'The Yellow Earl – the Life of Hugh Lowther' Exhibition at The Beacon Museum

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THE BEACON Museum's next exhibition spotlights one of history's most colourful characters.

Hugh Lowther - known as The Yellow Earl because of his fondness for the colour – became the fifth Earl of Lonsdale in 1882.
He owned much of Whitehaven and its coalfields, as well as assets around the country, but is said to have lived an extravagant lifestyle and spent the family fortune.

The Earl was a sportsman and an adventurer - creating modern boxing and donating the Lonsdale belt. He was a patron of the Automobile Association (hence its yellow livery) and set up an animal charity.

This new exhibition covers the extraordinary highs and lows of Hugh Lowther's unusual life.  It includes lots to do for children and families - igloo-making workshops (the Earl visited Alaska and claimed to have reached the North Pole), circus skills, Wii boxing and dressing up - as well as all the museum's normal galleries and hands-on exhibits.

'The Yellow Earl – the Life of Hugh Lowther' opens at 10am on Saturday, April 2. To book, or find out more, visit The Beacon Museum website, or call 01946 592302.