More than 700 items relating to a historic employer will be put on display as part of a £45,000 museum project.

Shippams of Chichester opened in the city in 1786 and employed generations of people in its meat and fish preservation business until it was sold and finally closed in 2001.

Now, The Novium Museum in the city has received Arts Council England funding to host an exhibition showcasing the work of the business and the people behind it.

Councillor Jess Brown-Fuller, cabinet member for culture and events at Chichester District Council, said: “For many Cicestrians the memories of their time at Shippams are still held dear and we hope to capture these memories at the heart of the exhibition.

“This exciting project will provide local people with the opportunity to learn new skills, meet other members of the community and to be part of a collaborative project to better understand the Shippams collection.”

Formerly a family-run business, Shippams was first sold in 1974. The East Street Walls factory was closed in 2001.

The business offered preserved meats and fish and transported their products to America and across the world.

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After being awarded Arts Council funding the museum is set to recruit volunteers from the area to help catalogue and digitise records from the Shippams advertising archive.

An exhibition, planned for 2025, will also include objects relating to life in the factory as well as archaeological finds from an excavation of the old factory in 2005.

Jim Shippam, former chairman and chief executive of Shippams, said: “I am delighted that this project has been made possible, with thanks to the generous support from Arts Council England.

“Cataloguing and researching the Shippams advertising archive, alongside conducting an oral history project, will provide a valuable resource for the public and will ensure the unique story of Shippams is preserved for future generations.”

Volunteer recruitment will take place on Thursday, February 29, from 10am to noon at the museum in Tower Street, Chichester.