63/18/4

The Diversity of British Farming – Grass and meat: Rutlandshire,

Michael O'Connell (Maker), Venice Havinden (Maker)

This is the fourth in a series of large wall hangings on ‘The Diversity of British Farming’. The wall hangings were designed, painted and dyed by Michael O’Connell and his assistant Venice Havinden in Much Hadham Hertfordshire. They were displayed in the Country Pavilion of the Festival of Britain on the South Bank in London, May–September 1951. The Festival or Britain commemorated the centenary of the 1851 Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace and sought to revitalise the economy, strengthen Britain’s political and economic position in the world and lift the national mood after years of post-war austerity. This panel, entitled 'Grass and meat: Rutlandshire', depicts farms and a village in the centre of a rich landscape of fields and roads, with a background of star symbols.

1 wall hanging; fabric

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: … // Accession number: 63/18/1–10 // Classification: … // Negative number: … // Acquisition method: … // Acquired from: … // Date: … // Store: … // Condition: … // Recorder: JMB // Date: 14.1.94 // Description: Large hangings made, painted & dyed by Michael O’Connell depicting the Diversity of British Farming. // These hangings formed part of the display in the Agricultural and Country Pavilion at the 1951 Festival of Britain. // Colours are vibrant – green background with orange bands and black shapes. // Dimensions: Various but mostly 12 ft x 24 ft. // Associated information: See attached sheets for detailed information. // For other accessions from Festival of Britain see Acc. Files 52/65–52/91, 79/64, 52/384 // Festival of Britain Catalogue Number G101 // Signature/sign – bottom RH corner of Kent picture “Moll” // COL. NEG. NOS. 60/16058–60/16094 // References: Catalogue for South Bank Exhibition 1951 RUL. Stack 606.40942 p.22. // Atomic to the Nation. Edited by Barnham and Hillier RUL 606.40942 p.106', MERL ‘Handwritten catalogue’ form – ‘This wallhanging is rather faded // Total Dimensions: Width: 24ft (732cm) // Length: 12ft 6ins (381) // This picture shows farms and a village in the centre of a rich landscape with field and roads. // The main symbol in the centre is a sun with a cow. The wind is shown blowing from the top left and a rain cloud is shown at the top right. The sunshine is the main background symbol shown as yellow stars. // Horses, sheep and red cattle are shown. There is a man leading a bull, a horse and cart, and a cultivating machine. // A train travels along the bottom of the picture and this could be part of the old Central Line, now closed. // The field plan at the bottom RH corner shows the following crops: // SL Short Ley; A Arable, roots; PG Permanent Grass; LL Long Ley. // TEXT: ‘The Glacial soil of the Well and Valley grows some of the finest grass in the world. On these rich pastures perfected by generations of expert graziers more beasts are fattened to the single acre than is possible anywhere else in Britain’.’, MERL Miscellaneous note, undated – ‘These hangings were displayed on the balcony section of the Country pavilion at the Festival of Britain and were design to show the diversity of British farming which was the main theme of the pavilion’s exhibitions. // The hangings were designed, painted and dyed by Michael O’Connell, assisted by Venice Havinden, at his home in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire. Details of the technique he used are not known at present although an article in “Picture Post” on 6 January 1951 suggests that he used “an ancient Asiatic dye technique”. The hangings are made up of separate strips of heavy, course woven, fabric which have been dyed a dull green and stitched together. The detail has than been painted/printed on top of this.’, Festival of Britain Catalogue, 1951 – ‘The Diversity of British Farming // G101 Wallhanging painted and dyed by Michael O’Connell, The Chase, Much Hadham, Herts. Assistant, Venice Havinden. // (a) Upland stock-farming : Scotland and Wales. // (b) Grass and meat : Rutlandshire. // (c) Grass and milk : Cheshire. // (d) The family farm : Northern Ireland. // (e) The grain belt : Yorkshire. // (f) Root crops: The Fens. // (g) Fruit and hops: Kent.’

Much Hadham, Much Hadham

Painted, Dyed