Celia of Poppy’s Chocolate Shop “Nine reas<strong>on</strong>s why I love Riverside!” Jaine of The Riverside Café Bar Martin of Boat Ho<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e butchers Clare of Riverside Flowers Georgina of Georgie’s pottery Liz of The Gallery Saira of The Stitchery Carol of Riverside Brasserie Lee of Terry’s fishm<strong>on</strong>gers Cliffe Bridge, <strong>Lewes</strong> BN7 2RE www.riverside-lewes.co.uk
MYLEWES JuLia RuShbuRY Julia R<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>hbury is a mural painter who has lived in <strong>Lewes</strong> for over fifty years. Her father was Sir Henry R<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>hbury, an artist who gained internati<strong>on</strong>al re<str<strong>on</strong>g>now</str<strong>on</strong>g>n as <strong>on</strong>e of the leaders of the British etching revival in the 1920s. An ack<str<strong>on</strong>g>now</str<strong>on</strong>g>ledged master of topographical drawing, he also served as an official war artist in both world wars. In the latter part of his life he was a distinguished Keeper of the Royal Academy, improving the RA schools bey<strong>on</strong>d recogniti<strong>on</strong>. For many years his work was neglected except by a small body of collectors. The 1989 exhibiti<strong>on</strong> at Birmingham City M<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>eum and Art Gallery, marking the centenary of his birth, and a small show this summer in the Tennant Gallery at the Royal Academy, running until 12th Sept, have brought a new generati<strong>on</strong> to look at his work afresh. To coincide with the exhibiti<strong>on</strong>, a Catalogue Rais<strong>on</strong>né of his prints has been published. What was your father’s c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong> with <strong>Lewes</strong>? In his early days he had rented cottages in West S<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>sex at Bosham and Amberley, but he always liked the country around <strong>Lewes</strong> and my parents moved here in 1957. What was <strong>Lewes</strong> like in those days? A small market town, still stifled by the rigid social hierarchy that comes across so clearly in Mrs Dudeney’s Diary. I’m afraid my father found it all rather dull, missing the c<strong>on</strong>genial company of fellow artists at the RA and the Chelsea Arts Club. He didn’t go out much, and was given to indicating that the visits of neighbours had g<strong>on</strong>e <strong>on</strong> too l<strong>on</strong>g by going round the room plumping up the c<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>hi<strong>on</strong>s. But he relished the company of his numero<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> grandchildren, and greatly enjoyed the visits of former pupils and old artist friends like Ethelbert White and Photo by Emma Chaplin Percy Hort<strong>on</strong>. What did your parents like about <strong>Lewes</strong>? They loved their ho<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e, 6 St Martin’s Lane, with its balc<strong>on</strong>y overlooking the valley and the Downs. When they bought it, the ho<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e was d<strong>on</strong>e up by Wicks, a local building firm. At the time, Dennis Wicks, a re<str<strong>on</strong>g>now</str<strong>on</strong>g>ned opera singer who had begun his career as a bass in the Glyndebourne Chor<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>, sometimes helped the family firm out if they were eager to finish a job <strong>on</strong> time. My mother, unaware of the m<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>ical c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>, <strong>on</strong>ce exclaimed to me, “What a w<strong>on</strong>derful town <strong>Lewes</strong> is! Even the carpenters are able to sing Mozart arias while they work”. Tell <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g> about a cherished <strong>Lewes</strong> landmark. The cycle rack in Grange Gardens, erected by the Friends of <strong>Lewes</strong> to commemorate Elisabeth Howard. She was an indefatigable c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> campaigner, often to be seen riding around <strong>Lewes</strong> <strong>on</strong> her heavily encumbered bicycle. I was at Langford Grove School with her, in Barcombe Mills. In 1946, I and five other girls, all going <strong>on</strong>to Art School, were put up at Westgate Ho<str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e whilst learning how to <str<strong>on</strong>g>us</str<strong>on</strong>g>e the lithographic press owned by the Ladies of Miller’s. What do you dislike about <strong>Lewes</strong>? The ever-increasing volume of traffic <strong>on</strong> Southover High Street. Useless traffic-calming measures. The smug hypocrisy of those who bang <strong>on</strong> about the envir<strong>on</strong>ment while fitting in as many short haul holiday flights to Naples or Bratislava as they can. Recommend a film. Fellini’s La Strada, a poignant and beautiful work that I never tire of. David Jarman 1 5
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