Thomas Hennell 1903 -1945

Thomas Hennell
1903 – 1945
New Ash Green Arts Community Is to present a celebration of the work and life of Local Artist Thomas Hennell On Sunday November 2nd 2PM In The Youth and Community Centre, North Square, New Ash Green DA3 8JY
New Ash Green Arts Community are proud to be celebrating the 80th anniversary of Hennell’s death with a small exhibition of some of his original works at our meeting on Sunday November 2nd at 2pm. This will be accompanied by a talk on his life and work to be given by esteemed local artist Michael Kennedy.
Born locally at Ridley Rectory in North West Kent, Thomas Hennell was a watercolourist, writer and poet.
He studied art at Regent Street Polytechnic from 1921-26 and then taught art in schools in Somerset and Bath from 1926-32. In 1931 he became friends with artists based in Great Bardsfield, Essex – Eric Ravilious and Edward Bawden. In 1938 he was elected as an Associate Member of the Royal Watercolour Society.
One of his interests was cataloguing vanishing country arts and crafts, travelling around Britain and Ireland on his bicycle, completing his first book, “Change in the Farm” in 1934, illustrating it with many of his own watercolours.
In 1940 he was commissioned by the Pilgrim Trust (a charitable organisation supporting Britain’s heritage) to make drawings for the Recording Britain scheme. As an official war artist he also recorded aspects of tool making and land work in wartime.
In 1943 he spent three months in Iceland and in 1944 his watercolours of Iceland were on display at the National Gallery.
Later in 1944, he went to France attached to the Royal Navy and in 1945 he flew to India attached to the RAF. Unfortunately he was captured in Java by terrorists and declared missing, his body never being found.
Today the Imperial War Museum and the RAF Museum at Henley hold large collections of his work.
New Ash Green Arts Community is made up of artists working in a variety of media and people who have an interest in the arts. We meet monthly for talks and occasional demonstrations on the first Sunday of the month at 2pm -4.30pm in the Youth and Community Centre, North Square, New Ash Green DA3 8JY. We also have bi-annual exhibitions of members work. All are welcome to join us.
If you would like more details of our programme please don’t hesitate to contact us by email at nagartscomm@gmail.com