Rye Museum’s talk last month on celebrated Shakespearean actress Ellen Terry – who lived in Winchelsea and then at Smallhythe Place – is to be followed on May 12 by an evening with another famous local resident, writes Jean Floyd. This time it is the artist William Henry Borrow (1840-1905) who lived in Hastings and produced some of the best-loved images of Rye, one of which is pictured above.
Many of Borrow’s water colours are familiar from popular postcards or from visits to Hastings Museum and Art Gallery. The presenter, James Cruttenden, is rightly proud to be a relative of the artist. Cruttenden teaches at Vinehall School and Eastbourne College, and is one of the eleven former students (1970-1990s) of Rye College (then Thomas Peacocke), who are now professional musicians and have provided charity concerts in aid of Rye Hospital and Rye Museum’s Women’s Tower Appeal.
The illustrated talk, titled “An Artist in the Family”, will take place at the East Street Museum and begins at 7:30pm. Admission for members is £2, for non-members £3. As usual, there will be light refreshments and a raffle.