IPSWICH FINE ART CLUB
This is a successor to the Ipswich Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition. In a letter to the Ipswich Journal dated 'Ipswich, October 23rd 1873' it was proposed by John Duvall "my desire to institute an Art Gossip Society or Sketching Club in Ipswich. With this object in view, I have spoken to several gentlemen, who will be pleased to join. Among them Mr. Griffiths (School of Art), Major Phillipps, Captain Seccombe, R.A., Mr. Edward Packard, jun., Dr. Dixon Piper, the Rev. H. E. D. Cruso, Mr. Taylor (Museum), and others." etc. This was followed by a meeting of the Ipswich Fine Art Club at the [Ipswich] Museum on Tuesday 24th November 1874 when members determined to hold an exhibition at the commencement of each year with the first exhibition in January next. The committee was Mrs [Lucy] Bartlet, Miss [Catherine] Jocelyn, Major [Charles] Phillipps, Rev John Longe - an error for Rev Robert Longe - and Mr Edward Packard, jun. with Mr Packard to be hon. sec. Members being elected upon the presentation of a competent original drawing; an annual subscription and all members were to present at least one sketch or picture to be sold for the benefit of the Club. The Club held its first exhibition at the Old Lecture Hall, Tower Street, Ipswich on 27 January 1875 when some 57 artists exhibited, who met for artwork once a month at the Museum, with many paintings being sold on behalf of the Shipwrecked Seamen's Society and, in its early years, also included loan pictures from South Kensington School of Art Museum. On the building the Art Gallery in High Street in 1880, the exhibitions moved but were later held at various venues. It changed its name to Ipswich Art Club in 1925 and in 1993 to Ipswich Art Society. A full list of members was in the centenary catalogue of 1974, each exhibitor being included on this site. However, some of the early artist's information was insufficient to provide a biography. It was not necessary to be a member to be an exhibitor or even a painter, some of those who exhibited became member's later, others left the Club only to rejoin and of course some ladies married and have an entry both under their maiden and married names. The 1974 Centenary Catalogue has a list of 'members' for the previous one hundred years. It does not differentiate between exhibitors and non-exhibitors or between full, associate, honorary members, friends, or committee members. The Ipswich Fine Art Club were also leaders in other art fields and held their second exhibition of art needlework in 1885. The catalogues are at the Suffolk Record Office, Ipswich (709.4264.Ips/stack).
Website: www.ipswich-art-society.org.uk
Website: https://ipswich-art-society.org.uk
There are several 'members' in the 1974 list which were the committee/hon. members or officials who were not artists and did not exhibit. Hon. members were 'non-exhibitors interested in art' - I note here some of those that did not exhibit for clarity, who include: -
OFFICIALS who did not exhibit
William Block 1961-1974+ hon. auditor & trustee
S. J. Collingwood 1948 hon. auditor
F. P. Hill 1960-1963 hon. treasurer
Maurice William Ramsey (1911-1992) 1971-1972 hon. treasurer
L. C. Ridley 1945-1947 hon. treasurer
N. A. Robb 1954-1957 hon. auditor
Walter Edward Roberts (1897-1962) 1959-1962 hon. auditor
A. M. M. Wale 1963-1971 hon. auditor
Francis Hugh George Warren (1910-1983) hon. treasurer 1964-1972
F. J. Watt 1951-1959 hon. treasurer
LIFE MEMBERS who did not exhibit
Robert Harold Paul (1872-1950) 1913-1949
William Francis Paul (1850-1928) 1913-1927
HONORARY MEMBERS who did not exhibit
Miss Patricia M. Butler 1967-1974
Miss C. Clarke 1967-1974
A. V. Cook 1956-1959
Arthur Edward Dent (1902-1965)1945-1952
Mrs Mary Keith Duncombe (1922-1984) 1967-1984
Miss Mabel Henrietta Fiske (1872-1954) 1939-1955
B. Gent 1972
Gordon Owen Goodwin (1897-1981) 1943-1980
Ernest R. Gribble 1924-1964
F. Guymer 1950-1956
Mrs E. Howells 1957-1971
Mrs M. Jennings 1954-1957
Mrs V. E. Jones 1967
Miss Olive Kennell 1955-1956
George Mallett 1936-1954
Annie Elizabeth Massy-Lloyd 1932-1934
Mrs E. Murray 1957-1973
Adrian Baskerville Parry (b.1949) 1972-
Mrs Ethel Mary Pritchatt 1948-1958
A. J. Smith 1943-1946
F. A. Smith 1947-1974
Miss D. Steel 1959-1971
Mrs C. Tracy 1948-1957 (Mrs. Charles Dunlop Tracy)
Mrs G. Wilford-Smith 1932-1966
H. R. Yates 1948
ASSOCIATE MEMBER or FRIEND who did not exhibit
S. H. Adams 1939-1946
D. J. Addiston 1957-1958
Miss M. N. Arnold 1958
Mrs S. Capps 1957-1960
Miss Patricia Hamm 1955-1962
Miss S. Hare 1964-1973
Miss J. L. Harris 1964-1972
Miss Anne Hayward 1942-1948
Ernest Ralph Oxborrow (1872-1944) 1936-1943
Miss C. Payne 1973-1974+ friend
Miss Rose 1933-1934
Mrs K. O. Sandeman 1974+ friend