Haworth Art Gallery – Accrington
Hosted by the Friends of Haworth Art Gallery
We are indebted to Janet Duhan who is the great granddaughter of Abraham Whiston for this photograph we believe to show the celebration of the opening of the Haworth Art Gallery in 1921.
No doubt there could be other similar photographs tucked away in the backs of drawers in Accrington homes and we hope that their owners will loan them to us to copy and include in future publications and biographies. Eventually we look to producing a pictorial history of the gallery.
Harry
The biography of Joseph Taylor is now finished. It has been a fascinating journey unearthing all the life history of the chauffeur to William and Anne Haworth. The book contains many copy documents relating to Joseph’s occupations, his military service and his social life.
Nearing completion are the biographies of Billy Beech the coachman, and Abraham Whiston, initially valet to William Haworth, and latterly the first curator of the gallery.
It has been a revelation to recognise the impact that Hollins Hill has had in the area. Descendants of the staff still live in the area and their input has been invaluable. We hope to make contact with the families of other members of the Hollins Hill household as our research progresses.
Jean
Ever seen a shape at tree-top level fly past at dusk? It could be a bird going back to it’s nest…… Or it could be a bat. Video: bats leaving cave
Bats are the only mammals that can really fly and British bats hunt insects at both dawn and dusk. One bat can eat 3000 insects in a night’s hunting. Bats live in houses & trees as well as caves.
With the help of a bat detector, (as seen in the picture above), you can identify if it’s a bat and often which of the 18 different species found in Britain. Bats hunt by sending out sound waves most people can’t hear. The detector makes the sounds into a range we can hear. Simple ones are around £50.
Bats hibernate in winter when fewer insects are flying. Some birds are also fewer in winter but they feed all year round.
Roger
Gillian Berry, the Curator at Haworth Art Gallery, had “15 minutes of fame” on the BBC’s Antique Road Trip recently when the show visited the gallery to discuss and view the Tiffany Glass collection. Gillian talked to James Braxton about the history relating to Joseph Briggs and why this collection found its home in Accrington.
Read more about this on FaceBook
Alison
We are pleased to have photographer Peter Graham on board to take some interesting shots of the Haworth main house, stables and motor-house. Peter is a degree student at Blackburn College studying Photographic Media and is undertaking a live project for the Friends as part of his 2nd year syllabus. Here is just one of the pictures from his first shoot.
Alison
A good meeting this week with lots more info being unearthed in the archives. Also contact from June who used to work at the gallery in the days when Jennifer Rennie was the curator. A carrier bag full of articles and notes together with a copy of the research done by the American descendants of Joseph Briggs. There are some notes about documents held by the Borthwick Institute which will need further investigation.
We welcomed Melinda to our group. Melinda moved here with husband 12 years ago and the gallery was the first building they visited, and have kept contact ever since. Her involvement in other charitable trusts means she brings valuable expertise to our group.
Lots of discussion about applying for funding. A scheme exists for sums of £3000 to £10000 and funds are available for an assortment of uses. The need for IT equipment and training into its application into archive recording, research and investigation was acknowledged. A draft application form was studied and will be subject to further discussion in the very near future.
the photographic project with mature student Peter Graham has produced the firsts set of images and these indicate the businesslike manner he has approached the task. Peter is currently recording all the fine detail of carvings within the Music Room.
The Friends will have their first public appearance in a Craft Fayre proposed by the gallery management. We will have the opportunity to explain our aspirations and recruit new members to the group.
Harry
The Friends group is now taking shape. The archives are being explored, recorded and categorised. A heritage trail between Scaitcliffe Mill and the Haworth is under investigation . Similar Arts and Crafts buildings such as Dyke Nook are being sought out. Other examples of the work of Walter Brierley and Simeon Marshall are being recorded, and whilst this may seem that we are stretching in a myriad of directions, we are assembling a list of projects for future research. The building and park are a treasure which has not been marketed.
By promoting the architectural importance of the Haworth we attract another market sector of visitors to add to the already growing number of visitors. The Gallery Kitchen is playing its part in the present success of the Haworth and shows that promotion to a different sector of the market will bring additional visitors. The recent rebranding plays a vital role in helping identify the various market sectors which can be targeted.
The facility for storing information was the first consideration and this I now realise can be done using wordpress. However, having acquired the data it was explained that it can be used in a variety of ways, in whole or in part. The post to the site can include links to another article or another website. Links obviate the need to copy items into the post.
This post is helping crystallise my understanding and cement my new found knowledge. More newsworthy articles will follow.
Harry
It’s not just the building that deserves attention. There’s a wide range of trees and the flowers change throughout the year. Don’t forget our rose garden!
A Ranger is a guide to identifying the flora of the park and can also set tasks for the kids such as map reading or for the smaller kids, a squirrel hunt. How about a fungi hunt next September? There’s also lots of birds, but at night, bats feed on the insect life. A Ranger with a bat detector helps you spot & listen to the bats.
There is also an exercise route through the park designed to test your fitness. So don’t just visit the house, look around the parkland.
Roger
