E.A. Phipson - "St Alban's Abbey circa 1870"

Social History (Museum of St Albans)

1981.3901

Watercolour by E.A. Phipson (signed bottom left, dated 1901) showing the west end of St Albans Abbey prior to the Grimthorpe restoration and the Abbey Gateway on the right, with a group of girls to the left. One of England's most prolific landscape watercolourists, Phipson was christened Edward Arthur, however as a young man he developed a keen interest in languages which led him to change his name to the Greek Word Evacustes meaning 'ready listener'. His paintings represent an idealised image of a time of great change. He omitted the lamp posts, telegraph poles and motor cars that spoilt a good view. The museum under the direction of Frederick Kitton purchased a large collection of his Hertfordshire watercolours between 1900 and 1910 whilst he was living in London.

1901

PX5420Phip.tif

Amy Cooke

3) MoStA Archive Room

Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK, AL1 1BY

PWD Box 41

23/05/2006