Bedford Park Society seeks volunteers to carry out historical research

Portrait of the artist Edmund Blair Leighton (1852–1922), in his studio in Priory Avenue 1913 – Reginald Haines. His work is associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement. 

Updating the history of the Bedford Park community for the digital age

The Bedford Park Society is looking for volunteers to work on updating Mainly About Bedford Park People, a book first published just over 30 years ago, now out of print, which lists well-known personalities from Victorian times to the present day who have lived in Bedford Park.

There have been many books written about the first Garden Suburb, but most have concentrated on its architecture.

Mainly About Bedford Park People is the principal source of information on notable past residents.

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The book was originally compiled by Larry Duttson in 1994 and re-edited by his partner Christina Speight in 2015, and is considered an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to know more about the community of Bedford Park.

After the deaths of Larry and Christina, their families entrusted the work to The Bedford Park Society, who have decided that given the increasing amount of online information, as well as printed sources, it is time to embark on a substantial update.

JC Dollman’s painting ‘Fraternité’, depicting the First World War. Dolman did not experience the front line directly, but his work was informed by official photographs,  and he focused on comradeship, selflessness and suffering.

John Charles Dollman – renowned English artist born in 1851

It is extraordinary how many artists, architects and successful creative people have lived in the area. No prizes for remembering WB Yeats and Camille Pissarro; they are only two of 1,000 entries in Mainly About Bedford Park People.

Take JC Dollman — John Charles Dollman, a renowned English artist who bought land in Bedford Park in 1880 and commissioned Maurice B Adams to build him two houses at 12 and 14 Newton Grove, with a studio at number 14.

JC Dollman in his garden at 14 Newton Grove – Photograph – Bedford Park Society

He lived and worked in Bedford Park for 51 years from 1883, producing most of his large oils and dramatic water colours there.

Born in 1851, the son of an established bookseller and stationer, he called his home at 14 Newton Grove “Hove House” in memory of his place of birth. The house is now known as Kara Lodge and its large and light first floor studio is still stunning.

JC Dollman came to London to study at South Kensington and the Royal Academy Schools. In his day, he was a highly celebrated and fashionable artist, exhibiting almost continuously at the Royal Academy from the 1870s until 1912, and elected to the Royal Watercolour Society in 1913.

He had 67 major paintings exhibited at the Royal Academy over a period of 62 years and the Royal Society for Painters in Water Colours exhibited 193 of his works. His paintings are displayed in many galleries in England and internationally.

Artists, architects, designers, photographers … take your pick of any one of more than 200 Bedford Park luminaries involved in the creative arts

Updating Mainly About Bedford Park People is a joint project between the Bedford Park Society and The Arts Society Chiswick. The first stage of the work involves revision and expansion of the entries on about 236 artists, architects, designers, photographers and others involved in the visual arts.

Anyone who volunteers will be given a number of specific biographies to work on, depending on the time they have available, and the Society will provide a model for entries, detailed briefing and guidance on possible sources and methodology. Researchers’ contributions will be acknowledged in the finished publication.

Wallpaper designs by George Haite (1855 – 1924), who lived on Blandford Rd and The Avenue, and who made designs for textiles and wallpapers throughout his life, of which the V&A has more than 1,000 examples

The Bedford Park Society celebrated its centenary last year and quite a lot of new research was unearthed then about the Arts and Crafts movement in Bedford Park especially.

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It has given the Society’s members a taste for finding out more about their community. Dedicated volunteers such as David Budworth and Sandra Grant have made important contributions over the years, and the research is ongoing.

Why stop at artists? Actors, scientists, musicians, politicians have all lived in Bedford Park

The plan is for the newly updated version to be made available so that future research and other projects on Bedford Park can draw freely from it.

Contact the Society at information@bedfordpark.org.uk if you would like to be involved in the work on artists or if you’re interested in undertaking work on other groups such as actors, scientists, musicians, or politicians.

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