ARTS SOCIETY SECRETARY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 15

ARTS SOCIETY SECRETARY

Resignation Of Mr Baverstock

Mr W. S. Baverstock, secre-tary-treasurer of the Canterbury Society of Arts for the last 16 years, has given notice of his resignation and Mr Andre Brooke, founder of Gallery 91 in Cashel street, will succeed him. These announcements were made at the society’s current exhibition by the president (Mr G. C. C. Sandston). Mr Baverstock has found that his dual duties as secretary of the’ society and honorary curator of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery are growing too heavy (especially with the increasing number of exhibitions), so he intends to devote more time to the city’s gallery in the Botanic Gardens. He also intends to resume sketching and writing, which were his full-time work many years ago. Mr Baverstock Js a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and used to be well known for his black and white drawings and caricatures.

Mr Baverstock attended a private school in Norwich; where he was born, and later the West Christchurch District High School and the University of Canterbury School of Art. In 1910 he joined the lithographic department of “The Press” (of which his father was in charge for many years), and during 18 years’ service with the company did a lot of work for its pictorial publications. In 1928 he withdrew io become a free-lance contributor of sketches, photographs, and special articles to a variety of journals. Full Circle

In 1943 Mr Baverstock was invited to become secretary-treas-urer of the Society of Arts by the then president, Mr Archibald F. Nicoll, the noted Christchurch

portrait painter. It was at the present including a notable collection of Mr Nicoll’s works (hung by Mr Baverstock), that his resignation was announced.

Mr Baverstock said yesterday that he would withdraw from office in the society with memories of the utmost goodwill from all concerned. He recalled that the Army had requisitioned the Society of Arts Durham street gallery as a war-time clothing store when he took over, and for four years art exhibitions were held at Ballantynes: Since the shows returned to the gallery in 1947, he had handled thousands of works of art in society and loan exhibitions. Apart from these duties He had had to watch the society’s interests in other uses of the gallery, ranging from Vice-Regal investitures to bird shows and missionary exhibitions. As well as being honorary curator of the McDougall Gallery, Mr Baverstock has been a member of the Canterbury Centennial Arts and Cultural Committee, and the Advisory Committee on Civic Beautification. Unfinished Project Mr Baverstock has one regret about a project unfinished. In 1941 he began a personal campaign to assist sales of the work of New Zealand artists, many of whom had little income from their work. He suggested to innumerable organisations that, instead of decorating their walls with prints, offices, board rooms, school halls, shops, and private homes might be embellished with originals at relatively modest cost. A good number of groups took up the challenge; but he had not had time to pursue it in recent years, he said. He still thought it was a sound idea. Mr Baverstock will be severing his connexion with art circles in Christchurch in office only; but there is one association which is definitely ending. For about 10 years, as soon as he reached the gallery and for some hours each day, Mr Baverstock had a visit from Peter, the grey cat from the Provincial Council building. He has never fed him or encouraged him in any way. But the two have tacit understanding and appreciation of quiet. Distinguished visitors to the gallery have often had to wait while Peter was ejected from the guest’s chair of honour.