It
is not widely known that a house designed by the celebrated English
artist J.M.W. Turner RA, (1775-1851), for his own use, has survived
to the present day in Twickenham in south-west London.
The
late Professor Harold Livermore, with his wife Ann, rescued Turner’s
house from destitution in the years following the second World
War and lived there until his death in 2010. The house has a GLC
Blue Plaque by the front door to commemorate its historic link
to the famous painter.
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The
Friends of Turner’s House was set up in 2004 to support
Professor Livermore in his aim to preserve the house for the nation.
The Friends, through their activities, promote knowledge of Turner,
his house and garden and his time in Twickenham. Professor Livermore
left his archive of Turner material to the Trust and the Friends
are supporting its conservation.
The
Friends receive a regular newsletter and arrange an annual programme
of visits, gatherings and talks. They have established links with
other arts bodies in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
where Turner’s house is located, and with national organisations
dedicated to the study, education and promotion of Turner’s
work.
If
you would like to support our work, and participate in our activities,
please consider joining the Friends. You will find details on
this web site. |
Professor
Harold Livermore 29 September 1914 - 26 February 2010
Professor
Harold Livermore, the owner of Sandycombe Lodge, died at
the end of February, after a short illness. He was 95. Professor
Livermore's death was reported in the national press and
there was a long report on his life and dedicated ownership
of Sandycombe Lodge in the Richmond and Twickenham Times
on 5 March 2010. The funeral service, which was held in
St Margaret of Scotland in St Margaret's on 23 March, included
tributes from family members and friends. Professor Livermore
is buried in West Hampstead Cemetery beside his late wife
Ann.
Under
the terms of Professor Livermore's will, the Sandycombe
Lodge Trust expects to receive Turner's house. All due legal
processes must be followed, however, before it will be possible
to say what the plans for the future of the house will be.
It
is because of Professor Livermore's intention to leave Turner's
House to the nation that the Friends of Turner's House came
into being in 2004. With his death, we have lost one of
Twickenham's most erudite and colourful residents, and certainly
one who was generous on a large scale.
Professor Livermore had a wide-ranging academic career in
the field of Spanish, Portuguese and South American history,
languages and literature, but we know him best as he appears
above, at the door of Sandycombe Lodge which he loved so
much. He was cared for with great devotion by Alice Cordell,
who also cared for his late wife Ann.
Catherine
Parry-Wingfield, Chairman, Friends of Turner's House.
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