Bestandsgeschichte
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: PAINTING, oil // Accession number: 84/25 // Classification: SOCIETY People // Negative number: 60/14967 // Acquisition method: Bequest // Acquired from, date: Mr. N. E. Worvill, [...], July 1984 // Store: Picture store // Condition: good // Recorder, date: JMB 15.10.84 // Description: An oil painting of Bernard Charles Worvill (1885-194) // Painted by Col. H. Dawkins, Over Norton House, Nr. Chipping Norton, Oxon. 1894. // Gold painted frame. // Dimensions: Length: 54.5cm. Width: 34.0cm // Associated information: This picture shows Bernard Worvill as a boy taking his father's lunch to the harvest field on Walford's Farm, Over Norton. Bernard Worvill was Norman Ernest Worvill's father. // COL. SLIDE: 4131 // References:', Letter, Norman E. Worvill to MERL, 21 January 1983 – 'Dear Curator, // [‘re: Small Oil Painting to be offered to the Museum’ underlined] // I have in my possession a small Oil Painting measuring about 20 inches x 13 Inches, depicting 'A Village Boy about to take his Father's Dinner to the Fields.' It portrays a village boy of about ten or eleven years old carrying a small chip-basket containing food on his right arm and a bottle half full of some (indeterminate) drink in his right hand. // I thought it might be of interest to the Museum of Rural Life, and I have therefore provided by a clause in my WILL that it should be offered to the Museum in due course by my Executors. // The picture was painted in, (I think) 1894, by Colonel DAWKINS of Over Norton House, Chipping Norton, Oxon, Squire of the Hamlet of Over Norton. Painting in Oils was apparently one of his hobbies, and he was an amateur of some skill and ability, though this one is not his best picture. It is not a great work of art - indeed the technical defects are fairly obvious - but it is, I think, a piece of Victorian Realism, faithfully depicting things the way they were in that Cotswold hamlet in 1894, and as such, it may be of interest to the Museum. // The picture was painted from life, and the model was my father, Bernard Charles Worvill, then a boy aged about ten years. His father was labourer on the Over Norton Estate. The painting was later given by Colonel Dawkins to the boy's mother (my grandmother), along with another head-and-shoulders portrait of my father done at about the same time. The latter is at present in the possession of my brother Roy Bernard Worvill of 40 The Leys, Chipping Norton, Oxon. The Squire apparently presented a number of his paintings to villagers of Over Norton, and I was informed recently that one or two are still extant in Over Norton. // I should add, by way of explanation, that I am a member of Reading University, having graduated B.A. Pass (English, History & Latin) and Diploma in Education in June 1930, after three very happy years in St. Patrick's Hall. I am profoundly grateful to have come under the influence of such distinguished teachers and scholars as Dr. Childs, Prof. W. G. De Burgh, Prof. & Mrs. Stenton, Prof. Ure, Prof. Edith J. Morley and R. Dewar and their assistant staff, during my most impressionable years, and I offer this painting as a small token of gratitude and appreciation. // Yours sincerely, // Norman E. Worvill', Letter, MERL to Norman E. Worvill, 24 February 1983 – 'Dear Mr. Worvill, // I apologise for the delay in replying to your letter. It is very kind of you to offer the Museum the painting 'A Village Boy about to take his Father's Dinner to the Fields' under the terms of your will. As you may know, we have a small but interesting collection of paintings on rural subjects here and I am sure this will be a suitable addition. // Yours sincerely, // Roy D. Brigden // Keeper', Letter, Slade, Son & Taylor (Solicitors) to MERL, 8 August 1983 – 'Dear Sir, // Re: [‘Mr. N. E. Worvill, deceased’ underlined] // We are instructed by the Executors of Mr. N. E. Worvill, late of Longwall Cottage, Sotwell who died on the 7 July 1983. // Under the terms of his Will Mr. Worvill gave a specific legacy to your Museum of an oil painting of a village boy taking his father's dinner to the fields painted in 1897 by Colonel Dawkins of Over Norton House, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. // We understand that the painting might be of little value, but the late Mr. Worvill thought it might be of interest in your collection. We should be glad to know whether you wish to accept the gift. // If you would like to view the painting, it can be seen at Mr. Worvill's house,[...]. We should be grateful if you would make any arrangements for a viewing through ourselves.', Letter, MERL to Slade, Son & Taylor (Solicitors), 10 August 1983 – 'Dear Sir, [‘N E Worvill, deceased’ underlined] // Thank you for your letter of 8th August. I should be glad to accept the oil painting bequeathed by Mr Worvill to the Museum. Perhaps you could inform me in due course of the arrangements for collection. // Yours faithfully, // Roy D. Brigden // Keeper, Museum of English Rural Life', Letter, Slade, Son & Taylor (Solicitors) to MERL, 24 August 1983 – 'Dear Sir, //[‘Re: Mr. N. E. Worvill (Deceased)’ underlined] // We thank you for your letter of the 10th August. // As soon as we have obtained a Grant of Probate we will contact you concerning the delivery of the oil painting.'
