FRANCIS NICHOLSON GROUP

            1 Year Up, 3 Targets Down! March 29th saw the Nicholson Group reach its first birthday. The group, which consists of Judy Dixon, Gordon Bell and Colin Coulson, set out to heighten awareness of Francis Nicholson, ‘The Father of English Water-colour Painting’, who was born in Pickering in 1753. The five main targets were (1) a small book to retail at less than £5 so everyone had initial access, (2) a blue plaque at Nicholson’s birthplace – if this could be found, (3) a web-site (4) a large exhibition, and (5) a definitive biography. And things have moved fast.

            In May, Ryedale Folk Museum agreed to hold a six-week exhibition of Nicholson’s work at their gallery in 2012 – five weeks in, one target down. In July, Ryedale District Council awarded the group a £1,100 grant to forward the project. In September, the book ‘Francis Nicholson of Pickering’ went on the shelves of local newsagents, tourist information centres, Ryedale Folk and Beck Isle Museums, etc. at £3.50 – five months in, two targets down. Also in September, they held a display of locally owned exhibits in the Memorial Hall. In November, the group achieved it’s first national  coverage in Heritage Journal. Later that same month, Gordon Bell, who had been expected to write the larger biography for 2012, decided that it would be better for group members to chip in with different chapters, and work began. In  December, they found the address at which Nicholson was born - No.1, Hungate. Within a fortnight, Mrs. Cordingley of the Forest & Vale Hotel, who also owns the house, had been approached and gave permission for a blue plaque to be placed there later in 2011 – eight months in, three targets down. Towards the end of January, Keith Dutton of Beck Isle Museum met with the group and, in one meeting, agreed the format and lay-out of a display case. It was set up in three days, ready for the museum’s opening in February. Roger Dowson, manager of the museum, is now working with the group to produce a free Beck Isle  information leaflet for their shelves.

            And that was just the first year – phew!

Colin Coulson.