wo Watchers on a Staircase, c.1960s Cement fondu and metal Given by Sarah Hosking, 2019 Alma Ramsey-Hosking studied at the Royal College of Art in London during the 1920s and later moved to Warwickshire where she and her husband, the artist Richard ‘Dick’ Hosking, contributed to the creative boom that blossomed in the county during the post-war yea…

The Temptation of St Anthony, c.1640-1660 Oil on panel Bequeathed by Mr. George Watson through the Art Fund, 2015 This painting was bequeathed, along with other Dutch Golden Age works, by George Watson (1927-2013) who was a Professor of English at Cambridge University. The story of the temptation of St Anthony has its roots in the medieval period. …

Old Grey Mare with her Foal, date unknown Oil on card Purchased, 2009 Kemp-Welch is known for her paintings of animals, especially horses. As an illustrator she brought to life Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty – the Autobiography of a Horse and her skill and commitment to her subject resulted in her being elected the first president of the Society of Ani…

Sketch for Leamingtonian Life, c. 1940 Gouache on hardboard Given by Sebastian Tennant, 2021 Leamington Spa was one of the main bases for camouflage research during the Second World War and during the 1990s Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum began acquiring items relating to the work of camouflage staff. During the Second World War, communal feedi…

Untitled, 2003 Painted steel Given by the Friends of Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum (FLAG), 2019 When Terry Frost died, he was working on a commission for a large-scale sculpture for the new University Hospital of Coventry & Warwickshire, due to open in 2006. The financial implications were complicated and unfortunately this commission did not…

Manipulator, c.1950 Bronze Given by Jane Bridgeman and M.A. Michael, 2024 The sculptor John Bridgeman studied at the Colchester School of Art and the Royal College of Art. His studies were interrupted by the Second World War. A conscientious objector, Bridgeman worked for the Civil Defence Service rescuing people bombed during the Blitz. Bridgeman …

Made about 1991 Given by Janet Alty in 1999 This is one of nine protest banners acquired in January 1999 as the Art Gallery & Museum team were preparing the new displays at the Royal Pump Rooms. It was made by children in protest to the Gulf War (1990-91). Due to its size, it is difficult to display often. It is still important to have it in the co…

Given by Christine Daly in 2010 The year before this photograph was taken Christine Daly contracted Polio. She spent several weeks in Warwick Hospital and also received hydrotherapy treatment at the Royal Pump Rooms. Christine shared her experience of being ill and the treatment she received with us in a recorded oral history interview. She also do…

Made by Josiah Williams & Co., 1925 Purchased in 2002 Jennifer Chimes won the Miss Great Britain beauty contest in 1955, when she was aged 22. She went on to be a runner up in the Miss World competition and returned to Leamington a celebrity. Today, beauty pageants are considered by some to be sexist and an outdated form of entertainment. How can w…

Made by Automotive Products about 1990 Given by John Hughes in 2007 This item was collected in the lead up to an exhibition about local working life, which ran in 2008. Temporary exhibitions often provide a focus for collecting activities and enable us to fill gaps in the collection. A big gap that we’re aware of is material relating to the lives o…

Made in the mid-20th century Given by Christopher Southorn in 2009 These are part of a group of 101 shoes, tools and accessories from Southorn’s shoemakers. The shop on the Parade was a mainstay of Leamington’s retail offer for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. During this time, the offer evolved, from providing handmade riding boots, to selling…

Made in the late 20th century Given by Mr and Mrs Mokrzycki in 2000 This is one of just a small number of objects we have in the collection representing the local Polish community. Jan and Magdelena Mokrzycki came to England after being displaced due to the Nazi and Soviet invasions of Poland. They met and married in London before settling in Kenil…

Made by 2005 Given by Jason Cadden in 2014 Jason Cadden was manager of Leamington FC from 2000 to 2009. His first signing was Josh Blake, who would become the club’s leading goal-scorer. Together the pair contributed to a period of great success for the Brakes, which saw them achieve five promotions and four league titles. During the 2005/06 season…

Carved marble, made in the 19th century Purchased in 2016 The Aylesford Well basin is one of the few items we have from the early days of the spa. It is only by chance that it survived. Local man Pavel Hodac noticed the basin sitting on top of the rubble pile when the Aylesford well house was demolished in 1960. He asked the demolition workers what…

Baden Baden: Bewegungsbad N135a, 1998 Photographic transparency and lightbox Purchased, 2000 Yass was born in London and studied at the Slade School of Art, Goldsmiths College and in Berlin. Her distinctive hyper-real photographic style evolved accidentally when a colour film loaded incorrectly and was processed as a negative. In combining a positi…

Drawing R1001, 1971 Gouache and pencil on paper and hardboard Given by the Contemporary Art Society, 2000, in memory of Nancy Balfour, OBE Bridget Riley was an icon of British art in the 1960s. She was a key member of the Op Art movement, which was concerned with evoking sensations of movement and had roots in the earlier twentieth century artistic…

Compiled by Gertrude Hawkes, 1914-18 Given by Angela Azis in 2023 Most objects in our collection were donated by people with a link to the local area. Gertrude Hawkes was a volunteer nurse at the Warren VAD Hospital, Leamington, during the First World War. She bought this album at Burgis & Colbourne, a department store on the Parade, and her patien…

Made about 1939 Given by Brenda Tai Layton in 2008 The doll was a gift to Brenda Tai Layton from Claire Aston, a family friend. Her mother, Enid Ferris, had seen the film Gone With the Wind on its release and loved it. It is thought that the doll is modelled on the character Prissy, the maid, who was played by Butterfly McQueen. Brenda had the doll…

Photograph of Miss Cox in male costume Early 20th century Untraced find This photograph features Miss Cox, who donated items of costume in 1964. It was with our archived paperwork for many years but had never been accessioned itself. Young people on our recent Queertopia project explored Miss Cox’s interest in costume and male impersonation. This i…

Made in 2022 Given by Alison Chantrey in 2022 Alison Chantrey was a volunteer at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, when Warwick District hosted the road cycling and bowls competitions. This hand, used to high-five spectators, was part of the uniform she wore. Collecting items like this will enable us to tell future generations of visitors abo…

Made by AG Spalding & Bros, 1951 Purchased in 2017 Leamington has a rich sporting history and one of its most famous sports stars is the boxer Randolph Turpin. Over the years we have built a strong collection that tells the story of his career. Because boxing and Randolph Turpin are popular with collectors, items tend to be sold at auction. Because…

Made in 2015 Given by Ashley Woolley-Khan in 2023 Our collection represents Leamington’s present as well as its past. The video games sector is one of the town’s largest employers, with more than 50 companies active locally, from independent developers to multinationals. Ashley Woolley-Khan was given this controller when he was working on the devel…

Made about 1814 Purchased in 2018 This medallion was worn by Leamington’s Master of Ceremonies, also known as the Arbiter Elegantiarum (judge of elegance). Their role was to manage the social calendar of balls and concerts in the town. The history of the medallion tells us more about Leamington as a spa resort. We applied to external bodies to help…

Made by Brenda Barnes, 2020 Given by Judith Watkin, Croft Medical Centre in 2021 We collect objects that represent the local impact of major events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, Brenda Barnes made and distributed about 130 masks to local residents in 2020. In the future, museum staff will use…

Sketches Taken in Warwickshire During Holiday Trip, 1867 Pencil and ink on paper Purchased in 2008 The drawings were made by William Colliss, an amateur artist, when he was staying in Royal Leamington Spa during a holiday in August 1867. Made at a time before photography was widely accessible, they offer a rare personal record of excursions in mid-…

By curators