Art gallery’s friends get set to remember great curator

John Bradshaw, who died on July 24 1992, will be remembered this Saturday at the annual meeting of the Friends of the Ferens.

Tributes to the museums’ curator will be made by Friends’ chair Brian Hill, as the society itself celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Chrys Bavey, the society’s vice chairman, said: “Everyone who knew him goes into raptures about him. He bought a large amount of art and established the Edwardian and Victorian collections. He was buying it all up in the 60s when other galleries were literally throwing it out.”

Veronica Keczkes, who travelled on 12 overseas trips organised by John Bradshaw, said: “The journeys were unforgettable. I remember him explaining in meticulous detail for over an hour an Old Master in the Uffizi in Florence and no one moved an inch.

“His knowledge was amazing. You came back not just not with the knowledge of art, but customs, wine and food. He’d even bring the food back and use it for one of his next parties at the Ferens.”

Arguably his main legacy to the city was the development of the Ferens, today one of the leading provincial art galleries in the country.

Not afraid of controversial decisions he supported the plans for Princes Quay shopping centre, which brought with it the £2m extension to the gallery at the rear. On October 31 1991 he was proud to guide Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother around the gallery’s new displays.