ship. It was only in 2014 that the fate of the two doomed ships in Franklin’s expedition, HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, came to light.

We may never know the whole story, and it might not be the most glamorous item in the collections at Ipswich Museum, but it is an example of the sheer range and diversity of items held – all of which inform and enlighten us.

Why not join The Friends of  the Ipswich Museums (FOIM)?

We are a charity dedicated to supporting and promoting the three Ipswich Museums.

Members Benefits:

• You will be helping to support Ipswich Museums by funding acquisitions, conservation and exhibitions
• You will receive invitations to Friends’ event including visits, talks, exhibition previews and social events.
• You will be sent 3 Newsletters each year with latest news, interesting articles, event listings and so on.

With membership from only £12 a year, download our membership brochure here

FOIM events are posted on the Ipswich.love event guide

The Friends of the Ipswich Museums (FoIM)

We are a charity dedicated to supporting and promoting the three Ipswich Museums.

Events with The Friends of the Ipswich Museums (FoIM)

• A Peep into the Past Tours
  Sun 27th Apr 2025
• A Peep into the Past Tours
  Sun 27th Apr 2025
• A Peep into the Past Tours
  Tue 29th Apr 2025
• A Peep into the Past Tours
  Wed 30th Apr 2025
• A Peep into the Past Tours
  Sat 3rd May 2025

Who wrote this about Ipswich?

Erica Burrows

Erica is Vice President of FOIM responsible for Guides/Tours