Horndean & District

February 2016 - The Life of Flora Twort

Members of the Horndean & District U3A met for their regular monthly meeting on Friday 5th February at Merchistoun Hall when Dr Kathrin Pieren, who is the curator of the Petersfield Museum and the Flora Twort Gallery, told us all about the local artist Flora Twort who lived during the early to middle part of the last century.

Kathrin gave us an interesting insight into the art, life and circle of friends of Flora. The museum and gallery hold just under one thousand pieces of her work mainly in sketches and watercolours. There are only ten oils in the collection. She was particularly talented at drawing the human figure, especially children.

Flora, the fourth child of six, was born in Yeovil in 1893 and as a child moved to the Hampstead Heath area of London. She started drawing when she was four and went on to study at the London School of Art, the London Polytechnic and the Slade School of Art where she acquired her speciality for life drawing.

Flora moved to the Aldershot Hangers where a new development of houses was being built. They were rather basic with no heating or sanitation but they did own three cars and five horses. She was a friend of Doctor Harry Roberts and also Mary Brahms. They decided that Petersfield needed a bookshop and noticed that 1 & 2 The Square was empty; Harry paid the lease and donated lots of his own books. Flora moved in and lived above the shop and was part of a bohemian group.

Flora had a steady income by drawing portraits. She would require two to three sittings and mainly drew them in charcoal and chalk. She sold prints, some of which she coloured. She also taught. In 1949, when the shop closed, she moved into her Church Path studio. In the 1950's she held an exhibition of her work there. She also exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art.

Kathrin showed us many examples of Flora's work, the 1933 "Blue Cart" and several of her well known drawings of activities at the local Petersfield market. Flora was also fascinated with the Taro fair and the travelling people.

Flora wrote and illustrated a collection of short stories in her book "Come & Listen" of which the museum has a copy. She was not happy with the proposed development of Petersfield and wrote many articles of objection. She continued painting into her 80's and died in 1985. She bequeathed her Church Path studio and her work to the town of Petersfield which was managed by Hampshire County Council. In 2009 her works were transferred to the museum.

For information about what's on in the Gallery and Petersfield Museum see their website and Facebook page or telephone 01730 262601. Due to staff shortages, the Museum and Gallery have to reduce their services during the months of February and March and could not deliver education or reminiscence sessions nor answer enquiries about the collection during that time. However they reopened with completely new displays and a new learning and events programme on 15th March 2016 after which they will be open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Adult admission to the Museum or Gallery costs £2, or £3 for a combined ticket, or £5 for an annual pass, while children under 16 years are free. The Museum is happy for schools to borrow the loan boxes, provided they can collect and return them from the Museum, and they will take bookings for learning sessions starting 1st March. They also put on monthly talks in the Physic Garden on Petersfield High Street at 7pm on a Thursday, tickets for which costing £5 can be purchased from the Gallery.

Diane Stoner, Speaker Co-ordinator.