Alistair Hardaker | Image: Professor Jonathan Van-Tam (Number 10)
Boston Guildhall Museum receives Sir Jonathan Van-Tam’s pin-striped suit and ties worn during Downing Street COVID-19 press briefings.
Boston Guildhall Museum has received a donation from Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, who was born and raised in the town, to feature in a forthcoming exhibition series about notable Bostonians.
Van-Tam rose to national prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic through his role as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, appearing at Downing Street press briefings.
The donation includes the pin-striped suit worn during the press conferences, a tie worn during the briefings, and a Boston United Football Club tie.
Van-Tam became known for wearing pin-striped suits and the club’s tie during his television appearances.
Van-Tam said: “I remember coming to the museum whilst growing up in the town and going into the cells.
“Now that my suit has reached the end of its working life, I wanted to donate it to the museum as it marked a part of my own life and that of my hometown.”
A graduate of the University of Nottingham, Van-Tam served as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England from 2017 to 2022 and played a leading role in the UK’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was knighted in the 2022 New Year Honours.
Councillor Sarah Sharpe, portfolio holder for heritage, culture and tourism, said: “We are very grateful to Jonathan for his generous donation.
“We are currently working on a series of exhibition panels about famous Bostonians and this donation will be exhibited as part of that series over the next few months.
“Although we are rightly proud of our rich history going back over a thousand years, we are also keen to preserve contemporary history for future generations, and this donation fits very well into this category.”
