Introducing the scilly arts & heritage team

Rachael is the Museum's curator. She has worked for over a decade within the heritage sector in both regional and national museums working in collections care and interpretation. She undertook a PhD at Royal Holloway, University of London, focusing on the collecting activities of whalemen in the British Southern Whale Fishery, doing fieldwork in America, Australia and New Zealand.

Rachael moved to Scilly in 2022. She is preparing the collections for their move to the Town Hall and working closely with the interpretation designers to create the new galleries.

Ann became a trustee of the Isles of Scilly Museum Association in November 2022 and joined the Project Board as a museum representative. She became a co-chair of the Museum Association in March 2023 and has led two of the Project Board working groups – business planning and governance.

Ann is a chartered accountant and has held several charity trusteeships,as well as acting for charity clients. She shares her time between Scilly and Shrewsbury. When her grandsons visit, they are the fifth generation of her family to holiday on Scilly.

Justin lives on St Mary’s with his wife and youngest son.  He has previously spent time living on Bryher and St Agnes, although originally hails from Yorkshire.  Justin has spent the past 20+ years in leadership roles within various commercial organisations across a diverse range of sectors and geographies.  

He is a qualified solicitor and works as a consultant for several of the large international law firms, being sent out to clients whenever they have a need.  He is currently on assignment as Company Secretary and Legal Director for a FTSE listed company.

Judy lives near Oxford and is a fundraising and development consultant, primarily in the heritage and cultural sector.  She started her career at the BBC, before moving to the Science Museum and then the National Trust. She started a fundraising consultancy, Development Partners, in 2000 working with cultural organisations across the UK. 

For 10 years Judy was chair of trustees for Cogges Manor Farm in Witney. She has also been a trustee of the Roald Dahl Museum and the Waterways Trust.

Her introduction to the Isles of Scilly was on holiday in 2009. 

Jeff lives near Huntingdon and has been visiting Scilly since he was 8. He has been to Scilly for most of the 30 years since, missing just a few years for university and while studying in Australia. 

In recent years he has been able to add a third generation of Knotts to Scillonian visitors, with daughter Erin (9) on her fifth trip and Joel (1) who will take his first trip to the islands in 2024.

Jeff has worked in nature conservation for the RSPB for the last 16 years, with the last ten in director roles covering policy and operations. This has included running visitor centres, including Sherwood Forest. 

He has recently moved to a new executive role at another charity, Cats Protection.

Jeremy and Tammy are experienced arts producers who have been running arts and cultural  activities on Scilly for many years.

As well as bringing a fantastic performance programme to the islands, they will be working on new projects directly related to the creation of the new museum, involving Scilly residents of all ages.