A PLAQUE to commemorate Wimborne woman Hilda Coles has been unveiled in the town.

Representatives from Wimborne Minster Town Council, the museum and museum trust unveiled the green plaque at the Priest's House Museum.

Town mayor Anthony Oliver, who knew Mrs Coles, said: "Hilda turned the house into a museum for the people of the town. This year would also have been her 100th birthday, so the plaque celebrates both."

Born in 1907, Hilda Coles was the only child of Thomas and Blanche Coles and she lived over the ironmonger's shop in what is now the museum.

While she was at Wimborne Girls School, which was in Allendale House at the time, she was given the nickname Mick that stayed with her for the rest of her life.

Just like her father, Miss Coles was interested in the history of Wimborne and they began to collect objects, starting with unsold stock from the ironmonger's and stationer's shops. She was also a keen photographer and photographed the buildings and characters of Wimborne to keep a record for future generations.

She worked in the ironmonger's shop, helped the local archaeological group by giving them tools and when the Second World War broke out she served as a WRNS driver.

In 1957 her father died and Miss Coles and her mother decided to fulfil his dream of opening a museum in the town.

They started off with just three rooms in their house and with much support and help opened the museum to the public on July 31 1962.

Miss Coles died in January 1987 and left the museum and the rest of the house to the people of Wimborne.

James Webb, assistant curator of the museum, said: "She was ahead of her time, making it so accessible for all ages.

"She bequeathed this fantastic resource. The plaque has been a wonderful acknowledgement of everything she achieved."

Mr Webb said he was grateful to volunteer Brenda Flint for her research into Hilda Coles, which has been turned into a booklet for the museum shop.

It is the 12th plaque erected around the town to highlight points of historic interest. The scheme was the initiative of John Perry during his mayoral year two years ago. The other 11 sites, which include the Old Grammar School and the rail-way station, can be found on the Wimborne Minster Town Trail.