Chair’s Message January 2025
Dear Members
Although we are already approaching the end of January, may I wish you all a very happy, healthy and art-historically interesting New Year.
John McNeill
As many already know, 2024 ended with the saddest news that our dear friend, Vice President and lecturer, John McNeill passed away unexpectedly on 28th December after a short illness. He had in November delivered his last Study Day for us – Four Medieval English Churches in Context. His contribution over the years has been immeasurable, including advice on the setting up of short courses in 2009 and acting as one of our two Vice Presidents since 2011. He had lectured to our members on medieval architecture since the 1980’s and had also conducted architectural tours abroad which were attended by many of our members. His very popular cathedral visits were always an excellent opportunity to enjoy his expertise in pointing out architectural details, torch in hand. His “events” always attracted very high numbers of participants, a clear sign of his popularity and the respect in which he was held. Many members will have benefited from his vast knowledge of medieval art and architecture, with particular focus on the Romanesque. He was not only an inspiring and erudite lecturer, but also a kind and generous man. He will be greatly missed by us all and we will find ways to honour his memory in the year ahead. Our thoughts are with his wife Anna and son Freddie at this most difficult of times and we offer them our condolences for their untimely loss.
2024
We faced various challenges during 2024 but have made good progress. The level of bookings was good and very few events needed to be moved from in-person to online or be cancelled. We made a surplus of £8,000 in 2023-24 (compared with a £15,000 loss in 2022-23), giving us greater security and confidence in planning future events.
We trialled an additional recording-only booking option for the Byzantine Architecture course last September. There were some “teething difficulties”, but valuable lessons were learnt, and we thank all attendees for your patience. Going forward we will record more in-person events to ensure that many more members can enjoy more of our programme, starting with a recording of the lecture on Alphonse Mucha, which followed the AGM. This is now available to view until 16 February 2025 by clicking on this link.
Committee Members
Apart from the changes mentioned in my Summer Message, Robert Gwynne decided to step down from Committee duties in August. Since the early days of the Society, Robert has been Chairman, Lectures Organiser and Donations Secretary as well as a familiar face at in-person events when taking the register. As a token of our appreciation, both John Dunlop and Robert were awarded Honorary Life Membership at last year’s AGM.
After more than nine years as Communications Coordinator, Rae Richardson has decided to step down in February from both the role and general Committee duties. She will be a very hard act to follow, both for the professional and meticulous way in which she has fulfilled her role and for her common-sense and well-considered approach to discussions at Committee meetings. We will begin the search for her successor and hope that in the meantime we can ensure that communications continue to run smoothly.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to my fellow Committee members, all other volunteers and Judith Burt for all their support and advice during my first year as Chair.
Volunteering
It is no exaggeration to say that volunteers are the lifeblood of our Society. Without them there would be no study events, no website, in fact, no Society.
Last year, we sought a volunteer to take over as Treasurer. This year’s call for help is no less urgent, as we need to quickly find a replacement Communications Coordinator. Training will be given, and no-one will be thrown in at the deep end!
Given our need to stabilise and diversify our membership, we would still also welcome assistance from any members who might be interested in helping us with this.
If you would like to offer help or make an enquiry about what might be involved please feel free to contact me via my email address, chairman@londonarthistorysociety.org
Review 2024 and 2025
Barrie MacDonald and his Editorial Panel produced yet another stimulating edition of the Review in 2024 with articles ranging from The discovery of Minoan wall painting by Andrew Shapland to the Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela by Birkbeck lecturer Charlotte Ashby. Work on the 2025 Review is underway and will include articles on John Constable and J. M. W. Turner to commemorate the 250th anniversary since their birth and highlight a major Tate Britain exhibition this year, and on early Neapolitan art and architecture by our regular lecturer Geoff Nuttall.
The London Art History Society Prize for Best Modern Period Masters Dissertation
The winner of the London Art History Society prize for best modern period MA dissertation in 2024 was Agnes Gill. Her topic was How was the Hackney Flashers’ Women and Work Project Significant.
We wish Agnes all the very best for her future research and career.
Donations
We made no donations in 2024, as our focus has been to restore the financial health of the Society. We will review this decision when we know about our 2024-25 surplus.
The Year Ahead
2024 featured a very diverse and well-received programme of courses and study events.
Plans for 2025 are equally exciting, as you will see from the updated programme on the website. Wherever possible, we recommend early booking, not only to secure your place but also to give us certainty about whether an event will be financially viable.
None of this would be possible without your continuing support, the ongoing efforts of our wonderful Organisers, the Committee and other volunteers and, last but not least, our Administrative Assistant, Judith Burt. A very big thank you to you all!
Jeanette McCauley
Chair