Loft paintings added to Pitmen collection - July 6th 2009
In the best 'Antiques Roadshow' television programme traditions, two paintings stored in an attic for the past 20 years, have been added to the treasured collection of works by the iconic Pitmen Painters of Ashington.
The painters by Pegswood artist W J Dobson, were bought in the 1960s by Ron Eastlake and his wife Mary. One is a copy of an etching of the village of Bothal near Ashington that dates from around 1700, while the other is a composite view of a variety of scenes in Northumberland.
Just before he died 18 months ago, Mr Eastlake decided to donate the paintings to the Woodhorn Museum and Archives Centre, and his wish has now been carried out by his wife.
The paintings will be added to the unique collection of work retained at Woodhorn, many of which are on show in a permanent gallery at the former colliery which has been transformed into a major visitor attraction thanks largely to a grant of more than £10m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Mrs Eastlake explained how the paintings came to be in the loft of her Stakeford home. "My husband knew Mr Dobson and bought the two paintings from him around 1968, for I think £30," she said. "They were hanging on the walls of our home for many years, but when we moved and didn't have the same amount of room, we stored them in the loft," she said.
"Just before Ron died he was reading an article about Woodhorn and said he would like the paintings to go there. I am pleased to have been able to fulfil his wish, and he would be delighted to know that they have gone to a good home."
The gift comes at an appropriate time as the much vaunted play about the Pitmen Painters by author Lee Hall, is just about to start a re-run at Live Theatre in Newcastle. Hall - best known as the creator of smash-hit film and musical 'Billy Elliott' - chose the story of the Ashington miners who joined an art appreciation class in the 1930s, before compiling an astonishing collection of paintings chronicling life above and below ground in their mining villages, as his follow-up work. The play, which made its debut at Live Theatre at the end of last year, will also transfer to the National Theatre in London in May, for a month-long run.