Royal Oak Summer 2015 Newsletter by The Royal Oak Foundation

Summer 2015

THE ROYAL OAK Americans in Alliance with the National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Royal Oak Announces Timeless Design Gala Honorees

Inside the National Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Furniture Treasures

FOUNDATION

Fall Lecture Season Preview

01 | FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As I write, Royal Oak has entered into a period of transition and new promise. Our Board of Directors’ Annual Meeting on June 1 will bring a new slate of officers, led by Lynne Rickabaugh (Boston), as well as five new Directors: Albert Messina (New York), Erwin Rezelman (New York), Eric Nilson (Cleveland), Pamela Hull (Chicago) and Diana Senior (Chicago). Four Directors will complete their terms: our current Chairman, Bruce Coleman Perkins (Washington, DC), Robin Hubbard (New York), Edward Montgomery (Philadelphia), and Brian White (Chicago). I welcome our new leadership and Directors and express our sincere appreciation to those departing for their support and service. As was announced in early April, on May 15, I stepped down as Executive Director to become President of The Olana Partnership, which supports Frederic Edwin Church’s artistic masterpiece, Olana, in Hudson, New York. This return to the historic property front lines has been inspired, in part, by my experiences at National Trust properties in the UK. I am excited to partner with New York State Parks to make Olana an engaging, accessible place of recreation, learning and inspiration for a broad and diverse audience. I have enjoyed and valued greatly my work with the Foundation’s Board, staff and supporters around the country over the past four and a half years. We have had some notable successes and have moved to strategically tighten our partnership with the National Trust while maintaining our own, distinct identity as an independent American non-profit. With your support, we have increased

our fundraising for the Trust’s priorities. This year our National Trust Appeal focuses on supporting research and publication of the Trust’s nationwide furniture collections, one of the most important in the world, about which you will find much more information in these pages. We also have set our sights on Royal Oak’s future with the launch of our Legacy Circle in 2014, and this issue contains a profile of longtime supporters Avice and George “Fen” Wilson of New Brunswick, NJ, whose legacy will support the Trust’s Neptune Coastline Campaign. The Wilsons are among the many wonderful, forward-thinking supporters that I have had the great pleasure of getting to know. This includes Ronald Lee Fleming of Cambridge, MA, whose legacy with us will create an endowment fund for our national program of lectures. Finally, I want to express my sincere and admiring appreciation to our members and supporters at all levels, from Mrs. Henry J. Heinz, II, whose lead funding has sustained our Drue Heinz Lectures for 23 years, to our Student and Young Professional Members, who are just embarking on a lifetime of engagement with Britain’s history and beauty, to those who support our appeals with gifts of $50,000 or $50. I look forward to continuing the journey with you as a loyal member and committed supporter. Thank you,

Sean E. Sawyer, Ph.D. Executive Director

Royal Oak Bids Sean Farewell The Royal Oak Foundation Board of Directors and staff would like to thank Sean for the incredible contributions he has made to Royal Oak and the National Trust during his tenure as Executive Director. Over the last five years, Sean has strengthened the bond between our two organizations, streamlining communications and more closely uniting us in our mission. Under his stewardship, that close relationship has yielded positive results for both the Foundation and the Trust, most notably manifested in the Campaign for Knole, which saw Royal Oak supporters donate a record $1.25 million to restore the Ballroom at Knole, Kent. Sean also reinstated the Royal Oak Legacy Circle (page 9); introduced a mission-based fundraising element into the Timeless Design Gala (page 2); spearheaded the Fleming Challenge (page 6); and fostered Royal Oak’s growth. Above all else, Sean’s tenure is defined by his steadfast commitment to Royal Oak’s mission—anyone who has spoken with Sean can attest to his earnest enthusiasm for the UK and the preservation world. We are deeply grateful for his leadership, and wish him all the best in his new role at Olana! The Royal Oak Foundation Board of Directors and Staff

The Future of National Trust Curatorship: A Note from Simon Murray

I am pleased to update our supporters at Royal Oak about the important work we are undertaking to raise the standards of curatorship at the National Trust. Recent media coverage has misrepresented our approach to historic interiors, taking Helen Ghosh’s comments about more focused interpretations out of context. We do not seek to simplify or in any way dumb down presentations of our houses and collections, but we may on occasion choose to draw out a particular aspect, theme or story. This approach is nothing new for the Trust, and there are many examples over the last 50 years. In the 1970s, we removed the 18th- and 19th-century furniture from Hardwick Hall to show it as Bess’s house, thereby revealing the majesty of the architectural spaces. This last year we have cleared Dunham Massey to create Sanctuary from the Trenches—a temporary exhibition around the WWI centennial—that has been highly acclaimed and is one of six finalists for the 2015 Art Fund Museum of the Year awards. As part of our new strategy, Playing Our Part, we are aiming to give our visitors experiences in our houses that are emotionally rewarding, intellectually stimulating and which inspire people to support our cause and take these experiences back into their own lives. I don’t think we can make this claim at the moment. To achieve this we will experiment. Sometimes these experiments will be hugely successful, sometimes not; but we will learn from these experiences and maintain the reputation of the presentation and interpretation of properties as world class. Simon Murray, Senior Director, National Trust Cover Photo: The Tower Drawing Room, Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire. The Rothschild Collection (The National Trust) 1.800.913.6565 | www.royal-oak.org

Cover Photo: John Bigelow Taylor ©The National Trust, Waddesdon Manor; Page 1 Photos: Martyn Gallina-Jones; Photo courtesy of the National Trust

Dear Members, Supporters and Friends,

NEWS | 02

Royal Oak Announces 2015 Timeless Design Gala Honorees

Photos courtesy of The Kips Bay Decorator Show House; The Bard Graduate Center; John Millar ©The National Trust

Please join The Royal Oak Foundation this October 27th at The Metropolitan Club in New York City for the 18th Annual Timeless Design Gala, as we present The Kips Bay Decorator Show House with the Timeless Design Award and Dr. Susan Weber, Founder of the Bard Graduate Center, with the Heritage Award. Proceeds will benefit The Royal Oak Foundation, The Royal Oak Scholarship Fund and the 2015 National Trust Appeal for Furniture.

2015 Timeless Design Award Kips Bay Decorator Show House Royal Oak’s Board of Directors has selected the Kips Bay Decorator Show House to receive the 2015 Timeless Design Award in recognition of the Show House’s extraordinary accomplishments as the quintessential design forum. Kips Bay’s celebration of interior designers from across the country and their remarkable eye for innovation and timeless aesthetics is renowned for sparking trends throughout the world. Additionally, their ability to bring together a large and diverse community of designers who ultimately benefit youth development is an inspiring and powerful message. The Kips Bay Decorator Show House is celebrating four decades with its new book: 40 Years of Fabulous.

2015 Heritage Award Dr. Susan Weber, Founder of the Bard Graduate Center Royal Oak’s Board of Directors has selected Susan Weber, Founder of the Bard Graduate Center to receive the 2015 Heritage Award. In honoring Dr. Weber and the Bard Graduate Center, Royal Oak recognizes the preeminent role that the center plays in the study of decorative arts and design history and, particularly, the major contributions that Dr. Weber has made in her studies of British topics. Since its founding in 1993, the Bard Graduate Center has consistently supported groundbreaking study by scholars, curators and students and presented it to the public in significant, impactful exhibitions and catalogs. Last year’s “William Kent: Designing Georgian Britain” was the first comprehensive presentation of the work of one of Britain’s most important and influential designers and a landmark in the study of 18th-century material culture. Royal Oak also notes Dr. Weber’s work on E.W. Godwin and James “Athenian” Stuart and Bard Graduate Center’s important exhibitions on A.W.N. Pugin, William Beckford and Thomas Hope.

Dr. Susan Weber, Royal Oak’s 2015 Heritage Award honoree. Read more about Dr. Weber on page 11.

For more information about the Timeless Design Gala, please contact Chelcey Berryhill at: cberryhill@royal-oak.org or 212.480.2889 ext. 212. www.royal-oak.org/support/timeless

Help Clandon Park Face Its Uncertain Future It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the fire that broke out on April 29 at Clandon Park, Surrey, leaving the house in ruins. While no one was injured and local fire teams managed to subdue the blaze, Helen Ghosh, the National Trust’s Director General, called the effects to the property “devastating.” She said: “The house is now essentially a shell, most of the roof, ceiling and floors have collapsed into the bottom of the building.”

April’s fire at Clandon was tragic, but some key elements survived the flames.

Volunteers worked to salvage as much of Clandon’s collection as possible. Among the items safe from the fire were two Francis Barlow paintings, one of which, “A Farmyard,” was out for conservation, thanks to funds from Royal Oak’s Ervin-DesChamps Fund. Speakers’ Parlour, one of Clandon’s most important rooms, also miraculously survived the blaze, leaving its signature plaster ceiling intact.

To support Clandon as it faces its uncertain future, donate at: www.royal-oak.org/support and click on “National Trust Projects.”

Summer 2015

03 | LEARN

Chippendale Furniture: A Signature Style The National Trust preserves the finest collection of British furniture in the care of a single institution, embracing the full range of furniture types. Learn more about one of the iconic styles that the Trust protects and celebrates today. Roger Carr-Whitworth | Curator, National Trust Thomas Chippendale (1718-79) is the most famous of all British furniture makers and designers, and his name has an international reputation through the publication in 1754 of The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director. This detailed publication of furniture designs quickly went through several re-printings, and led not only to his style of furniture be widely copied by English provincial furniture makers, but also to the term “Chippendale” being widely adopted in America to signify a style of furniture in the later 18th century.

This Chippendale medal cabinet at Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire, dates to the 1760s.

1.800.913.6565 | www.royal-oak.org

Nostell Priory’s library (left) is home to some of the most spectacular examples of Chippendale furniture. This George III green and gold lacquer low clothes press en suite (right) can also be found at Nostell Priory.

Nostell Priory had been the home of the Winn family since the mid-17th century but was rebuilt from the 1730s in the Palladian style to the designs of James Paine. He was succeeded in 1765 by the newly fashionable Robert Adam, who was commissioned by Sir Rowland Winn, 5th baronet, to complete the interiors. But much of the detailed decoration and fitting out of the house, including the provision of furniture, was given over to Chippendale. Between 1766 and 1785, surviving accounts and correspondence reveal that he provided over 100 pieces of furniture for the house and he also provided workmen for such tasks as hanging wall paper, curtains and mirrors.

Nostell Priory was given to the National Trust in 1954, but the Winn family retained ownership of the house contents. However, following the death of the 4th Lord St Oswald, (the title granted to the family in 1885), the Chippendale furniture and supporting archive were transferred to the National Trust in lieu of inheritance tax in 1985. Since then, in a series of transactions, the remainder of the furnishings in the public rooms have been acquired by the National Trust. These include the Chinese late-18th-century punch bowl with its very early depiction of the American flag, acquired in 2008 with the support of a very generous grant of £49,200 from Royal Oak.

The designs in Chippendale’s Director were remarkable for their diversity, ranging from superbly carved mahogany to elaborate Rococo, Chinoiserie and Gothic. This diversity, both in quality and style, was mirrored in the Nostell commission. It ranged from magnificently carved mahogany such as the desk and medal cabinet in the Library—the desk being the most expensive item supplied by Chippendale at £72-10s—to simple oak furniture for servants’ rooms, and from the set of green japanned chinoiserie furniture for the State Apartment to neo-classical pier glasses, seat furniture and a barometer case.

Unlock the National Trust’s Furniture Collection Royal Oak’s 2015 National Trust Appeal for Furniture Research Project supports the study and cataloging of the National Trust’s vast collection. Visit the Trust’s furniture treasures using our guide on pages 7 and 8. Ensure that this internationally significant collection is fully documented and made accessible to scholars, designers, artisans and the visiting public from around the world. Donate at: royal-oak.org/support/ntappeal

Photo credits: ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel

Due to the survival of country house archives in England and Scotland, there is a remarkably large collection of Chippendale pieces which can be firmly documented as being actually from his London workshop, and which survive in the houses for which they were made. Yorkshire (the county of Chippendale’s birth) retains some of his most important collections, and these include the National Trust’s Nostell Priory, situated just outside Wakefield and about 30 miles southwest of York. In fact, Nostell was the first house where the archive was studied to confirm Chippendale’s involvement: eight pages from the accounts were reproduced in Percy MacQuoid’s pioneering The Age of Mahogany in 1906.

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Ightham Mote: An English Jewel, Donated By An American Charles Henry Robinson, Jr. of Portland, Maine purchased the 14th-century manor in 1953 and knew it was meant for anglophiles around the world. 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of his donation of Ightham Mote to the National Trust. Tim Robinson | Nephew of Ightham Mote Donor As a nephew of Charles Henry Robinson, Jr., donor of Ightham Mote to the National Trust, my wife and I had the privilege of visiting my uncle more than fifty years ago at his magnificent and historically important moated manor house. When we arrived, we had only made brief acquaintance with the place, but from this visit on, our affection grew and for a very long time Ightham Mote has occupied an important place in our lives. We now visit Ightham Mote three times a year and stay in one of the cottages on the property, enjoying the beauty of the house and gardens just a few steps away. Ightham Mote was a great love for my uncle and became a home for him during the final years of his life. He had first seen the house in the 1920s when it was owned and occupied by the CollyerFergusson family and he was immediately taken with it. Thirty years later in the 1950s, he spotted a notice in Country Life that the property was to be sold. He made an offer, had second thoughts and withdrew it. Then, confidence restored by family encouragement, he made the offer again and it was his.

Photo credits: Courtesy of Pamela Westaway; ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

The span of time between Henry Robinson’s acquisition of Ightham Mote in 1953 and today, roughly sixty years, can

be divided in two nearly equal parts: the period when it was owned by my uncle himself and the period under the management of the National Trust. The first thirty years and the last thirty years stand in great contrast in many ways; but two important themes run throughout: the love of the property and the conviction that this 600-year-old house is of enormous historical importance.

fundraising appeal and a donation from Sir James Collyer-Fergusson, who owned Ightham Mote before my uncle, the National Trust was able to make unexpected discoveries about the house. Ceilings above ceilings and walls behind walls revealed that successive owners had different tastes and styles and possibly different ways of life, giving us a glimpse into English history.

From the very beginning, Uncle Henry believed deeply that Ightham Mote belonged to the English people, and arranged for it to be donated to the National Trust upon his death. It was his plan to make it his home, adding appropriate furnishings to suit his tastes and needs. He attended to repairs and maintenance as required during his lifetime. Any changes of significance during his ownership were undertaken in consultation with the National Trust so that the interests of the English people and, indeed, people from all over the world were well-served.

One must marvel at the extraordinary work the National Trust has done over the last thirty years and at the way this moated manor is now managed. More than 130,000 visitors came last year and these visitors, both casual and scholarly, come from many parts of the world. Henry Robinson would be pleased if he could know what has happened these last years—secure in the knowledge that Ightham Mote has been rescued and that it is treated with tender, loving care.

In 1985, upon Uncle Henry’s death, the National Trust assumed responsibility for the care of the house. During this period, the National Trust began a massive conservation program that involved the entire property. Thanks to a special

While I believe we as a family are entitled to a bit of pride, all appreciators of British history owe a debt of gratitude to the National Trust, which, inspired by its devotion to the task of conservation, has brought Ightham Mote to life and ensured that it will live on for centuries to come.

The author Tim Robinson and his wife, Maren, in front of a picture of Charles Henry Robinson, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the National Trust’s acquisition of Ightham Mote, Kent in 2010 (left). 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of Charles Henry Robinson’s donation of the property (right) to the National Trust.

Summer 2015

05 | LEARN

Sneak Peek: Fall 2015 Drue Heinz Lecture Season Royal Oak’s next lecture season is in the works! While we are not ready to announce our full slate of lecturers coming to cities across the country next season, we are glad to share three celebrated names that have already been finalized. Fall 2015 promises to bring Dukes, curators, researchers and many more exciting speakers to cities across the US. The full schedule will be released online in late summer. Check www.royal-oak.org/programs for more details, and to purchase tickets once the season is finalized.

We are delighted to host acclaimed architectural historian Lisa White this fall, to lecture on: “Cabinets and Curiosities; Furniture in the National Trust’s Collections.” Ms. White read Modern History at Oxford and subsequently trained and worked as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. From 1985 1999 she taught at the University of Bristol, and continues to lecture for many other organizations in the UK and the USA. From 1999-2006, she was Curator of Decorative Art at the Holburne Museum of Art, Bath. Ms. White also served as Co-Director of the Attingham Summer School for the Study of Country Houses and Collections. Ms. White’s talk will explore the National Trust’s unparalleled furniture collection, spanning centuries of history and a range of styles. The furniture collection is the subject of Royal Oak’s 2015 National Trust Appeal, which you can read more about on pages 3 and 7-8. Dates: October 19th Philadelphia October 20th New York City October 22nd Boston

1.800.913.6565 | www.royal-oak.org

HIS GRACE, THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON Charles Wellesley | 9th Duke of Wellington June 18, 2015 marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, in which Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington led the British troops to victory against Napoleon. Characterized by Victor Hugo as the “hinge on the door to the 19th Century,” it was one of the most important military battles of its time. In 1817, as acknowledgment for his victory, Parliament gifted the Duke with Stratfield Saye House, a country estate in Hampshire. That same year, the Duke acquired Apsley House in London. Both homes have served the Dukes of Wellington for almost two centuries; today the family splits its time between the two estates. As we commemorate the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, Royal Oak is honored to welcome Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington. The Duke will discuss the Battle, the legacy created by the 1st Duke, and his own experience living in Apsley House and Stratfield Saye. In an interview with The Telegraph, he remarked on the connection he feels with his ancestors: “I’m incredibly fortunate to live in his houses every day of my life… Every time I go into the library, or wherever it is, I think that is where he worked – it’s a wonderful sensation.” Dates: November 18th New York City November 19th Philadelphia

TESSA BOASE Author & Historian Noted author and historian Tessa Boase will give a fascinating talk based on her latest book, The Housekeeper’s Tale (Arum Press 2014). Ms. Boase draws on new sources to tell the stories of the women who ran some of Britain’s most prominent country houses—including Trethham Hall, Charleston farmhouse, and National Trust properties Erddig, and Uppark. Ms. Boase explained that she is “less interested in the minutiae and logistics of running a country house than in the human stories: the women entrusted with this weighty job.” Being a housekeeper was one of the most prestigious jobs in a 19th- or early 20th-century English country house—but also the hardest. Far from the cozy world of Mrs. Hughes in Downton Abbey, real housekeepers worked long hours for very little financial reward. The housekeeper might be trusted with the family’s most intimate secrets, manage 100 servants, and handle a domestic budget on a par with a small bank. Ms. Boase will illustrate the lives of these women, which included difficulties such as unwanted pregnancy, forbidden love affairs, murder, and even a prison sentence. Dates: To be announced

Photo courtesy of The Duke of Wellington; ©Debbi Clark

LISA WHITE, F.S.A. British Architectural Historian

LEARN | 06

A Year in Programs: 2014 Drue Heinz Lectures & Tours by the Numbers

6,697

Attendees

Lectures and Tours

Speakers

Cities

Photos courtesy of: Jennie McCahey; Sam McCann; Photo courtesy of Daren Fentiman

Why do you:

Adopt Royal Oak lectures?

Lecture adoptions make Royal Oak’s program seasons possible. Our adopters enjoy special access to our speakers, including private receptions before or after the event. Through these donations they share their passion for all things Royal Oak with the wider anglophile community. We asked three frequent adopters why they support, and this is what they said:

15 Staff members behind the curtain

Ronald Lee Fleming Legacy Challenge Raises $835,000 Thank you for helping Royal Oak raise $835,402 with the Ronald Lee Fleming Legacy Challenge to ensure the future of the lecture program. We thank Mr. Fleming for creating this exciting opportunity to secure an endowment for Royal Oak lectures, as he matched all direct contributions and legacy pledges on a one-to-two ratio up to $500,000. *

The money raised will go into the Ronald Lee Fleming Lectures Fund which will continue to accept donations. To learn more about this Fund or to donate, visit: royal-oak.org/support/fleming *

Royal Oak Director Kathleen Buoymaster and speaker Jeremy Musson following Musson’s lecture in La Jolla, California.

Current as of May 27, 2015, and includes pledges received that have been discounted (per IRS rate) for individuals 69 years of age or younger.

“Since 2001 I have adopted almost 30 lectures. It is, for me, a privilege to be a small part of bringing the rich heritage of English history to a wider audience. I would happily encourage members of Royal Oak who haven’t experienced this pleasure to give it a try. I’m sure you will find it as rewarding as I have.” Terry Blackburn | New York, New York

“I sponsor one lecture a year and am thrilled when I get to choose among the pre-publication lists of lectures. I look forward to new sponsorships and will continue to do so. I have been a Life Member for more than 25 years; providing a sponsorship is a way of contributing annually to Royal Oak’s aims.” Diana Mackie | Ambler, Pennsylvania

“I hope Royal Oak will continue to call on me to provide additional funding, for it is a pleasure and a privilege to feel a part of the organization and its objectives... It is at these [private receptions] that one has a real opportunity to get to know the speaker that evening.” William Younger | New York, New York

Interested in spending an evening with your favorite Royal Oak speaker? Your adoption makes this possible. Contact Director of Programs Jennie McCahey at jmccahey@royal-oak.org or 212.480.2889 ext. 204. Summer 2015

R E H D T N R A L

N I R O E

Castle Coole

S L E

One of the greatest neo-classical country houses in Ireland, built by the first Earl of Belmore 1789-97. The splendid furniture is from Prestonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Dublin commissioned in 1807, in the lavish French Empire style.

1.800.913.6565 | www.royal-oak.org Castle Coole

D E N N G L A

Nostell Priory

Formerly a monastery, the 18th-century treasure house boasts exquisite craftsmanship by Robert Adam, a world-class collection of Chippendale furniture and masterpieces by leading artists.

Nostell Priory

National Trust Curator of Furniture Christopher Rowell compiled this map of National Trust properties housing essential furniture collections. Pack your bags, bring along your Royal Oak member card and let this map guide you on a journey of furniture exploration! Embrace the full range of the furniture styles the National Trust preserves, often in its original setting.

Your Map to the National Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Furniture Treasures

The Oak Leaf Marks the Spot

07 | EXPERIENCE

Saltram

Petworth

Stourhead

Knole

Ham House

Hardwick Hall Hardwick retains the textures of its original decoration – Persian table-carpets, painted wall-hangings, inlaid furniture and rows of original portraits.

Ham House A rare survival of 17th-century luxury and taste, this house is a result of a widely traveled couple, who employed craftsmen from across the continent and amassed exotic furniture from all over the world.

Osterley

Waddesdon Manor

Charlecote Park

Belton House

Kedleston Hall

Blickling

Your donation to the Furniture Appeal will augment the National Trust’s digital catalog entries, encouraging further scholarship, while also providing funding for a definitive book on this internationally significant collection. Donate today! Map by Chelcey Berryhill Photos courtesy of (clockwise from top left): ©National Trust Images/Patrick Prendergast; ©National Trust Images/Chris Lacey; ©National Trust Images/Nick Guttridge; ©National Trust Images/John Hammond; ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel Visit: royal-oak.org/support/ntappeal

From defensive structure to party house, the house has been remodeled in the 16th, 18th and 20th centuries and includes generations of an internationally renowned collection of paintings, sculpture, furniture and tapestries.

Powis Castle

Hardwick Hall

EXPERIENCE | 08

Summer 2015

09 | SUPPORT

Couple’s Legacy Gift Reflects Lifelong Love of UK Coast Sam McCannn | Communications Associate

Even when she moved to New York in 1951, Avice harbored a special affinity for the gorgeous beaches of her English childhood, and an appreciation of sea life in general. In fact, she fell in love with an Australian “salty dog,” George, who spent 50 years at sea. The couple married in 1956, and when the time came for the couple to pick a honeymoon spot, the choice was obvious: a return to the English coast of Avice’s childhood. The trip was spectacular. The couple took a year off work to travel and made their first stop in the UK, where they bought an old car (for a stunning £25!), and drove around the breathtaking landscape. Taking in the finest English beaches, now protected by the National Trust, the couple indulged in their shared love of the sea and affirmed their commitment to it and to each other. Decades later, when the couple began to make estate plans, the choice was as obvious as it had been when they were honeymooners. As lifelong conservationists, George and Avice knew they wanted to contribute to environmental protection, particularly to the protection of the coastline. “We both

know the coastline well and we both know how worth saving it is,” George said. “We wanted to give to an organization with a singular target, to something that wouldn’t be sold or commercialized, and to an organization that was going to be an advocate for environmental concerns.” Those criteria pointed them to the National Trust and its Project Neptune, a campaign to protect the UK’s coastline that this year celebrates its 50th anniversary—almost as long as George and Avice’s marriage! George and Avice approached The Royal Oak Foundation to make plans for a legacy gift to Project Neptune, and worked closely with the Foundation and the Trust in planning their gift. Since making the pledge, Avice has also traveled to National Trust headquarters in Swindon to speak with the organization’s leading environmental experts and learn more about the Trust’s latest efforts to protect the coastline. She feels that the pledge has brought them closer to both the National Trust and Royal Oak. “By making the pledge, you get all the benefits of contributing to both organizations,” she said. The couple hopes their gift will inspire others to make similar pledges to the National Trust effort closest to their heart. “Let’s hope that this legacy group will grow and that our gift will encourage others to support,” Avice said. “We’re giving to something worthwhile and long-term. The National Trust isn’t going to fade any more than The Royal Oak Foundation will. It has become a way of life.”

The Legacy Circle recognizes those who wish to create a legacy by remembering Royal Oak and the National Trust of England, Wales & Northern Ireland in their estate plans. Benefits of membership to The Royal Oak Legacy Circle include invitations to annual special events in association with our lectures around the US and recognition in our print and digital publications. Legacy Circle members also have access to special Legacy Supporter events organized by the National Trust in the UK. For more information, contact Interim Executive Director Marilyn Fogarty at 212.480.2889 ext. 206 or mfogarty@royal-oak.org. Or visit the Legacy Circle web page: royal-oak.org/legacycircle

Avice and George’s gift will protect important stretches of coastline, like Wembury Point, near Plymouth, Devon.

1.800.913.6565 | www.royal-oak.org

Photo credit: ©NTPL/David Noton

As a girl growing up in 1930s England, Avice Wilson loved the English coast. At the start of each summer she would pile into her family’s camper, drive south to the beach and relish the sunshine and natural spectacle of Cornwall, Somerset and Devonshire. This seasonal migration became a family ritual, one that sparked in Avice a lifelong passion for the beauty of the coast.

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Why I Am a Heritage Circle Member: A Pen-Pal Who Encouraged a Pilgrimage to the English Countryside Lois Wolf | Akron, Ohio Royal Oak’s Heritage Circle membership program was created for individuals who wish to provide leadership support for the Foundation on an annual basis. The membership offers special behind-the-scenes access throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland, complimentary admission to a select number of our celebrated Drue Heinz lectures each season, priority registration and an invitation to dine with speakers in an intimate setting. Heritage Circle membership supports our annual lecture series as well as the organization. Read below for the story of why one of our Heritage Circle members, Lois Wolf, supports Royal Oak with her Heritage Circle membership. For more information about the Heritage Circle, please contact Chelcey Berryhill at cberryhill@royal-oak.org or 212.480.2889 ext. 212. I finally traveled to the countryside in April of 1984. That visit, I enjoyed a fantastic driving trip in the Yorkshire Dales; it was my first solo trip, and one of my very favorites. It was also my first experience driving on “the wrong side of the road, seated on the wrong side of the car.” I had recently read all of James Herriot’s books, and what a thrill it was to be navigating the route in my rental From then on, I wanted to absorb all I could car, through the vast and barren, yet beautiabout England and country life, which is ful countryside. why I am so pleased to be a Heritage Circle member. It’s the best way to explore the I continued to explore the National Trust’s England that so captivated me as a child, country homes in later visits. In May of 1986 offering behind-the-scenes access to the I visited London, and decided to venture out beautiful country homes the National to the countryside. I took a train from London Trust protects, and full immersion into to Boxhill, as I knew Polesden Lacey was Royal Oak’s anglophile community. located quite near Boxhill. When I arrived at the estate, I loved the symmetry of the house Since my initial fascination fostered by itself, but the views of the countryside from the mail, I have traveled to the UK several the back garden were simply breathtaking. times. My husband and I lived in Brazil for over five years, and our first trip to London Polesden Lacey remains to this day one of did not happen until 1976. During that my favorite houses to visit, along with Mount visit, we spent all our time at London’s Stewart, just outside of Belfast, Northern famous landmarks and museums, so we Ireland. The gardens at Mount Stewart are never made it to the English countryside. so very special; in fact, my daughter and I will be visiting the house and gardens this June.

Photos courtesy of Lois Wolf

I have been an Anglophile most of my life, and it all started in grade school, when my English teacher arranged correspondence for us with another student our age in England. I wrote to a girl in Yorkshire, and we exchanged photos and gifts. Many of her gifts were books about England, and I found myself captivated.

The gardens of Mount Stewart, Northern Ireland. Mount Stewart recently reopened following a threeyear restoration project.

The whole experience of visiting the countryside stimulated me to read and learn more, in order to seek out further traveling adventures, so I started subscribing to more British magazines and newsletters, where I discovered The Royal Oak Foundation. The more I read, the more I felt that I wanted to be a part of The Royal Oak Foundation. Within the organization, the Heritage Circle level gives one the best opportunity to learn more about the properties, and to grow in knowledge and appreciation, as we are afforded special access to the properties we love so much and to the experts who know so much about them.

The impressive facade of Mount Stewart, Northern Ireland. These images were all taken from the author’s early journeys to the UK, which inspired her to become a Heritage Circle member.

I plan to attend the first annual Study Day in London this September, a perfect example of the sort of special access Heritage Circle members enjoy and a wonderful opportunity to dive deeper into the passion for English country life first sparked by my pen-pal. I look forward to meeting all of the other members who share my passion and call themselves Heritage Circle members.

The view the author captured from Polesden Lacey, Surrey, on one of her early visits to the UK.

Summer 2015

11 | SUPPORT

Summer Travel: Visiting National Trust Furniture Exhibitions Visit the property websites for opening times and more detailed information

Robert Adam Water Stand returns home to Croome Court

Philip Webb’s Collection at London’s Red House

Renaissance-style Exhibition at Waddesdon Manor

See a surviving piece from legendary furniture master Robert Adam, on display at Croome Court, Worcestershire. Significantly, it is the first piece to be returned to Croome Court from the lost Coventry collection.

Philip Webb was the father of the Arts and Crafts Movement. To mark the centenary of his death in 1915, furniture designed by Webb for his own use in his architectural office in London will go on display at the National Trust’s Red House, which Webb designed for William Morris in 1859-60.

A special exhibition at Waddesdon will examine the Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild’s very conscious decision to decorate this part of the Bachelors’ Wing at Waddesdon in the Renaissance style. Discover the ornate decoration that shaped this period in the manor’s history.

Summer 2015

Through November 27

Through October 25

Royal Oak is pleased to highlight the work of Dr. Weber and the Bard Graduate Center at our Timeless Design Gala this October. This year we seek to raise funds and awareness around the National Trust’s furniture collection. Without scholars like Dr. Weber, the stories of these significant collections would never be told. Dr. Susan Weber founded Bard Graduate Center in 1993, aiming to “advance the recognition of the decorative arts as one of the primary expressions of human achievement.” In just over 20 years, Bard Graduate Center has more than fulfilled this aspiration, offering innovative degree programs and path-breaking museum exhibitions that have created a new context for the study of the decorative arts, design history, and material culture. In addition to rigorous MA and PhD programs, Bard Graduate Center produces the semiannual journal, West 86th: A Journal of Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture, that has become seminal in the

Installation shot of William Kent: Designing Georgian Britain at the Bard Graduate Center.

1.800.913.6565 | www.royal-oak.org

field, and earned international acclaim for its gallery, which has presented more than 60 exhibitions and produced 50 publications since its inception. Bard Graduate Center’s programs and exhibitions consider issues and ideas that exist largely outside the established canons of art history. Many past exhibitions—accompanied by extensively researched and illustrated publications— have helped to raise the profile of important historical movements and designers. The 2013 presentation of William Kent: Designing Georgian Britain for example, was the first major exhibition to examine the life and career of one of the most influential designers in 18th-century Britain. Winner of the College Art Association’s Alfred H. Barr Jr. Award, the accompanying publication brought together an international team of scholars to examine Kent’s oeuvre, including the interiors at Kensington Palace and Houghton Hall, to illuminate issues about the authorship of the artist’s furniture and metalwork, and to situate his contributions in relation to architectural discourse. Other notable exhibitions at the Bard Graduate Center Gallery have

Dr. Weber with a group of students in the gallery.

focused on James “Athenian” Stuart (2007), Thomas Hope (2008), and English embroidery from 1580–1700 (2008). The important role that Bard Graduate Center’s exhibitions have had in advancing scholarship and recognition of the decorative arts is equaled by the impact of its academic program. Today, Bard Graduate Center’s growing network of over 400 alumni hold important positions at major museums, historical societies, and academic programs, extending its founder’s mission to institutions throughout the United States and abroad, and helping to train the next generation of curators and scholars.

Photo credits: Courtesy of The National Trust’s ABC Bulletin; ©National Trust Images/John Hammond; ©National Trust, Waddesdon; Photos Courtesy of Michael Nagle

Dr. Susan Weber Fosters Generations of Curators and Scholars

SUPPORT | 12

Royal Oak’s Horan Prize Fellow Sheds New Light on Charlecote Park Sam McCann | Communications Associate Royal Oak supports The American Friends of Attingham.

Announcing the 2015 Royal Oak Attingham Scholars Established in 1952, the Attingham Summer School is an intensive, three-week residential program devoted to the study of the historic house in Britain. Royal Oak has supported scholarships for the Summer School through the American Friends of Attingham for more than 30 years. We are thrilled to welcome eight Royal Oak Scholars to this summer’s program. Funds raised at the 2014 Timeless Design Gala made these scholarships possible.

Photo credits: Courtesy of Eduard Krakhmalnikov; Logo courtesy of the American Friends of Attingham

Eduard’s time at Charlecote enriched him professionally, and his work has laid the foundation for further research into the estate’s rich history.

2014 Horan Prize Recipient Eduard Krakhmalnikov arrived at Charlecote Park, Warwickshire, last September with a well-developed passion for landscape history. In the seven months at Charlecote that followed, Eduard grew a special appreciation for the unique landscape of his new Capability Brown-designed home, enraptured by all it has to offer. “Charlecote is an incredible place to be,” he says. “The house and gardens are embedded in layers of history, from the Elizabethan manor to the major alterations and additions in the Victorian period.” Indeed, in his time at Charlecote, Eduard was able to take on several projects that enhanced his understanding of his unique surroundings. His initial project was a historical survey of the parkland, filling in gaps in our collective know ledge of the Park and adding social-economic context to the land. The report he produced as part of this project is available on Royal Oak’s website. Eduard also took on two additional projects while at Charlecote. First, he researched the history of the gardens in particular. This research included transcribing sections of a Victorian

family diary, examining family records and turn-of-the-century photographs and interviewing the current head of the family, Sir Edmund Fairfax-Lacy. Eduard ultimately produced a manuscript from this work, which he has submitted for potential publication. Finally, Eduard kick-started and directed a volunteer research initiative that will provide Charlecote with ongoing support in its efforts to continually learn more about its history. Eduard’s three-pronged work at Charlecote has been an incredible experience for the community there, which asked him to stay aboard nearly three times as long as initially anticipated. As for Eduard, he found it both personally and professionally fulfilling. “My time at Charlecote has helped to plant a stem from which a career in park and garden scholarship can grow. More than a stepping stone, it is a door opener. I am honored to have been given the opportunity and wish future fellows the best of luck.”

To read Eduard’s full report, visit royal-oak.org/horan and click on “2014 Horan Prize.”

Dr. Lydia Brandt Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina, School of Visual Arts and Design (Royal Oak Foundation Scholar) Ms. Melissa Buchanan RosaMary Curator of Decorative Arts and Design, New Orleans Museum of Art (Royal Oak Foundation Dowager Duchess of Devonshire Scholar) Mr. Edgar Garcia Special Projects Manager, Office of the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles (Royal Oak Foundation Scholar) Ms. Susan Hitchcock Historical Landscape Architect, National Park Service (Royal Oak Foundation Scholar) Ms. Mi Chou Huang Research Assistant, Department of Asian Art, Saint Louis Art Museum (Royal Oak Foundation Scholar) Ms. Aimee Keithan Research Fellow, Preservation Society of Newport County (Royal Oak Foundation Jeremy Biggs Scholar) Mr. Ned Lazaro Associate Curator of Textiles and Collections Manager, Historic Deerfield (Royal Oak Foundation Charlotte Moss Scholar) Dr. Sheri Shaneyfelt Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Vanderbilt University, Department of History of Art (Royal Oak Foundation Scholar) Summer 2015

13 | EXPERIENCE

THE ROYAL OAK FOUNDATION 20 West 44th Street, Suite 606 New York, New York 10036-6603 212.480.2889; 800.913.6565

In recognition of the oldest known name for Great Britain, Just Go! Holidays has re-branded its heritage tours as “Albion.” Albion offers the same customized tour packages as Just Go!, but with a new logo and a more user-friendly website: www.albionjourneys.com. Royal Oak is pleased to continue its partnership with Albion – join us on these fascinating tours, departing soon! To see all our offerings, and to book a trip, visit our website at www.royal-oak.org/travel. Legendary Landmarks and Landscapes of Ireland

Hidden Gardens & Historic Houses of London

August 28 to September 6, 2015 – $4,472

August 29 to September 4, 2016 – $3,500

Brideshead Visited: Northern England’s Magnificent Mansions

Aristocrats, Manor Houses & A Grand Tour to the North, featuring Downton Abbeys’ Highclere Castle

September 6-14, 2015 – $4,048

In the Footsteps of Shakespeare: London, Oxford & Warwickshire May 1-8, 2016 – $3,290 May 15-22, 2016 – $ 2,900

August 31 to September 9, 2016 – $4,430

Castles & Treasure Houses of Edinburgh & Northern Ireland September 18-26, 2016 – $3,500

www.royal-oak.org

Interim Executive Director and Director of Operations & Finance

Marilyn Fogarty mfogarty@royal-oak.org extension 206 Director of Member Services

Winifred E. Cyrus wcyrus@royal-oak.org extension 200 Membership Services Associate

Jan Lizza jlizza@royal-oak.org extension 205 Program Director

Jennie L. McCahey jmccahey@royal-oak.org extension 204 Assistant Program Director

Kristin Sarli ksarli@royal-oak.org extension 215 Development & Communications Manager

Visit New York City’s Queen Elizabeth Garden Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II formally opened this Garden on July 6, 2010. This beautiful NYC Park serves as a memorial for the United Kingdom and Commonwealth victims of the September 11th attacks. There are over 150,000 visitors per year which continues to grow annually. English landscape designers Julian and Isabel Bannerman designed the hardscape. New York based garden designers Lynden B. Miller and Ronda M. Brands worked with the Bannermans’ plan to create an enduring garden for all seasons. Shaped as the British Isles over this historic public square, the garden is encircled by Morayshire sandstone inlay, quarried from the highlands of Scotland. The sandstone is inscribed with the shires of the British Isles. 1.800.913.6565 | www.royal-oak.org

The rounded “Braemar” stone, from a riverbed near HM the Queen’s home in Balmoral, sits in the south end of the garden, marking the distance from New York to Aberdeen. Running the length of the garden is a ribbon of 67 heavenly bamboo shrubs each signifying one of the 67 British victims of September 11th. Serpentine benches made of white Portland stone quarried in southern England and carved in Northern Ireland run through the garden with a backdrop of yew shrubs, longlived evergreens often found in English churchyards—a natural link between the living and the dead. The intention of the garden is to unify the urban American landscape with the rich traditions of the English style. Visit queenelizabethgarden.org for more information and a schedule of events.

Communications Associate

Sam McCann smccann@royal-oak.org extension 2o7 Program & Development Assistant

Robert Dennis rdennis@royal-oak.org extension 201 Executive Coordinator & Board Liaison

Jacqueline Bascetta jbascetta@royal-oak.org extension 203 Foundation Volunteer

Photos courtesy of the Queen Elizabeth Garden

A garden oasis in New York’s Financial District, the Queen Elizabeth Garden honors the British victims of the September 11 attacks.

Chelcey Berryhill cberryhill@royal-oak.org extension 212

EXPERIENCE | 14

Membership Benefits & Application Form BASIC ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS (fully tax-deductible) Individual $65 • Free entry for one to properties of the National Trust of England, Wales & Northern Ireland • Reciprocal free admission to National Trust for Scotland sites • National Trust Magazine and Royal Oak Newsletter (three issues per year) • National Trust of England, Wales & Northern Ireland Annual Handbook and parking pass • Reduced-price admission to Royal Oak’s Drue Heinz Lectures in the U.S. Dual $95 All the benefits of Individual membership, plus: • Second membership card for additional person living at the same address Family $115 All the benefits of Individual membership, plus: • Two membership cards for two adults living at the same address. Membership cards also cover their children or grandchildren under the age of 21 Student/Young Professional (SYP) $35 Ages 13-29; date of birth and email required. All the benefits of Individual membership, with the following adjustments: • Provision of all publications in electronic format ONLY (includes National Trust Handbook, National Trust Magazine, Royal Oak Newsletter and Program brochure) MEMBERSHIP

• Special access to the National Trust’s through links provided in a triannual Arts, Buildings & Collections Bulletin. SYP e-Newsletter • Special recognition in the Foundation’s • 30% discount on member’s admission price at Drue Heinz Lectures for member Annual Report and one guest (limited SYP seats; early Steward $2,500 ($2,425 tax-deductible) registration recommended) All the benefits of Benefactor membership, plus: SUPPORTING ANNUAL • Complimentary Student/Young MEMBERSHIPS Professional gift membership (fully tax-deductible) • Admission for two to a total of two Drue Conservator $150 Heinz Lectures each season and advanced Art & Design $250 registration for all lectures (limited Sponsor $500 availability) All the benefits of Dual membership, plus: • Each membership card admits TWO Guardian $5,000 ($4,550 tax-deductible) All the benefits of Steward membership, persons to National Trust sites • Access to Supporting-level members-only plus: • Admission for two to a total of two Drue day tours & programs in the U.S. • Priority registration for Royal Oak’s Heinz Lectures each season, advanced registration, and invitation for dinner with Drue Heinz Lectures in the U.S. a Royal Oak lecturer (limited availability) • Invitation to the Guardian and Patron HERITAGE CIRCLE Dinner in conjunction with the annual ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS Benefactor $1,000 ($925 tax-deductible) Heritage Circle U.K. Study Day • Invitation to the National Trust’s calendar All the benefits of Supporting of bespoke, invite-only events in the U.K. membership, plus: • Complimentary admission for two to one Patron $10,000 ($9,550 tax-deductible) Drue Heinz Lecture each season and All the benefits of Guardian membership, advanced registration for all lectures plus: (limited availability) • Access to the National Trust’s Special Visits, • Admission for two to a total of three Drue Heinz Lectures each season, advanced Tours and Lectures calendar of events • Invitation to the annual Heritage Circle registration and invitation for dinner with a Royal Oak lecturer (limited availability) U.K. Study Day • Annual gift book and a complimentary • VIP personalized curatorial tours of copy of Apollo magazine’s “National Trust National Trust properties on request (3 months advance notice necessary) Historic Houses & Collections Annual”

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Summer 2015

The coast at Barmouth, Gynedd, the first patch of land the National Trust owned. Today, the Trust protects 775 miles of coastline as part of the Neptune Coastline Campaign, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer. Read about Royal Oak members leaving a legacy gift to the Neptune Campaign inside (page 9). ÂŠNational Trust Images/Joe Cornish 20 West 44th Street, Suite 606, New York, NY 10036-6603 | 212.480.2889 or 800.913.6565 | Fax: 212.764.7234

www.royal-oak.org | The Royal Oak Foundation is an American not-for-profit charity 501(c)3 incorporated in the State of New York. Royal Oakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest annual report may be obtained, upon request, from Royal Oak or from the Office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.