The Romney Society

Romney Society Diary of Lectures & Visits

Lecture Season - 2023 - 24

The Romney Society welcomes visitors (and new members) to their 2023-24 Lecture Season
For additional information on any of the events below and to book your place, please contact Jane by email - [email protected]
or by post;
The Romney Society
c/o Woodlands Barn,
Pandy Lane,
Caerphilly CF83 3DY
Tel 07968691583 / 02921405361

Diary Dates for the Winter Lectures.
These will all take place at The South Lakes Foyer, Yard 95, Stricklandgate, Kendal, LA9 4RA at 11.30 a.m. followed by socialising at the buffet lunch (if pre-booked). Please let Jane Orrom Horton (Hon. Secretary) know if you will be attending and if you would like lunch.
Lecture Admittance- £7 Members, £9 non-Members. Buffet Lunch £7.50.
Contact Jane at [email protected] or
07968 691583.
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Lecture Friday 10th November.
Change to Lecture on November 10th 2023

Alex Kidson, Romney Society Editor and author of "George Romney, A Complete Catalogue of his Paintings", has kindly stepped into the breach and will present a lecture on George Romney at 11.30 a.m. at the South Lakes Foyer.
Lecture Friday 1st December.
Faye Morrissey, Manager & Curator of The Armitt: Museum, Gallery, Library based in Ambleside, will be speaking on “Art at The Armitt: The growth of a collection, including a recent Romney Acquisition”.

Lecture- Friday 19th January 2024 11.30 a.m.

Hugh Belsey, one of the foremost authorities on British 18th century art. Hugh has given lectures to the Romney Society before and is always a very popular speaker. His lecture this time will be on

'The First Gainsboroughs: tracing the early work of an artist'.

Friday 16th February 2024

Our Chairman, Glyn Hopkin, will be speaking about his private collection and an interesting restoration problem. (See the picture below.) He says “This was the biggest restoration challenge I had faced. He is important, so I had to try!”.
Find out if it was a success or disaster, along with information about new discoveries and other restoration projects.

Glyn will also be speaking about some of Romney’s earlier works, following on from Hugh Belsey’s fascinating lecture in January on Gainsborough’s earliest works.

Friday 22nd March 2024 at 11.30 a.m. Abbot Hall

The next Romney Society event will be a Group Visit to Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal at 11.30 a.m. to view the refurbished galleries (including of course some of the important Romney portraits) and hear about the exhibitions from Rhian Harris the CEO of Lakeland Arts.
There is the chance at 11a.m. to socialise over a cup of tea or coffee and cake in the Abbot Hall café.

Please could you let Jane Orrom Horton know as soon as possible if you will be attending.

Friday 5th April 2024 12.30 p.m. Romney Society A.G.M.

Conference Room in the South Lakes Foyer at 12.30 p.m.(NB later than usual.)
The AGM will be a short formal meeting followed by the usual sociable buffet lunch. John Entwistle will be giving a short introduction to the Royal Academy Library and there will also be a video presentation on Angelica Kauffman. She was the 18th Century’s most famous female artist 1741-1807 and there is a new exhibition at the Royal Academy on Kauffman which is the focus of the Society’s next visit.

Please let Jane Orrom Horton know by April 1st if you wish to attend and to have lunch.

Wednesday 22nd May 3p.m. Visit to the Royal Academy Library and Archives by kind invitation of John Entwistle, former Romney Society Chairman and Royal Academy Trustee.
Earlier that day the Society will also visit the new major exhibition of the famous 18th Century female artist Angelica Kauffman.

Please let Jane Orrom Horton know if you are interested in this expedition as soon as possible in order to receive further details.

Saturday 29th June 3 p.m. Strawberry Tea

This popular annual event is this year being held at Summerhow House, Kendal by kind invitation of John and Janey Strickland.

Please let Jane Orrom Horton know as soon as possible if you wish to attend.

Friday 4th October 2024 11.30 a.m. Lecture at South Lakes Foyer;
Alice Insley, Curator of British Art 1730 – 1850, Tate Gallery.
'A Juster Appreciation': Commemorating Wright in Victorian Derby
The talk will focus on Joseph Wright of Derby, exploring how his work was exhibited and commemorated in the 19th century, particularly how this helped reinforce his reputation as of Derby.

Please let Jane Orrom Horton know by September 20th if you will be attending this lecture and whether you will want the buffet lunch afterwards.

“A Philosopher Giving That Lecture on the Orrery in Which a Lamp Is Put in Place of the Sun” by Joseph Wright 1734-1797.