Foreword to the catalogue

This splendid new catalogue illustrates a selection from the substantial Richmond Borough Art Collection.  This collection came into the public domain in 1962 with the bequest to the people of Twickenham by the Hon. Mrs Nellie Ionides (my grandmother) of over 460 works of art.  With the later Burton and Paton Bequests, Gill Collection and further individual acquisitions the Borough now owns over 2,100 works originating from the early 18th century up to this day.

Half the works selected for reproduction in this catalogue come from the Ionides Collection, a testament to Nellie's taste and knowledge as a connoisseur.  She hunted down her own collections with a passion, purchasing not only from known dealers, but searching every small country junk shop she passed in her car.  She often enlisted my help, from childhood onwards, to comb likely treasure-troves, such as the Brighton Lanes, in the days when the numerous small, dusty shops were still unknown to tourists.  As a result of her unremitting quest, the collection includes views of Twickenham and Richmond riverside by painters of national as well as local importance including Leonard Knyff, Antonio Joli, Samuel Scott, William Marlow and George Hilditch.

As well as collecting local photographical scenes, Nellie Ionides helped save the great panoramic vista from the top of Richmond Hill, a favoured subject for artists through the ages.  In spite of the 1902 Act of Parliament to protect the view, in 1926 a gravel quarrying firm was starting to excavate the northern bank of the river opposite Ham House, threatening not only to hideously scare the famous landscape, but also destroy the architectural masterpiece, the Gibbs Octagon.  Indeed the gravel merchants had already demolished most of Orleans House, and the Octagon and Stables were about to be pulled down.  Thanks to my grandmother's quixotic purchase of these remaining historic buildings and the surrounding land (which she kept secret from her family for many years!) she was able to preserve, in its full natural beauty, the sweeping bend of the living River Thames, its banks rustic and green far into the horizon.  She bequeathed the whole property to the public together with the pictures and the view, so far, remains intact under the ever-watchful eyes of local art lovers and conservationists.  Several reproductions of this important view are included in the catalogue.

Items from the collections are usually exhibited in themed exhibitions, with emphasis on many different historic or artistic local aspects.  Through the eyes of artists over 300 years, we can acquire an anthropologically fascinating insight into life on and around the river, with Swan Upping (the annual counting of the swans), with royal river processions through the ages, with simple fishermen gathering food.  As 18th century roads were narrow, the Thames was the broadest of highways, carrying an endless variety of passenger boats and trade barges.  And along the river banks, the rich and powerful as well as poets, artists and actors built cottages or mansions to enjoy the fresh air away from the foetid city.  These houses and gardens, together with portraits of famous residents such as Alexander Pope, add to the richness of the collection.

In 2001 a much-appreciated grant of £45,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund made possible the installation, in Orleans House Gallery, of a new picture store, which provides easy access to the collection and a viewing area for researchers.  The grant has also allowed for this catalogue, and for remedial conservation work for paintings and watercolours.  Local enthusiasts are deeply grateful not only to the H.L.F, but also the current Curator of the Gallery, Rachel Tranter, and Assistant Curator, Mark De Novellis, for their initiative and hard work in gaining this award, as well as their skill and energy in maximising the benefits.  Their success allows us to feel confident that our Borough Collection will be safe for future generations.  In creating this attractive and accessible catalogue they reach out equally to young enthusiasts and scholarly experts world-wide, providing an ideal introduction to our internationally recognised historical and artistic resource.