The Herbert (Art Gallery & Museum)

Well I'm talking more about the city centre. Because people would rather go to the shops in Leamington, Birmingham or Leicester. Because people don't go into the city centre at night because of its reputation for being violent (a totally underserved reputation) and if you're trying to open up a venue that relies on people coming in at night, you're doomed. Earlsdon Street seems to be the busiest place at night now. When I came here to work in 1997 most of the people I worked with never set foot in the city centre and preferred to go elsewhere. I think it's slowly changing now, though. The reputation for violence was always ridiculous and made up, the aesthetics I can understand, as 20 years it was a pretty decayed mess and having a city centre surrounded by concrete and car parks does create a good first impression. But look at how great Fargo is. And businesses that 5 years ago wouldn't touch the city with a barge pole are moving in. Change in this city has to come from within.

To Davey. I pursued the wherabouts of the bench to some length but I obviously left things too late. I had originally enquired about it in the early stages of Herbert re-modelling but was told it was probably in storage. Here is the email trail I had with Huw Jones (Keeper of Collections at the Herbert). Interestingly when I spoke to a number of Herbert Gallery employees about the bench, a few remembered the seat but none of them had heard of Huw Jones???? huw jones To daoldham1951@yahoo.co.uk CC christine adams 09/03/14 at 4:20 PM Hello I am replying to your enquiry to the History Centre earlier this week about the bench in memory of Jack Reddington at the Herbert. Unfortunately the bench disappeared from the building when the redevelopment of the Herbert began in about 2003. I do not know what happened to it but I assume it was destroyed. The building was pretty well stripped completely around this time. You may already know this, but we do have some postcards sent by Jack Reddington from the Front and a photo of him in the museum's collections. We also feature him as one of our soldier's stories in our exhibition called the Great War: Coventry's Story, which is on at the moment in one of our galleries. The exhibition runs until February 2015. I'm sorry that the bench is no longer here. Regards Huw Huw Jones Keeper of Collections - Herbert Art Gallery & Museum Culture Coventry Tel 024 7623 7553 --------------------------------------------------------------- huw jones To daoldham1951@yahoo.co.uk 09/11/14 at 12:07 PM Dear Mr Oldham Further to our telephone conversation earlier this week, I have talked to other people here and they are all pretty sure that the bench was disposed of and certain that it is no longer here or in storage. As I said on the phone, it is obviously disappointing that this has happened. However I have found an image of the bench when it was in one of our galleries, probably in the 1980s. I hope you find this useful. Regards Huw Huw Jones Keeper of Collections - Herbert Art Gallery & Museum Culture Coventry Tel 024 7623 7553 --------------------------------------------- derek oldham To huw jones 09/11/14 at 5:04 PM Mr Jones. Huw, Many thanks for the photograph of the bench seat. I have attached some newspaper cuttings showing the Reddington's at War and others of Mrs Reddington's donation of the bench & the bequest left in her will. £200 in 1973 is equivalent to around £1100 now. I am sad that your search came to nought, I had been hopeful that it was still around somewhere but what is done is done. --------------------------------------------------------------------- derek oldham To huw jones 11/19/14 at 10:59 AM I know I am clutching at straws about the bench but as it was a donation to the museum surely it must have been given a serial number or identification number to log it as an exhibit and for insurance purposes and therefore wouldn't some form of paperwork have been required before it could have been disposed of. Is there any such evidence of disposal because I cannot believe it could have been an arbitrary decision by an individual to dispose of the bench. huw jones To derek oldham 11/19/14 at 12:26 PM Hello Derrick No, the bench was never accessioned into the museum's collection. If it had been you are quite right that it would have had an identity number, there would be a record of it in our catalogue and it could not have been disposed of without proper authorisation. However the bench was not accessioned in 1960 and seems to have been treated as part of the furnishings of the museum rather than part of its collection. The building was effectively gutted in 2004/5, so as I said before I can only assume it went then. Sorry again. Huw Huw Jones Keeper of Collections - Herbert Art Gallery & Museum Culture Coventry As an afterthought on the subject, perhaps I can understand that the hexagonal seat wasn't accessioned or appraised or catalogued when donated on the Herbert Gallery's Opening in 1960 although it merited photographs in the Telegraph since my grand aunt (who had moved to Sussex) travelled up for the ceremony, I would have assumed that the seat would have been listed after Mrs Reddington bequeathed £200 (£1,100 in today's money) in her will for "The Future maintenance of the seat". The Telegraph reported that the committee expressed their warm appreciation.

Thanks Flapdoodle

There's not as much storage space as you'd think at the Herbert. As part of the heritage weekend I took the tour of their stores and having visited other areas I can say that it would have been hard to keep the seat. As an item of furniture it might have been saved if they had a collection of furniture but a) they haven't AFAIK and b) while it was an unusual seat, it wasn't necessarily historically significant, particularly if it was damaged and needed repairing. Even £1100 is peanuts to repair and cover a chair that has to be strong enough for kids to bounce on. My sister wanted her old suit recovered and found it was cheaper to buy an exact new one. And I've met Huw several times - nice guy.

I gather the bench was made in 1960 and designed by the Architect of the Building. I'd say that makes it historically significant. It's also a piece of Mid Century Modern design which is much appreciated these days.

Wasn't there some controversy over the construction of the Herbert? The money was given by the Herbert family, but they had to use a relative's architectural firm to design the building?

Coventry Telegraph printed my letter in today's issue. I sincerely hope that someone can verify that the seat was indeed disposed of.

Hi, Derrick - An unpleasing tale you tell of bureaucrats who (by dint of their being paid by us, the people) know so much more about what is worthwhile than we, the people, could begin to know. This conceit is all the more disturbing for its being disproved each and every time the bureauracy is challenged. It pleases me to say that I have learned through a long life that bureaucrats know nothing about everything and everything about nothing.

According to today's Telegraph, there are 5,999 Artworks in storage & the writer seems to imply they should be sold to cover shortfalls in Council funding. I was in the Herbert yesterday and some of the paintings are excellent. The John Piper paintings of the Cathedral after the blitz are splendid & I'd forgotten Lowry's "Ebbw Vale" was there. The Cafe serves the worst coffee in Europe.

Why is it when you are searching for one thing you come across something else interesting? Assets owned by the council

Cripes, what a lot of good stuff we have. It's a bit of a random collection really, but it would be great to see lots more on show. Well done for finding that document.

Considering the artistic life of the city where I grew up but no longer live, as one who visits many theatres in many towns and cities, in my opinion the B2 at the Belgrade is amongst the finest theatres anywhere.

Thanks for that list Annewiggy. I have had a good look through at the items I am interested in (Stevengraphs) as part of some on-going research which I am doing. If the valuation of the paintings are anything like the valuation of the items I possess, I would suggest that they are grossly over valued! Admittedly, mine are far from the pristine conditions of those in the Herbert, the price difference is vast. If mine were to be worth a fraction of those given by Bonhams Valuation Report, the next Breakfast Meet Up will be on me!!! Take for examples the money I spent, compared to the valuation given £20, £35, £15, £25 => £700, £1000, £2,800, £1600. Admittedly, the paintings cannot be replaced whereas the Stevengraphs can be at a price far less than those quoted.

I'm not certain that I was the target of your outraged artistic sensitivities, but - against the possibility that such was the case - let me assure you that if the only purpose of the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum was to display two works - John Collier's magnificent portrayal of Godiva and Ben Nicholson's 1946-47 (project for two forms) - then I would be there to defend it. That said, taking on an arts bureaucrat in no way suggests a diminished ability to revere artists and artistry.

I was referring to the writer in the Telegraph. I think the Herbert collection is pretty patchy and a bit of a rationalisation wouldn't hurt, but I'd spend the cash on better art & not covering budgetary shortfalls.