CELEBRATING THE ANTHONY HILL RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION AT HAMPTON COTTAGE

The works of Anthony Hill, the local artist who devoted his retirement and talent to raising funds for local causes, are now being celebrated in the first major exhibition at Leatherhead Museum since its refurbishment earlier this year.

   Anthony, who died in 1997, and his wife Helena held regular exhibitions of his paintings which were very popular in the local community. Many people have lent their paintings to the Museum for the exhibition. Based at the 17th century Hampton Cottage in Church Street, the exhibition opened on Saturday, 20 July and runs until the end of Heritage Week on 22 September.

   As an architect, Anthony had an eye for the beauty of buildings. Many of his paintings feature them in all sizes from his garden shed upwards! He preferred the small and vernacular to grand buildings and also painted many landscapes. His line drawings feature familiar local landmarks including Leatherhead Parish Church, Sweech House on Gravel Hill, the White House in Church Road, and of course Hampton Cottage itself.

   As well as his architectural career, Anthony’s life included war service in the Royal Navy and 17 years as an Anglican priest. The exhibition includes examples of his maritime work as well as both urban and rural settings from different parts of the country. He was churchwarden in Leatherhead in 1989, at the time of the fire which nearly destroyed the parish church. He was among the first people on the scene and one of the paintings in this exhibition shows the fire as he first saw it in the north transept. It has pride of place in the church vestry. His architectural expertise was invaluable in the subsequent repair and restoration.

   Leatherhead Museum is run entirely by L&DLHS volunteers and is open free of charge to the public on Thursdays and Fridays from 1pm to 4pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. For Heritage Week it is also open on Sunday 22 September from 10am to 4pm. For more information email museum@leatherheadhistory.org or go to www.leatherheadhistory.org.

Captions:

1. Banner for the exhibition outside Leatherhead Museum.

2. The late Anthony Hill and his wife Helena.

3. Watercolour of Leatherhead Bridge.

4. Museum Manager Peter Humphreys (left) chats with Anthony's son Nick at the official opening of the exhibition.

5. Nick Hill and David Eaton, former vicar at Leatherhead Parish Church (1989-2009) and friend of Anthony Hill, study Anthony's depiction of the church fire in 1989.

6. HMS Malaya in 1943.

7. One of Anthony's many line drawings of a peaceful scene.

8. Line drawing of Hampton Cottage.

RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION OF THE WORK OF LEATHERHEAD ARTIST ANTHONY HILL

The works of Anthony Hill, the local artist who devoted his retirement and talent to raising funds for local causes, are about to be celebrated in the first major exhibition at Leatherhead Museum since its refurbishment earlier this year.

   Anthony, who died in 1997, and his wife Helena held regular exhibitions of his paintings which were very popular in the local community. Many people have lent their paintings to the Museum for the exhibition. Based at the 17th century Hampton Cottage in Church Street, the exhibition opens on Saturday, 20 July and runs until the end of Heritage Week on 22 September.

   As an architect, Anthony had an eye for the beauty of buildings. Many of his paintings feature them in all sizes from his garden shed upwards! He preferred the small and vernacular to grand buildings and also painted many landscapes. His line drawings feature familiar local landmarks including Leatherhead Parish Church, Sweech House on Gravel Hill, the White House in Church Road, and of course Hampton Cottage itself.

   As well as his architectural career, Anthony’s life included war service in the Royal Navy and 17 years as an Anglican priest. The exhibition includes examples of his maritime work as well as both urban and rural settings from different parts of the country. He was churchwarden in Leatherhead in 1989, at the time of the fire which nearly destroyed the parish church. He was among the first people on the scene and one of the paintings in this exhibition shows the fire as he first saw it in the north transept. It has pride of place in the church vestry. His architectural expertise was invaluable in the subsequent repair and restoration.

   Leatherhead Museum is run entirely by L&DLHS volunteers and is open free of charge to the public on Thursdays and Fridays from 1pm to 4pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. For Heritage Week it is also open on Sunday 22 September from 10am to 4pm. For more information email

museum@leatherheadhistory.org or go to www.leatherheadhistory.org.

Captions:

1. Anthony Hill with his depiction of the church fire.

2. Watercolour of Leatherhead Bridge.

3. Line drawing of Hampton Cottage.

4. HMS Malaya in 1943.

CAN ANYONE PROVIDE MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT BOOKHAM DEVELOPER ARTHUR BIRD?

Arthur Bird, a London solicitor and property developer, played a major role in the creation of modern Bookham.  At the end of the 19th century he bought what is now The Grange and was formerly the School of Stitchery at Preston Cross. He also bought land west of Church Road and north of Lower Road, dividing it up  for development, and gave what is today the Old Barn Hall to the parish.

We know that he laid out a short road running east from Little Bookham Street, called Nelson Road with a terrace of three cottages. That is now part of Oakdene Road. He may also have built Merrylands Cottages at the end of a short spur road running south from Station Road on the only stretch of land immediately nearby not owned at the time by another major developer, Mrs Mary Chrystie.

On 9 June 1905 Arthur's son George became Rector at St Nicolas, the parish church, going on to serve there right up to 1926. Both of them are now buried in the churchyard together with their wives. Arthur and his wife Mary Jane are shown above. 

This much is known about Arthur Bird but a great many questions remain to be answered about his life. What was his background, for example and that of his wife? Exactly how much land did he buy up and how did he set about breaking it up for development? How much money was involved? Why did the Barn Hall end up with Bookham Community Association rather than the church?

Bill Whitman, former Editor of The Proceedings, is appealing for a volunteer to research the answers to these questions with the aim of running a biographical article in the Newsletter. Please email newsletter@ leatherheadhistory.org if you can assist with this.