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UK Belleek Collectors’ Group Newsletter 30/2 July 2009 Page 1 UK Belleek Collectors’ Group Newsletter 30/2 July 2009 Contacts: Chris Marvell is the Newsletter editor. Please let him have your contributions for future Newsletters, comments, suggestions, letters for publication, criticisms etc. If you want, Gina Kelland is still happy to receive material for the Newsletter: she will be assisting Chris with her advice and proofreading. If you are sending published articles please either get Copyright clearance yourself or enclose the details of the publisher so Chris can ask for permission. You can contact Chris by an email to [email protected] Chris and Bev Marvell publish and distribute the Newsletter. Chris has set up a database which forms the Group’s “digital” archive, keeping a record of relevant publications and photographs (including photos etc. gathered at meetings and not published in the Newsletter). Some or all of this information will be available on the Internet as our website develops - working with Simon Whitlock, we intend to publish all the back issues of the Newsletter and all of the research done by our Group members on our website. If you have questions about the publication and distribution of the Newsletter, contact Chris or Bev by email at [email protected]. The Group’s Chairman is Eddie Murphy, email [email protected] Our Treasurer is Brian Russell, contact him by email at [email protected] The position of Group Administrator is vacant at present so email to [email protected] will come through to Chris Marvell who will pass it on to the most appropriate person. Our website is administered by Simon Whitlock and can be found at http://www.belleek.org.uk/. To contact Simon, the Webmaster, send email to [email protected]. There is a separate email address to make contact with researchers within the group. This is [email protected]. For information on the annual raffle or to buy tickets, contact Linda Murphy at [email protected]. Credits Photographs: Contributions from many of our members – see the text. Pat and Paul Tubb, Brian Russell, Tom Proteau, Chris Marvell, Margaret and David Montgomery, Eddie Murphy and Patty and Ron (Meadow Lane Shops) Articles by: Pat Tubb, Tony Fox, Brian Russell, Eddie Murphy and wonderful contributions from many of our Members. Other material: Del Domke, Linda and Eddie Murphy, Jan Golaszewski and Pat and Brian Russell. Acknowledgements: Flags courtesy of www.theodora.com/flags used with permission, The Fermanagh Herald, The Impartial Reporter, Quex Park House and Museum, Charles M. Schulz for the Peanuts cartoon, The Wedgwood Museum http://www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk and Belleek Pottery http://www.belleek.ie Forthcoming Events 25th and 26th July 2009 20th Anniversary Meeting, Coventry, hosted by Pat, Paul and Patrick Tubb 12th and 13th Sept. 2009 Special Meeting, Knockninny, Northern Ireland with N.I. Group arranged by Tracy and Paddy McKee 17th and 18th Oct. 2009 Autumn Meeting, Bristol, hosted by Maureen and Robin Wootton 13th and 14th Feb. 2010 New Zealand Belleek Collectors Group, Tauranga, North Island, NZ, hosted by Margaret and David Montgomery Newsletter Deadlines Autumn 2009: Deadline for articles and other material is 11th September. Cover Picture… A Birthday Candlestick! …a Belleek Piano Candlestick. This is a rare first period example, highly decorated in Raphaelesque colours. The background is the New York skyline seen from close to the home of a New Jersey Member. This publication is made on behalf of the UK Belleek Collectors’ Group. It is dedicated to improving our knowledge and appreciation of Belleek, the Ware and the Pottery. It is not for profit and intended for the members of the Group and those with like interests. We try to acknowledge and obtain permission for any material or images used. If however you feel that material has been used which breaches your copyright and this causes you a problem, please get in touch with the editor at [email protected] and the item will be removed. Page 2 UK Belleek Collectors’ Group Newsletter 30/2 July 2009 UK Belleek Collectors’ Group Newsletter 30/2 July 2009 From the Editor……………………………………………. page 4 Graham Munton…………………………………………… page 5 Commander Fred Branan Gary………………………………. page 7 News from Belleek Pottery…………………………………... page 8 The Wedgwood Museum wins Art Fund Prize………………… page 9 The Spring Meeting in Kent…….……..…………..…...…… page 10 UK Group 20th Anniversary – From our Members!…….…….... page 20 The 2009 BCIS Convention in New Jersey…………………… page 70 - Pat Tubb Belleek Black Mark Tea Ware – Part 9…..…………………... page 78 - Tony Fox The Belleek Flower Festival………………………………… page 87 - Brian Russell Pat and Brian Russell – Hot off the press!.................................... page 88 Eddie, Linda, Kate Bliss and a Belleek Ashtray………………. Page 89 Ebay Auction Report- some exceptional Items of Belleek.……… page 90 And Finally…..……………………………………….…… page 96 Page 3 UK Belleek Collectors’ Group Newsletter 30/2 July 2009 From the Editor… What a fabulous Convention in New Jersey! It was the first one that Bev and I had attended in the USA and it was a wonderful, friendly gathering – just what you would expect when Belleekers get together from around the World. Pat Tubb has put a very good report together and this appears in the Newsletter. This Convention had fewer attendees than previous ones and this was rightly attributed to the severe economic downturn which has hit the USA even harder than the UK and Ireland. In spite of this, the Convention was highly successful and because of the smaller numbers, had a much more intimate feel with more opportunities to talk (in the Bar!) with Patricia and Fergus, Angela and George and the US and Canadian chapter members. Of course many of these are also members of the UK Group and we certainly made the most of the opportunity to chat with them. In her Keynote Address, Angela Moore gave us the news of major changes to the BCIS. This came as a surprise to many there, but the direction of the BCIS is confirmed as an “Internet –based” collectors group. In a nutshell the Belleek Collectors International Society will continue as follows: • Membership will be free, you only have to register at the www.belleek.ie website to be a member – that’s right, no more subscriptions! • The “Belleek Collector” will continue as a three-times yearly Internet-only publication. This will be available on the www.belleek.ie website. • There will be no more annual renewal pieces sent out. If you have paid this year, you will receive a piece but this will be phased out next year. The consensus of opinion of Chapter Presidents at the Convention was that the Pottery was adopting a lower profile with regard to its collectors and the onus was now much more on the individual chapters to keep the collecting community together. Paul Tubb and I were present at this discussion and heartily agree with this sentiment. None of us want the spirit and enthusiasm of collectors internationally to diminish and so it’s really up to us now to take the lead ourselves to keep the Belleek community strong and growing, although support from the Pottery will continue to be absolutely essential. The UK Group will surely be in the forefront of this: promoting and encouraging international communication and co-operation. This is a very important issue and I for one would like us to consider and discuss it at the forthcoming AGM. We have had the sad news of the death of two of the “Grand Old Men” of Belleek. Graham Munton, well known to many of the UK Group for his inimitable style, sense of humour, good nature and knowledge of Belleek amongst many other subjects, has passed away on 12th July, aged 92 years. Maureen and Graham are truly iconic figures in our Group as you will see from the very many mentions of them in this issue – they have been instrumental in introducing and passing on their love of Belleek to many of us. Fred Gary, the first BCIS Honouree and founder member of the BCIS is the second sad loss. Fred lived in San Diego, California and was a member of the UK Group. He was also the UK Group’s oldest member at the age of 98 years. Both of them will be greatly missed by all who knew them. This issue contains obituaries to both Graham and Fred. Armstrong’s diary: we are getting close to completing all the transcriptions. We will try to pull all this together for a first full version which should appear before our Autumn meeting. This will then be sent out to all those involved with the project and anyone else who is interested – if you want to be involved, it is still not too late to contact me! As said before, this will be a considerable body of work, more than 2000 pages of Armstrong’s insights, thoughts, notes, doodles and scribbles. It is a real treasure trove for the keen Belleek researcher! In this issue, Tony Fox (aided by Bev Marvell) tackle an extremely difficult area in their tea ware series. Difficult because of the rarity of the patterns: Aberdeen, Blarney, Scroll and Sydney. In spite of the rarity, Tony and Bev have again done us proud in finding some exquisite example of tea ware in these patterns. And, oh yes, it’s 20 years since the UK Group held its first Meeting. Since that meeting in the Grosvenor Hotel in London, conceived and arranged by Marion Langham aided by Brian Scott and Jan Golaszewski, many things have changed and some of the original attendees at that meeting are no longer with us.