Two artworks have been donated to the art collection at Alfred East Gallery.
Kettering’s collection began in 1905 with the acquisition of Walter Bonner Gash’s The Connoisseur, an oil painting of local antique dealer Mr Percival working inside his Kettering shop. Since then, the collection has grown to contain almost 1,000 artworks, many of which have become valuable records of the history of our town. These two latest additions expand on that tradition, further preserving Kettering’s past for generations to come…and in the case of one artwork, going full circle with a strong bond to the collection’s very beginning.
At a ceremony recently within the historic surroundings of Toller United Reformed Church, Kettering Civic Society presented the new additions to Billie Stevenson, Alfred East Gallery Manager, who happily welcomed them into the collection.
The first painting has strong ties to Kettering’s wartime past. HMS Pytchley, a watercolour by Fred Jay Girling, depicts the Royal Navy destroyer funded by the generosity of the people of Kettering during World War II. A result of one of many fundraising campaigns, dubbed “Warship Weeks”, where towns and villages were encouraged to donate whatever they could to help provide ships for the country’s Navy. For the people of Kettering, their generosity paid for the HMS Pytchley.
HMS Pytchley on display inside Toller Church
Girling (1900-1982) was a naval architect by trade, enjoying painting in his spare time. Entirely self-taught, his architecture background is evident in the attention to detail seen in his watercolours. Girling spent time living in Wellingborough and Kettering, before retiring to Mears Ashby. This painting is the first by Girling to be accepted into the Gallery’s collection.
Richard Barnwell, President of Kettering Civic Society, discusses Girling’s painting
The ceremony’s second donation marks a return to the collection’s roots. The intriguingly titled The Modern Woman by Walter Bonner Gash is now alongside The Connoisseur at Alfred East Gallery, bringing together two artworks by the renowned Kettering artist. A forerunner of Kettering’s art movement, Gash was a founding member of Kettering & District Art Society and we recently saw the unveiling of a heritage blue plaque at his former home.
The Modern Woman displayed inside Toller Church
Gash’s painting is steeped in Kettering history. Not only is the subject thought to be another member of the Percival family, but he is depicted standing in the historic Post Office Buildings on Gold Street within the town. These buildings no longer exist, having made way for the development of the Newlands Shopping Centre. He gazes out of the window at shoppers wearing early 20th Century clothing, and we can see the Toller Church standing opposite.
The Modern Woman was kindly donated by local resident Annie MacCormick, having been in her family for many years.
Annie presenting Gash’s painting to Billie Stevenson
We are grateful to Annie and Kettering Civic Society for their generous donations, and the Toller United Reformed Church for their kindness in hosting the ceremony.