FLAG NEWSLETTER

Chairman's thoughts - August 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of the FLAG newsletter, my first as your new chair, having taken over from Graham Cooper at the AGM. I hope to follow on from Graham's contributions over the last few years.

After some delays caused, believe it or not by weather, the reroofing and installation of climate equipment is proceeding and has enabled the part reopening of the main gallery. I do recommend that you visit the current exhibition, 'A Different View' which showcases many female artists' work from the gallery's own collection. These range from the familiar, such as Lucy Kemp-Welch, to some less well-known artists, all of whom deserve better recognition. FLAG funded the catalogue for the exhibition, so FLAG members can pick up a free copy from the reception desk. FLAG is now regularly represented on the Exhibition Planning Meetings at the gallery, better enabling us to make decisions about support for future exhibitions, plans for which are in place through to the end of 2027.

In the newsletter, you will find the dates for the winter talks programme and a flyer with the details of each will be sent out shortly. In the meantime, please make a note of the dates and times in your diaries. The Friday Focus talks resume in September, and the one on the 12th will be held in the cinema at the Spa Centre. This is to enable a showing of the film about the Bridgeman sculpture of the Unknown Refugee that was recently installed in Jephson Gardens. The film will be accompanied by short talks by Dr Jane Bridgeman and Professor Michael as well as film maker Andrew David Barker. Thereafter, talks will be in the gallery as usual.

FLAG will be present at the Leamington History Group Heritage Day on September 13th in All Saints Church, so do bring a friend or family member (or two!) and come along to see us. The church will be open between 10.00am and 3.00pm.

Thank you for your continuing support of FLAG which in turn enables us to fulfil our function of supporting the Art Gallery & Museum for the benefit of local residents and visitors to Leamington alike.

Paul Baker
Chair

Meeting dates 2025/6

Here are the dates of our future meetings. You will see that, as well as our January and February meetings, we have decided to hold the December one in the afternoon for this year to see if you like it! These meetings do have to take place on a Wednesday though as the hall is booked on Tuesday afternoons.

2025

Tuesday 14th October 7.30pm
Tuesday 18th November 7.30pm
Wednesday 17th December 2.30pm

2026

Wednesday 14th January 2.30pm
Wednesday 18th February 2.30pm
Tuesday 17th March 7.30pm
Tuesday 14th April 7.30pm

We will be sending out the full details in September, but the October meeting will be a talk by Jeff Watkin on the Camouflage Directorate and Artists in Leamington during WWII. More details to follow.

A couple of other dates to note are the first Friday Focus talk of the new term, on Friday 12th September when we are invited to the Spa Centre to see a film about the John Bridgeman sculpture in Jephson Gardens (see also below). More details to come.

Then on Saturday 13th September it is the History Day organised by the Leamington History Group in the Parish Church. We shall be having a table again and hoping to recruit more members. Do come along and say hello.

Installed in March in the Jephson Gardens, the newly cast statue by John Bridgeman, The Unknown Refugee, is settling in well.

FLAG Trip to Boughton House

Referring to Boughton House as an English Versailles may be an exaggeration, but its architectural style is undoubtedly French and the surrounding parkland is on a majestic scale. When we visited the house on 9th April, it was bathed in spring sunshine and the surrounding lakes and formal canals mirrored a clear (if somewhat chilly) blue sky.

Built for the 1st Duke of Montagu in the late 17th century, it reflects the influence of his close contact with the French court of Louis XIV in his role as British ambassador from 1669 - 1678. Many of the outstanding paintings (notably El Greco, Murillo and Van Dyck) furniture, clocks, ceramics, carpets and tapestries were collected by the Duke and remain in the house today. The fact that the state rooms have altered so little from their late 17th century appearance is down to the alliance of three dukedoms (Montagu, Queensbury and Buccleuch) in the mid-18th century which meant that with so many properties, Boughton was considered of minor importance and little used.

Our guide took us through the enfilade of state rooms where we admired the grand schemes of wall and ceiling paintings, many by the French painter Louis Cheron, as well as a series of fine tapestries from the Mortlake Tapestry works which the 1st Duke actually owned. They are all remarkably well preserved and this reflects the careful restoration programmes instigated by recent generations of the family. A spectacular state bed has had its original hangings restored and one of the oak floors ruined by death-watch beetle was meticulously replaced in the 1970s by estate craftsmen using oak planted at Boughton 350 years ago.

Rare oddities often survive in English country houses and perhaps the most memorable example here is the fragile Chinese summer pavilion commissioned in 1745 and housed in the unfinished wing. An ephemeral object made of wood and oil cloth, it was designed to concertina flat when not in use and its survival seems almost miraculous.

We were provided with both morning coffee and lunch, both excellent. We were the only visitors that day and the opportunity to explore the formal and kitchen gardens and park, meeting only the occasional gardener, was a privilege.

Jane Farrington

Visit to Amersham and Chenies Manor

Our day in Buckinghamshire was set fair from the very beginning and although it was mid May, the temperature was up to 23 degrees. We had three hours to explore Amersham and there was plenty to look at as most of the buildings there had a long history. There are about 150 listed and historic buildings, from the Drakes Almshouses in the High Street to the King's Chapel and several old coaching inns. The almshouses were funded (by a woman) for the benefit of poor women who were to be looked after for ever. It was not possible to see all the houses in the High Street, but they looked very well maintained, giving the impression of a very affluent town.

St Mary's Church was worth an extended visit. There is evidence of the 12th century church - a lancet window - and of 13th and 14th century modifications. The tower, south porch and St Catherine's chapel were added in the 15th century. Further additions were made throughout the centuries with most of the stained glass being Victorian but there is one beautiful window made from 17th-century Flemish glass. Something of a curiosity is the medieval font, which came from Crownthorpe in Norfolk and became redundant in the 1970s.

The Drake family chapel was unlocked for us to view the memorials to the family as well as brasses from the 15th, 16th and 17th century. On the left is one of several lavish memorials, this one to Montague Garrard Drake, who died in 1728. There was also a fine Kempe Studios window.

In the churchyard there are a number of unusual tombs known as 'body stones' (see right). They have a stone tube-shaped top reminiscent of a finger of fudge and date from 1770 - 1860. The flint facing (like much else) was a Victorian addition - fortunately the body stones were undisturbed.

We spent lunchtime in the award-winning Memorial gardens, which won an RHS award in 2022. It is not only very attractive in its arrangement of plants but also has some quirky and very unusual ideas. There were stepping stones decorated with patterns and prints, a floral image of a postage stamp with the silhouette of Queen Elizabeth surrounded by flowers as far as the perforations. There were water features all set off by well stocked borders and carefully tended lawns.

Chenies Manor

After the short journey to Chenies Manor, we were welcomed by Charles Macleod Matthews, the current owner, and then given a tour of the house. The Cheyne family acquired the building in the 12th century. Then in about 1526 John Russell (later to become the 1st Duke of Bedford) became the third husband of Anne Sapcote who owned the manor.

The house was enlarged and hosted both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. It remained the seat of the Russell family until 1627 when they moved to Woburn Abbey.

Chenies was one of the first domestic houses in the country to be built of brick, and has a great number of stepped gables (crow step gables, apparently) and twisted brick chimneys. We were told that with regular recurrences of the Plague (thought to be an airborne miasma), extensions like those on the right were built close together to keep it at bay.

The current owner's parents, Elizabeth and Alistair Macleod Matthews, bought the estate in 1950 despite the buildings needing substantial repair - work that is still ongoing. Chenies might not have been grand enough for later Dukes of Bedford, but unlike some of the stately homes FLAG visits, it seems relatively comfortable (apart from a haunted bedroom, perhaps) and the perfect size for a visit.

Elizabeth set about designing and planting the garden which has won several awards. For our visit, several of the garden areas were filled with showy white tulips and a mass of purple Allium Christophii. Like many other large manor houses, Chenies is also available as a wedding venue. The pergola and topiary cones are a popular spot for photographing the happy pair.

The nearby church of St Michael is Grade 1 listed and was largely built in the 15th century, with Victorian restoration. It is remarkable for its Bedford Chapel with its memorials to the family of the Dukes of Bedford - the Russells are still buried there. Sadly for us the Chapel is private but we were able to get a view of the monuments through the windows.

We were lucky to see the splendid gardens in the sunshine and enjoy our tea and cake there. It was a splendid visit but we could have spent another day enjoying the two sites.

Marilyn Lowe and Judy Ross

Unravelling History at LSAG&M

Co-curating Unravelling History was an absolute pleasure and, to be honest, a lot of fun. It was a real privilege to work alongside such a talented group of artists and the brilliant team at the gallery, especially Abigael Flack, Curator (Human History). Artists often work in solitude so the chance to bring some together to collaborate, share ideas, and think about how our individual works could tell a shared story was incredibly rewarding.

An awful lot of effort goes into making an exhibition like this work - it's not just a case of putting pictures on walls. Abi and I had to consider how visitors would move through the space, how they'd experience the exhibition from the moment they walked through the door. There were conversations about booklets and press releases, text for labelling, wall colours, even plug sockets, and accessibility, making sure everyone could navigate the space comfortably. Someone said, "It's like building a story you can walk through."

The work itself came from an extraordinary range of responses to the gallery's collection and each of us was given the freedom to interpret and reimagine what we found interesting. The results were varied, personal, and sometimes deeply emotional. Over 17,000 people came to see the exhibition, and their feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Visitors were fascinated by the technical aspects of the work and people spent a lot of time really looking. The average dwell time in the gallery was around 25 minutes, with many staying upwards of 45. Some came back again and again. The record, I think, was a lovely person who came back seven times!

One of the aims of Unravelling History was to encourage visitors to see the museum's collection through new eyes, and judging by the comments, that was hugely successful. There were also moving moments of connection, especially with the Windrush portraits. It told the stories of the Windrush generation in a new way to new audiences. Sitters and their families visited the gallery, often sharing stories with front-of-house staff. The human warmth of these encounters made the space feel alive and deeply personal. One of the things I'm most proud of is how Unravelling History appealed to such a wide audience. As well as the regular local visitors, we welcomed tourists, families, art students, and even textile enthusiasts who had travelled long distances especially to see the show. The gallery team did a wonderful job engaging schools and nurseries, and events like Friday Focus talks and Meet the Artist sessions were packed.

Since the exhibition closed, all the work lives on and the stories they tell continue to ripple outward. I learned a lot from the process, not just about curating, but about how art can connect, challenge, comfort and inspire. So, thank you to everyone who came, who looked, who talked, who felt. To me, you were as much a part of the exhibition as the artists and their work.

Annabel Rainbow

The artists, left to right from top: Daniel Lismore, Laura Kemshall, Annabel Rainbow, Linda Kemshall, Stephanie Redfern, Jennie Moncur. Annabel Rainbow's Spread the Love, Show Compassion is opposite.

Art Gallery News

As you will know, for the last few months we have been dealing with disruption while our leaking roof is being repaired. This work will transform the building and enable us to re-open spaces that have been closed off for many years. However, the process has proved to be more invasive than anticipated as the builders deal with the damage caused by years of water leaking into the fabric of the building. Unfortunately, after reconfiguring the gallery to ensure a selection of artworks were safely displayed, we had to close the main gallery completely to allow for the installation of a new support beam running the full length of the left-hand wall. Thankfully, access can remain open to Haddie's family gallery, our wonderful new exhibition A Different View and the museum.

This is not how we had hoped to start the summer holiday period, but our job is to preserve the collections and ensure they are safe for future generations. We are very much looking forward to re-opening this space in the autumn.

Exhibitions, displays and collections

Our last exhibition Unravelling History: unpicking the collections and reworking textile traditions closed in May. Co-created by history curator Abi Flack and artist Annabel Rainbow, it showcased the work of Annabel herself plus five other internationally renowned textile artists from the Midlands: Laura Kemshall, Linda Kemshall, Daniel Lismore, Jennie Moncur and Stephanie Redfern. Their extraordinary work was presented alongside items from the gallery and museum collection. The exhibition was incredibly popular and appealed to a wide range of visitors. The 'Meet the Artist' events were a particular success.

We are now showing A Different View: women artists in the Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum collection. After a delayed opening due to the roof work, we hosted a wonderful celebration event on 10th July. Curated by Kellie Sabin, this exhibition shows artworks by women artists from our collection alongside new work by artists based in the area. The hang does more than just tell a story, it is a statement of intent - revealing shared passions, unbridled determination and references which are robustly feminine. The ideas in the exhibition will be further explored in a symposium at the Art Gallery in September. As usual, the exhibition is accompanied by a publication, which was created thanks to funding from FLAG. We were delighted to be able to publish the new research underpinning the exhibition. Doing this allows LSAG&M to contribute to the academic discussions which are currently taking place about women artists, their work and their stories.

Included in A Different View are two of our most recent acquisitions: a pair of exquisite paintings by Mary Riley titled Lake 1 and Lake 11. They were donated by Mary at the end of 2024 with the intention that they would be included in the exhibition. They're exquisite examples of the way in which the landscape, and the feelings it elicits, can be captured in colour and abstraction. We are so pleased to have these works in the collection for posterity.

We were recently offered a collection of items from the daughter of someone who had worked at Lockheed/Automotive Products. She had seen a clutch part on display in the 25 Years exhibition and contacted us. Her father, Paul Watkins, worked at AP from the 1950s 1980s as a technical draughtsman and, in later years, as a section leader in the brakes section. His career saw the beginning of the move away from hand drawing and towards CAD (Computer Aided Design). The donation includes a large drawing of a brake part, which he designed, as well as a number of his drawing tools. These are welcome additions to our Social History collection, telling a story from one of the town's most significant employers, as well as something which speaks to the intersection of art and engineering.

Learning & Engagement

The Learning & Engagement team have had an exciting few months at the gallery and museum; alongside our programme of events, we have welcomed a number of schools in for workshops and continue to develop our educational offering. In June we hosted an open day for the Home Education community and following a brilliant response, we will be launching a Home Education Programme later in the year. Thank you to the members of FLAG for supporting our schools programme and the visit from Evergreen School in April.

While the essential roof works continue, some of the artworks were put away for safe keeping. This provided the L&E team with the opportunity to expand our family engagement area which has been well received by visiting families. Sadly, this expanded area has now had to be closed, but our Craft Studio and Haddie's Gallery remains accessible as usual.

We also had some interesting speakers for Friday Focus, including from the Lord Leycester and Leamington History Group. Friday Focus on 12th September will be at the Royal Spa Centre, a film on John Bridgeman.

Arts Development

In July the Arts Project and Arts Development grants were awarded to a range of local arts organisations responsible for delivering inclusive arts and heritage projects across Warwick District. We are very proud to support the work of so many creative groups and these grants are a tangible part of Warwick District's Creative Framework, relaunched this year, which seeks to support the district's growing reputation as a thriving cultural hub.

We would like to thank FLAG not just for the funding provided over the last few months, but also for your ongoing support. It has been particularly appreciated as we negotiate through our current building repair project.

Chloe Johnson and Vicki Slade
Collections & Engagement Managers

Visit to Shrewsbury and Wollerton Old Hall Gardens

The coach dropped us off on the edge of Quarry Park, where several of us immediately spotted buildings of interest close by. On the left is a small temple, which contains this statue, locally known as Hercules. In fact it's St Michael, and it's a war memorial. The rather fine sculpture, by Allan Wyon, was erected in 1922, with additional dedications added after 1945. This was not our first time in Shrewsbury, so Marilyn and I decided to explore beyond the Welsh Bridge in order to see what we could of The Mount, where Charles Darwin was born in 1809.

This was where he first researched the natural world, returning there after his famous voyage on the Beagle. The house and contents were sold in 1867, eventually becoming a Tax Office and it's currently empty but the grounds are still atmospheric, including the magnificent overhanging Sessile Oak which Darwin must have known well. An old tool shed where he experimented with chemicals can still be seen. It is good to learn that the house is now to be renovated as a museum and heritage site with its own cafe and so could well feature in some future FLAG visit to the city.

Walking back, we called at a tall Tudor building which now houses one of the most splendid and labyrinthine bookshops we have ever seen and there were many more such houses with their projecting jetties in the town centre. We enjoyed Fish Street and Butcher Row in particular, and then walked on to the magnificent St Mary's Church, the only complete medieval church in the city with its tall spire, magnetically alluring stained glass and carved ceiling (see above).

Though still with so much more to do and see, Shrewsbury's Museum couldn't be passed by, and it consumed several hours, helped by its fine cafe. Not the least pleasure was to gaze up the contrasting ceilings of connected rooms to be reminded that the collections are housed in a former Music Hall of 1835 while much of the medieval material is encased in the surviving 13th-century Vaughan's Mansion with its splendid timber roof structure. The museum has its own Darwin collection and I was rather taken by Shirley Chubb's wall mounted panels of tiny glass lens-platelets near the entrance recreating in image and texts the scientist's favourite walk along the Sandy Path at his later Down House residence. Returning to the coach and Quarry Park, there was just time to look inside St Chad's, which claims to be the only round church in England.

In the afternoon a short drive brought us to Wollerton Old Hall Garden for a private visit. We were met by the Head Gardener, who gave us an introduction before we were free to wander at leisure through the compact sections of the garden. It was created out of a field by Mr and Mrs Jenkins in the 1980s. In the early days they simply felt their way with open borders until it was decided that more compact and erect planting with lots of long, half-glimpsed vistas between different 'rooms', would work better and suit the Tudor Old Hall itself. One certainly felt the influence of Gertrude Jekyll and even Hidcote, nearer to us here.

other colours were striking, like the towering purple delphiniums, amid a wealth of salvias, clematis and varied ground cover plumped up with Astrantias and Achilleas and many unusual individual plants like Rayed Tansy.

The whole layout was punctuated by yew hedging arising from a cluster of needle-like pyramidal yews, inviting the visitor to wander further or opening sudden narrow intriguing corridors of transition.

The garden inspired its own David Austin fragrant apricot climbing rose, named after it in 2011. A special delight after a rushed morning (for some of us!) in Shrewsbury was to have lots of time to explore and linger, both before and after a leisurely tea served from the garden's own cafe, where there was opportunity to compare notes with one another and then visit the plant sales where uncommon varieties of salvia or aconite competed for attention.

All thanks to Lyn for planning and organising such a varied day and to our cheerful driver Neil who negotiated the trials of the M6 with good humour and even got us home a few minutes early.

Peter Larkin
Photos by Carolyn Gifford

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Published by FLAG
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www.friendsofleamingtonartgallery.co.uk