On Friday 24th February, I had the pleasure of visiting the Shoosmith Gallery at Delapré Abbey and meeting members of the Board of Trustees of the gallery, patrons and other stakeholders.
The gallery celebrates the life and work of Northampton artist, Thurston Laidlaw Shoosmith (1865-1933), as well as his siblings and his father William Shoosmith.
Thurston Shoosmith was an accomplished watercolourist who produced a number of intricate landscape paintings depicting late 19th and early 20th century Northampton as well as areas of France and Germany. The Shoosmith family has made an exemplary contribution to Northampton’s civic life having left the paintings to the gallery and having made financial contributions to other galleries and Northampton museums.
My visit involved meeting those who manage the Gallery, viewing the impressive watercolours, and hearing about the work and life of Shoosmith. It was followed a tour of the facilities at Delapré Abbey by the Abbey’s Chief Executive.
I greatly enjoyed my visit and, as a former Minister for the Arts in the Government, I was delighted to show my support for Northampton-based arts and all those involved in preserving and celebrating our cultural heritage.
You can find out more information on Shoosmith and the gallery via the following link: www.shoosmithgallery.org
(Photo: Michael Ellis MP with patrons of the Shoosmith Gallery at Delapré Abbey, Northampton)