The director of the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum (BECM) has been dismissed from his post following allegations of unauthorised disposal of objects from the collection.
In a story that Museums Journal broke exclusively online last month, Neil Cossons, chairman of the BECM trustees, said: “Gareth Griffiths has been dismissed as director of the BECM for abuse of his position as director and the unauthorised disposal of museum objects. We’re not in a position to make further comment because of impending police enquiries.”
A statement from Griffiths’ solicitor, McCloy Legal, said that he had not been interviewed by the police and any objects were disposed of with the knowledge and agreement of the trustees.
“Our client will now be making an application to an employment tribunal with regard to the terms of his employment and the trustees’ treatment of him under his contract. Any suggestion that our client has profited from the disposal of the collection will be vigorously defended.”
Museums Journal understands that at least two items from the Commonwealth Institute collection, which was gifted to the BECM in early 2003, have been disposed of, including a 19th-century Maori wooden panel, which was consigned to auction last September.
A spokesman for the Commonwealth Education Trust, which represents the Commonwealth Institute collection, said: “We want to know what the state of the collection is and what is still at the BECM.”
The trustees plan to audit the collection, which is in storage and includes more than 553,000 items. The museum closed its Bristol base in 2008 pending a relocation to London.
In a story that Museums Journal broke exclusively online last month, Neil Cossons, chairman of the BECM trustees, said: “Gareth Griffiths has been dismissed as director of the BECM for abuse of his position as director and the unauthorised disposal of museum objects. We’re not in a position to make further comment because of impending police enquiries.”
A statement from Griffiths’ solicitor, McCloy Legal, said that he had not been interviewed by the police and any objects were disposed of with the knowledge and agreement of the trustees.
“Our client will now be making an application to an employment tribunal with regard to the terms of his employment and the trustees’ treatment of him under his contract. Any suggestion that our client has profited from the disposal of the collection will be vigorously defended.”
Museums Journal understands that at least two items from the Commonwealth Institute collection, which was gifted to the BECM in early 2003, have been disposed of, including a 19th-century Maori wooden panel, which was consigned to auction last September.
A spokesman for the Commonwealth Education Trust, which represents the Commonwealth Institute collection, said: “We want to know what the state of the collection is and what is still at the BECM.”
The trustees plan to audit the collection, which is in storage and includes more than 553,000 items. The museum closed its Bristol base in 2008 pending a relocation to London.