Henry Sandon’s letter to Rick, 27 November 2014
Henry Sandon succeeded Cyril as curator of the Museum of Royal Worcester in 1966, and later became well known on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. He wrote this letter by hand on his own notepaper, which carries a small reproduction of his portrait in oils at the top left. A few words are hard to read and are marked [?].
HENRY SANDON M.B.E.
Worcester
27th Nov 2014
Dear Richard:
Lovely to get your letter of 23rd Nov with photograph of the coffee set that Cyril gave you as the wedding present in 1965. As you say, not quite like the Roadshow service but much more meaningful and loved than a greyhound trophy.
It was great to read your account of the day at Davenham with Cyril and I am sure that the lunch and visit to Upton upon Severn meant a lot to Cyril. Cyril booked into Davenham soon after his dear wife died and he was very happy there. Barbara and I went to his 100th birthday party there and he was very full of life though his memory had gone; I suppose we would call it dementia now. There were 4 centenarians in the room, counting Cyril.
When Barbara died last year I had thoughts of applying to go to Davenham but have stuck it out here and still manage to do lots of talks and the odd Roadshow. Even came near you: to Pudsey a couple of years ago. I am so pleased that Cyril passed the family bible and photos to you. When Barbara and I saw him in his room on the last occasion he gave me a pottery bust of Shakespeare that he had made at Royal Worcester back in the 1950s. The factory never produced it but I treasure it.
He was a lovely man and I will never forget him. One of my treasured photos was when he and I were presented to the Queen on her visit to the factory and Museum to celebrate the 250th anniversary. When she spoke to him he was unable to answer and I’m afraid I broke protocol and spoke for him, explaining he was 99 and opened the door of the Museum when she opened it in 1951 – the bicentenary of the founding. Now, regrettably, the factory is no more; thankfully Cyril did not see its demise, and remembered when the two of us remade the Museum in its present home – still going strong. Perhaps you will be able to visit it one day – will be delighted to take you around. You could see the new oil painting of me (see top left of this letter). Cyril would have been proud and pleased.
Yours sincerely,
Henry Sandon
Notes: Barbara was Henry’s wife. The Royal Worcester factory closed in 2009. The Museum of Royal Worcester is in the old St Peter’s School building beside the factory site. Henry Sandon’s address and telephone number have been removed from the letterhead.