NOW SOLD OUT (December 2016)
The 2015 puzzle was suggested by Ros Codling. She discovered the painting on the BBC website that displays the Public Catalogue ie paintings that are in Public Ownership, but may not be on display. See: http://artuk.org/discover/artworks/view_as/grid/search/keyword:bell-ringers – there are a few other bell related paintings, too. This painting is owned by the Colchester & Ipswich Museum Service and was purchased from the Fine Art Society with the assistance of the Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund, the Museums and Galleries Commission, The Pilgrim Trust and the Friends of Ipswich Museum.
Reginald Brill (1902-1974)
RB is easy to research online and I found a photograph of him smoking a pipe. He painted in oil and watercolour and was a fine draughtsman of landscapes, figure studies and portraits. His career in art led him to Kingston upon Thames, where he became a popular and successful principal of the School of Art for many years. Brill was also highly respected as an artist and a teacher. Upon retirement he went to live in Lavenham as Warden of The Little Hall, a hostel for art students. His paintings attract four figure sums and I found the copyright holders through the Tate Gallery, which own one of his paintings.
George Pipe has kindly supplied some background information. It had been a tradition since the 19C to hold the Lavenham Great Ringing Day on the Saturday nearest Mid Summers Day. He recalls accompanying his parents in the 1940s after the wartime ban on ringing had been lifted. Two hundred or so ringers would turn up from East Anglia, London and further afield. Starved of ringing for six years (since 1939), such meetings were well attended.
The ringers portrayed in the oil painting c1963 would have been attending the Lavenham Ringing Day (left to right):
Richard Chambers (Preston St Mary) – 6
Richard Rose (Rougham) – 5
Ronald Steward (Sproughton) – 4
Harold Leather (in orange jumper – Monk Soham) – 3
Wilfred Jarvis (Lavenham) – 2
Stedman Symonds (Lavenham) – Treble
The ropes of the 7th and tenor do not feature and there was quite a bit of artistic licence used in the appearance of the ringing chamber; notice the anti-clockwise ring at that time.
This is the 14th in the series of Wentworth puzzles and they make excellent gifts. Beware – there are straight edges inside the puzzle and a set of book- related “whimsies” (so-called because Victorian puzzle cutters included them ‘on a whim’).The ropes of the 7th and tenor do not feature and there was quite a bit of artistic licence used in the appearance of the ringing chamber; notice the anti-clockwise ring at that time.
The proceeds will go to the CC Bell Restoration Fund, whose income comes entirely from legacies, donations, the sale of items such as these jigsaws and interest; the amount available varies significantly from year to year.
When funds are available, applications for grants are invited by notices in The Ringing World and on the CCCBR website. All available money is allocated in accordance with the criteria and priorities established by the Central Council.
This wooden puzzle contains 250 pieces and measures: c360 x 250mm (c14″ x 10″).
It is available by cheque payable to: CCCBR at £23.50, plus £3 p+p (within the UK) from Stella Bianco, Oaklands, West Chiltington Lane, Broadford Bridge, Billingshurst RH14 9EA Email: (email)
