The Annual RHSCL Newsletter

Dear Friends,

It hardly seems twelve months since I last sat down to drop you a line and to wish you all an extremely Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. As I write, the country is trapped in the icy grip of winter and so it may be a White Christmas for us all this year. Whatever the colour of your Christmas, I hope that it's a joyous one.

This newsletter is necessarily tinged with sadness since I have to announce the death last spring of Jim Randell, President of the RHSCL (1994/1995) and a long-serving member of the RHSCL Committee, latterly as Archivist. Jim passed away only a few months after the loss of his beloved wife and not many weeks after he attended what turned out to be his final RHSCL Annual Dinner. We shall miss his wise advice and gentle good humour.

During 2010, the RHSCL continued to expand with several new members recruited during the course of the year. The Annual Dinner in February featured a hugely enjoyable account of life in the Foreign Office from our Guest of Honour, retired diplomat, Andrew George. In September, the RHSCL added a new attraction to its programme of events with a visit to to Bacchanalia in the shadow of the Millennium Bridge. We sampled some excellent Spanish wines under the watchful eye of our guide and tucked into a tempting selection of hams and cheeses. Two months later we returned to the Fleming Collection in Mayfair for our Annual Drinks Party. We were given a ten-minute talk on The Glasgow Boys, the artistic circle who were the subject of the autumn exhibition at the Gallery.The musical duo Causeway added to the fun with several jaunty renditions on fiddle and guitar and the wine flowed to everybody's satisfaction.

For golf fans, there are plans afoot to enter a team representing the Royal High in the Annual Scottish Schools competiion at Denham next summer. If you are interested then please contact Mike Rogers (bold) on MRogersMAA@aol.com He'll be delighted to hear from you.

Keep in touch with the Club's activities by logging on to the website on www.royalhigh.org.uk and why not make it your New Year's resolution to attend one of the Club's events in 2011? I'm always delighted to hear from you on alsenter@yahoo.co.uk with any thoughts. comments. questions or suggestions.

With all the very best

Al Senter
President RHSCL

Annual Dinner 2011

It is a great pleasure to announce once more that the Annual Dinner will be held in the El Alamein Room at the Victory Services Club,
63-79, Seymour Street, Marble Arch, London W2 2HF on Friday March 11th, 2011 at 7.30 pm. Dress for the Dinner is formal with
black tie, Highland attire or lounge suit all acceptable. Members, their partners and guests are warmly invited to gather for
pre-Dinner drinks and relaxed conversation from 6.30 pm.

I’m delighted to say that we have lined up three exceptional speakers for the 2011 Annual Dinner. We welcome Jane Frith,

the first female Rector in the long history of the Royal High School, who will be introducing herself and explaining her ambitions

for the school. And to demonstrate the sweep and scale of the achievements of Royal High alumni, we welcome the

world record holding test pilot Eric Brown and the choreographer Rosie Kay, founder of one of the most exciting dance companies

in Britain today. They will be reflecting on their time at the High School and how that experience contributed to their

subsequent achievements.

Once again we have timed the Annual Dinner to coincide with the Calcutta Cup weekend at Twickenham. There should therefore

be a large Edinburgh contingent in attendance and the evening will provide the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends

and make sure that auld acquaintance is not forgot, especially as the Bar, with its extremely competitive prices, remains open

until midnight. The price of the excellent three-course dinner remains at £45 and demand for tickets is bound to be high.

Make sure that you don’t miss out by making your cheque payable to ‘The Royal High School Club in London’ and sending it to

Alex Prentice, using the reply slip below.

The Victory Services Club is located just around the corner from Marble Arch underground station. To reach the VSC, simply turn right

out of the station, then after 100 yards cross Edgware Road and Seymour Street is the first opening on the left. The VSC is about

fifty yards down on the left.

Those who wish to stay at the VSC should call Reservations on 0207 616 8335. Please tell Reservations that you are attending the

RHS Club in London’s Annual Dinner and you will be entitled to stay at the VSC for two nights. A double/twin room is £136.90

per night, including breakfast and VAT, while a single room is £76.45 per night. Alternatively email res@vsc.co.uk for the attention

of Ms Samia Hassan.

For further information on all aspects of the Annual Dinner, please contact either

Alex Prentice, Honorary Secretary, Tel: 01992 554854, email: alex.prentice1@btinternet.com or

Al Senter, President, on alsenter@yahoo.co.uk .

With best wishes,

Al Senter.

RHSCL Annual Drinks Party, 15th November 2010

Now that the nights are drawing in and the trees are ablaze with the golds and the russets of autumn, I have the great pleasure of announcing that the other highlight of this season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, the RHSCL Annual Drinks Party, will take place on MONDAY NOVEMBER 15th at the Fleming Collection, 13, Berkeley Street, London W1

This year the Gallery is presenting a very special exhibition, a feast for art-lovers and of enormous appeal to everbody with an interest in Scottish culture.

THE GLASGOW BOYS show consists of fifty paintings, some rarely seen in public, and features the work of such artists as Sir James Guthrie, George Henry and Sir John Lavery. The exhibition complements Pioneering Painters: The Glasgow Boys 1880-1900, which can be seen round the corner at the Royal Academy.

As ever, the highlight of the evening will be the conducted tour of the exhibition, with expert comment and analysis from one of the team at the Fleming Collection. But there will also be live music, a tempting selection of sandwiches and sausage rolls, the choicest wines and relaxed conversation with friends, old and new. And all for £25 per head.

For those who are still to sample the Annual Drinks Party, the Fleming Collection is in Berkeley Street, just off Piccadilly. The nearest underground station is Green Park (Jubilee/Piccadilly/Victoria Lines) and is only a few minutes' walk from the gallery. Simply come out of the station on the north side of Piccadilly, turn left and then left again into Berkeley Street. The Fleming Collection is only a hundred yards down on the right-hand side.

Don't hesitate to bring wives, partners, friends or guests: we'll be delighted to welcome them to the party. My colleagues on the RHSCl Committee join me in inviting you to share what is always a very special evening.

For further information
Al Senter
RHSCL President
alsenter@yahoo.co.uk

Events at the Fleming

EVENTS



Lunchtime talks at The Fleming Collection
James Paterson: The Moniaive Years
Friday 15th October, 1.10pm, admission free

The talk will focus on Paterson 's works in The Glasgow Boys exhibition to examine the significance Moniaive had on his artwork. The works form Paterson 's time in Moniaive illustrate his adoption of French art practices and his own unique strand of 'Glasgow Boys' realism



NEW EVENT
Dealers Talk: John Lavery and The Glasgow Boys at The Fine Art Society
Tuesday 2nd November, Drinks 6-8pm
The Fine Art Society, 148 New Bond Street , London W1S 2JT
Tickets: £15; Friends, Philanthropic Friends and Corporate Members £10; Patrons free

Enjoy an exclusive private viewing and talk of John Lavery and The Glasgow Boys at The Fine Art Society, the first commercial gallery to rediscover The Glasgow Boys after they fell out of popularity in the early twentieth century. The exhibition will include works for sale as well as works from private collections.



Roger Billcliffe talk and book signing of The Glasgow Boys
Tuesday, 9th November 1-2pm
The Fleming Collection, 13 Berkeley Street , London W1J 8DU
Price: Admission Free

Roger Billcliffe, author of The Glasgow Boys and owner of The Roger Billcliffe Gallery in Glasgow , will give an introduction to the Glasgow Boys followed by a book signing of his book The Glasgow Boys, of which the original edition won the Scottish Arts Council book award in 1985.
To reserve a book in advance please give the gallery a call on 020 7042 5731. Price £40.



Scottish Contemporary Art Evening with Lena Boyle and Artist John MacAulay
Tuesday, 16th November 6-7.30pm, drinks and canapes
Address given with your ticket, nearest underground Earls Court
Price: £20; Friends, Philanthropic Friends and Corporate Members £15; Patrons free

Over the last 25 years Lena Boyle has staged exhibitions of Modern British and Contemporary artists at her private home. You will view an exhibition of Scottish artists including works by New Glasgow Boy Hugh Byars; Sarah Coghill and John MacAulay. MacAulay, who trained at Glasgow School of Art and the Royal College of Art will give a talk on the techniques he employs and observations of Scottish life dear to his work.



Annual Friends Lecture: Sir John Lavery and The Glasgow Boys by Kenneth McConkey
Tuesday, 23rd November 6.30-7.30pm
The Fleming Collection, 13 Berkeley Street , London W1J 8DU
Price: £10; Friends, Philanthropic Friends, Corporate Members and Patrons free

A specialist in British, Irish and French painting at the turn of twentieth century, Kenneth McConkey is the author of many books and articles. His lifelong interest in Lavery began as a boy going to Belfast Art Gallery . Sir John Lavery was a leading member of The Glasgow Boys in the late nineteenth century and is remembered for his striking portraits and everyday rural scenes. Kenneth McConkey will be signing copies of his new book John Lavery: A Painter and his World. Price £45.



Lifelong Friends: Cadell and Peploe at The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
Thursday, 25th November 6-8pm
The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street , Edinburgh EH3 6HZ
Price: £15; Friends, Philanthropic Friends, Corporate Members £10; Patrons free

Guy Peploe is delighted to host a special talk for us at The Scottish Gallery to celebrate the friendship between the two Scottish Colourists, FCB Cadell and his grandfather SJ Peploe. Guy Peploe will bring together a selection of works from a private collection that have rarely, if ever, been seen, offering an exclusive, intimate and personal look at their life and work for one day only.
The Scottish Gallery is hosting a Cadell exhibition in 2011 to coincide with the National Gallery's exhibition on his work and will also have an exhibition later in 2011 called Peploe's Portraits.

Exhibitions At the Fleming Gallery

We hold our popular annual drinks party at the Fleming Gallery at 13, Berkeley Street, W1, just off Piccadilly.

You may be interested in the exhibitions they hold throughout the year.

Exhibitions

The Glasgow Boys
14 September - 18 December

Aspect Prize
11 - 20 January 2011

Glenfiddich Residencies Retrospective
25 January - 26 February 2011

Will Maclean: Collected works 1970-2010
8 March - 4 June 2011

Dave Randell's eulogy for Jim.

Jim Randell was the President of the Club from 1994-95. Jim along with his late wife, Sheila, supported the club for many years and seldom (if ever) missed an event or committee meeting.

This is the eulogy that Dave Randell delivered at Jim's funeral.

James Henry Randell, or as he liked to be known, Jim, was born on the 8th December 1925 in Southall in west London. When he was 5, he moved up to Edinburgh with his mother and father, as his father had a new job in the city’s Education Department. Jim went to the junior and senior departments of the Royal High School in Edinburgh, and when he was 16, was given a pushbike. Apparently this was Sheila, my mum’s, first memory of him! His thirst for adventure must have started at this time, because he toured, certainly the Borders, but I think the whole of Scotland on his bike, if I remember correctly.

He had been in the Air Training Corps at the Royal High senior school, so when he joined up two years later, he joined the R.A.F. Unfortunately , he couldn’t become a pilot because his eyesight wasn’t good enough. “You can be a navigator” they said, “No thanks, if I cant fly the plane, I don’t want to know!” So he went off to join the army. As he went to sign up, he saw a poster for British officers being needed in the Indian army, so he went out to India, and also spent time with the Gurkhas.

When he returned to Scotland, he was given the choice of looking after boats in Rosyth dockyard, or transport in Perth. He took the transport job because that included the use of Staff cars, which would impress girls!!.... his words, not mine!!

He left the forces and met up again with Sheila and her friend Betty, who had both written to him while he was in India. He was now able to start training to be an Architect, which was what he’d decided to be years before, and so started 7 years at The Edinburgh College Of Art, in his words “learning to draw a straight line freehand”.

During the next few years he found time to take Sheila to London, Paris, Venice, Rome, Florence and Capri, and on the 8th July 1950 they married in Edinburgh. So, yes it would have been their 60th anniversary this year, and dad already had it written in his diary. They bought a flat in Bath Street, in Edinburgh, and lived there for 3 or 4 years spending the summers hitch hiking round Europe.

Jim graduated in 1953 gaining a Diploma in Architecture. He became an Associate of The Royal Institute of British Architects on the 15th June 1954, having started his first job as an Architectural assistant in Edinburgh. Two more local jobs followed, and Jim became an Associate of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland on the 27th June 1956. However, by this time work had disappeared in Scotland and so Jim moved to London to find work. Money was scarce and he always maintained that he lived solely on spaghetti to start with!

Another great event in 1956, was that on the 3rd October I was born, and mum and I moved down to be with him in London, first in a flat, and then in our own caravan in Loughton by the side of Epping Forest. By this time he was working for Tripe and Wakeham, a firm of Chartered Architects. They decided to open an office in Aden a barren rock in south Yemen, and Jim went out to run it .Mum and I followed and we were there for 3 years.

Jim and Sheila loved the lifestyle, entertaining or being entertained, and the fact that the Governor would frequently be a guest with his radio truck and armed escort, secretly tickled Jim! In fact he told a story of going to a dinner party at the governors, mum and dad were a little late which was not done, and so he put the car headlights on full beam and drove down the wrong side of the short dual carriageway into town to get there quicker! He maintained that their Mercedes was the biggest car in Aden, apart from the governor’s, and everyone got out of the way!

When we left Aden, we went round a lot of Game parks in East Africa on the way home. We sailed through the Suez canal so Sheila could experience it, and across the Mediterranean sea to Marseilles. When we got back to the UK, we lived in Teddington, and Jim was headhunted by W S Atkins & Partners in Epsom, Surrey to be Senior Architect.

It was while working here that one of Jim’s new colleagues told him about the house in Horsham that he had just bought, which had a huge garage. This was exactly what we needed at the time having brought the Mercedes home from Aden, and so we started our long association with Horsham.

After spending 3 to 4 years settling into our new house, Jim was off again, and was sent to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to run an office out there for a year. Mum and I joined him, and whilst we were there we all toured the country. We went to the Tissisat falls, Lake Tana the source of the Nile, Gondar, Axum, and to the pilgrimage for St. Gabriel at Kolubi with over one hundred thousand Ethiopians and us circling the church at dawn. The Ethiopian culture and people had a profound effect on Jim, and when we came home he joined the Anglo Ethiopian society, becoming Secretary, Chairman, and finally, President. He left the society some time ago, but has kept up with his friends from the Society, and his friends from Addis, many of whom are here today.

As most of you will know, Jim’s handwriting was dreadful. And in a letter home to us from Ethiopia, he proudly stated that he had joined the tootsie wootsie club! Well! It turned out that he’d in fact joined the toastmasters club, which relieved mum somewhat!
When we came home from Ethiopia, Jim joined Costain Construction as a Senior Architect, working from an office in south Wimbledon. He left this company due to redundancy, caused by a fall in building demand and set up his own Architectural Practice. Sheila looked after the accounts, did some of the typing, and made a lot of coffee! It was about this time that Jim took mum to India, somewhere she’d wanted to go for 40 years. He delighted in showing her the sights; the Taj Mahal, Delhi, and Jai Pur. He also took her up to the Shetlands, to stay with friends, where they watched the burning of a Viking long boat and saw a white hare in the car headlights, which apparently is a very rare sight .I think however, that he missed the hurly burly of a formal office, and went to Damon Lock Grabowski, in London, as what was really a part time Consultant helping younger architects with their work and careers.

He’d always had an ambition to retire at 80 and achieved this at the end of 2005, beginning of 2006. He used this retirement time to go to Life drawing evening classes, and carry on his extensive social life in London with my mum. They went to Ethiopian restaurants, attended Ethiopian Embassy functions,, Scottish Schools’ dinners, and many social functions with the National Liberal club, of which he was also a member.
He also continued with his almost lifelong research of our Family Tree, having unearthed relatives in far flung locations.

Jim was a well read and very intelligent man, asking for Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, to “dip in and out of” during his latest stay in hospital! He also had a lifelong love of art, both drawing and painting his own pictures, and reading books and articles commenting on and criticising famous and not so famous paintings. Another lifelong interest was photography, for which he had all the up to date gadgets and different lenses, and I remember him developing his own pictures at home. He was very proud of both his Granddaughters, having reviews of some of Heather’s amateur dramatic productions in his office and being interested in her travels to Spain, America and Thailand. Elizabeth shared his great love of art and had many discussions with him about the subject. Another subject that Elizabeth and her Granfer, as grandfathers are known in the Randell family, talked about was Philosophy, something that he was pleased that Elizabeth is taking at Hull University. He has many books on the subject…..big heavy ones!

Dad was a very kind, fair generous man; always ready with advice if it was asked for, whether on how to tackle a DIY problem, the best way to invest money, or the quickest way to Edinburgh or Bristol by road. I have described him as a true gentleman to a couple of people over the past few weeks, and Sue and I have had many kind letters and cards with more thoughts about him. Here are a few:-Jim was a special friend and aspiring work colleague. Many others too remain ever grateful that he patiently passed on to them his experience and skills. And though they have since gone various ways, it was always Jim they asked after, when later in life you met up with them. An era has passed. …I will always have very fond memories of Jim, who was one of the nicest people I have ever had the privilege to meet…..Jim could always be relied upon to be unpredictable and had something to teach us all about professionalism, but just as importantly about how to enjoy work and life.

About twelve years ago, Jim had a quadruple heart by-pass, which certainly gave him a new lease of life, however his heart was still weak, and he had a Pacemaker/ defibrulator fitted 2-3 years ago, after a collapse in Victoria station. A year or so ago, he started caring more for mum and this put more strain on his heart. She sadly died in January, and Jim’s heart condition worsened. In fact he was in hospital on the day of Sheila’s funeral, as some of you will remember, and was allowed out for the day, under strict instructions. He missed Mum very much and his heart got considerably worse after her death. He was admitted to St. Thomas’s hospital in London after a slight collapse during an outpatients appointment. For the next 17 – 18 days, he kept being told that he could go home in a few days, but kept having blackouts, so never got to that stage.
He had complete control over his mental faculties right up to the end. In fact, he’d not only been sketching one of the wards a few days before, but in the Intensive Care unit, he told me that it would have been a far better use of space, if the air conditioning duct and the electrical duct had been put in the other way round!!
And so, as he said at Mum’s funeral, here we are.
We’re all going to miss him dreadfully, and I think I speak for all of you when I say, Jim it’s been a privilege to know you, and I speak for myself, when I say Dad, its an honour to be your son!!

Minutes of the AGM 18 May 2010

Minutes of the AGM and Committee Meeting of the Royal High School Club in London held on 18.05.10 at the Caledonian Club.

Attendees:
Simon Card OBE – Committee member
Valerie Peay – Committee member
Chris Pountain - Treasurer
Alex Prentice - Secretary
Al Senter - President

Apologies received from:
Martin Coutie
Will Dunnett – Webmaster
Susan Geary – Committee member
John Kay
Claire Laidlaw – Committee member
Alistair Maclean
Alan Morrison
Alan & Mo Robertson
Jim Rowan
Eddie Tait – Scots in London contact
Colin Todd
Brian Wallace
Neil Watson

Minutes of the AGM.

- Alex welcomed five attendees to the AGM and listed the apologies.
- Tributes were paid to our former President and committee member Jim Randell who, sadly, died on 9th April 2010.
- Al presented his Annual President’s Report and thanked the Committee for its support over the last year. The Club ran three events in 2009/10: Foreign Office Tour, Fleming Collection drinks party and the Annual Dinner which were all well attended.
- Chris presented his Treasurer’s report, which showed that the financial position of the Club remains satisfactory. As at 19.04.10 the Club had £1761.02 in the bank plus £855.80 in the National Savings Account.
- The following have agreed to serve as Committee members (8 in total):
Simon Card OBE – Committee member
Will Dunnett – Webmaster
Susan Geary – Committee member
Chris Pountain – Treasurer
Valerie Peay – Committee member
Alex Prentice - Secretary
Al Senter - President
Eddie Tait – Scots in London contact
- The following Committee members will be approached by the Secretary to see whether they wish to stand down from the committee. The committee wishes to thank them for their valuable service to the Club.
Claire Laidlaw is moving to New Zealand for two years with her family.
Janette Scantlebury – moved to Shetland some years ago.

Actions from the AGM
- Al Senter will contact the small number of RHS FPs who have attended London Club events, but who have not yet formally joined the Club, to encourage them set up an annual subscription standing order for £15. We also have a few new RHS FP contacts in London who will be encouraged to join and pay the subscription. The Secretary (Alex) will supply Al with the list of people to contact and the Treasurer (Chris) will update the membership list to show who has paid the subscription.
- Al Senter intends to stand down as President within the next year and he will lead the search for a new President for the Club.
- Al Senter is also looking for a person in their 20’s or 30’s to join the committee to ensure that the committee is in tune with this age group.

Minutes of the Committee Meeting (chaired by Al Senter).

Review of actions from the last AGM on 12.05.09.
- We discussed the committee’s ideas for implementation of a new RHSCL Prize and Simon Card agreed to lead on this initiative. The new Rector (Jane Frith) has been appointed and Simon will make contact with her - Alex will provide Simon with Jane’s contact details. For the time being we will continue with the three school prizes that the RHSCL currently funds.

Feedback from the Annual Dinner 2010.
- Feedback from the attendees at the Annual Dinner on 19th February at the VSC was varied. It was felt that the speeches went on too long and there were a few critical comments about the meal. On the other hand the attendees from Edinburgh seemed to like the VSC and there were good comments from them about the accommodation. Undoubtedly we all enjoyed the reasonable prices at the bar. The Committee has not yet decided the venue for the Annual Dinner on Friday March 11th 2011 and, to help the Committee to come to a decision, Alex P will compare the offering at the VSC with what the Caledonian Club can provide.

Forthcoming Club Events.
We discussed forthcoming events and the following points were discussed:
- Melanie Mareuge-Lejeune will host a drinks evening for her network of younger RHS FPs in London, at her home, and she plans to invite a few members of the Committee along as well.
- We will hold a wine-tasting evening at Bacchanalia in the City on 16th September 2010 and we will issue an invitation to the London FP clubs of Heriot’s, Watson’s and Daniel Stewart’s to join us. Valerie Peay will liaise with Bacchanalia and Alex will publicise the event.
- The Annual Drinks Party will be held once more at the Fleming Gallery on 15th November 2010 and Al Senter will organise that event. Paintings by the popular Glasgow Boys will be on view and that should help to boost the attendance.
- Al Senter is organising an event for RHS pupils in May 2011 at the Fleming Collection. The event will have a London theatre theme and Al will chair a distinguished panel who will take questions from the pupils.

- Recruitment of new members.
We discussed different social networking systems e.g. Twitter & Facebook and we agreed that further work is needed by Club members who have used these systems. Valerie Peay will make contact with Will Dunnett and Melanie Mareuge-Lejeune to see whether we can make some headway with these systems.

Date of the next Committee meeting:
- We plan to hold the next Committee meeting in November 2010 and Simon will investigate whether we can use a room at the Institute of Directors.

Spanish wine tasting on Thursday 16th September

The Royal High School Club in London is delighted to invite you to an evening of Spanish wine tasting on Thursday 16th September 2010 from 7pm to 9 pm at Bacchanalia, the renowned wine and gastro haven for all things Spanish. Bacchanalia’s new purpose-built wine tasting room overlooks the River Thames on the north bank just below the Millennium Bridge at Broken Wharf House, No 2 Broken Wharf, London EC4V 3DT (the nearest underground stations are Mansion House and St Pauls). We are charging £30 per person which includes exclusive venue hire, a glass of vintage sparkling wine on arrival, a tasting of 8 wines presented by the experts at Bacchanalia and a wide selection of tapas for your enjoyment.

If you would like to attend the wine tasting event please reply to this email to let Alex Prentice know that you are coming along - that will help us to confirm the numbers to Bacchanalia. Please also make out your cheque to 'The Royal High School Club in London' and post it to Alex Prentice at 4, Archers Close, Hertford, Herts SG14 3BD with the reply slip shown below. Please post your cheque off by the end of June 2010.

For further information on all aspects of the wine-tasting event please contact either

Alex Prentice, Honorary Secretary, Tel: 01992 554854 or email: alex.prentice1@btinternet.com or

Valerie Peay, Committee Member, Tel: 07712 075155 or email: valerie.peay@bt.com

Please note that we will also be inviting our friends from the London former pupil clubs of Heriots, Watsons & Daniel Stewarts which should ensure a very convivial evening.

We've moved

This is the new blog for the Royal High School Club in London. All the posts from the old blog are available here.
If you have anything you'd like posted, relevant to the school or the club, please send to webmaster Will at webmaster@royalhighlondon.org.uk .

The Fleming Collection Program for 2010

Exhibitions

Scottish Colourists from The Fleming Collection
19 January - 1 April

Highlands & Islands: Paintings & Poems

13 April – 5 June

City Living: Works from The Fleming Collection at Somerset House
20 April – 5 September

Scottish Summer Exhibition
15 June

Events

Selina Skipwith, Keeper of Art at The Fleming Collection will give an informal talk on the history of The Fleming Collection with an introduction to The Scottish Colourists
(Includes special out of hours viewing of the exhibition)
Monday 22nd March 6-8pm, Talk 6.45pm
Wine, soft drinks and canapes will be served. Please note that seating is not provided
Tickets: £26, places limited and tickets must be purchased in advance



Visit to the Westminster Archives

Wednesday 24th March, 2-3.30pm, Tour 2pm

10 St. Ann’s Street, London SW1P 2DE. Nearest tube St James’s Park

Price: £15; Friends, Philanthropic Friends and Corporate Members £10; Patrons free



An Evening of Scottish Music and Poetry
Thursday 22nd April, Doors open 6pm, Performance 7-9pm
The Fleming Collection, 13 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DU
Price: £35; Friends, Philanthropic Friends, Corporate Members and Patrons £25



Philanthropic Friends Dinner with James Morrison RSA RSW
Monday 26 April, 7pm-10pm Dinner Flemings Mayfair Hotel, Half Moon Street, London W1J 7BH
Diane Shiach, Director, The Scottish Gallery will lead a discussion with Morrison about his practice
Tickets: Philanthropic Friends subscription £500, dinner free, additional guest ticket £80



Art, Literature and the Highlands by Murdo Macdonald
Tuesday 27th April, Doors open 6pm, Lecture 6.30-7.30pm
The Fleming Collection, 13 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DU
Price: £10; Friends, Philanthropic Friends and Corporate Members £7.50; Patrons free



Drawing Class: Highlands & Islands: Paintings and Poetry
Monday 10th May, 2-5pm
Tickets: £20; Friends, Philanthropic Friends, Corporate Members and Patrons £15
Susanna Lyell, artist and tutor, will lead this workshop which is suitable for both beginners and experienced painters.



Hebrides & Highlands: An Illustrated Architectural Tour by Mary Miers
Wednesday 12th May, Doors open 6pm, Lecture 6.30-7.30pm
The Fleming Collection, 13 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DU
Price: £10; Friends, Philanthropic Friends and Corporate Members £7.50; Patrons free



Paintings and Poetry: Day in Glasgow
Friday 21st May, 11am-4.45pm
Meet at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Argyll Street, Glasgow G3 8AG
Price: £15; Friends, Philanthropic Friends and Corporate Members £10; Patrons £5 (lunch and tea not included in ticket price)



Tour of City and Guilds of London Art School during the 2010 Degree Show with visits to Mark Adlington’s studio and Caroline Wiseman Modern and Originals
Saturday 26th June, 10.30am-4.45pm
Please arrive promptly at Kennington Tube Station (Northern Line) at 10.30am
Tickets: £30; Friends, Philanthropic Friends, Corporate Members and Patrons £20 (lunch not included in ticket price)



LUNCHTIME TALKS

Informal talks are given on Wednesday lunchtimes in the gallery at 1.10pm for about 20 minutes. There is no need to book and places are not limited.

Wednesday 3 March
Lucy Lyell will discuss J.D Fergusson’s women, including Jean Maconochie and Eastre, Hymn to the Sun.

Wednesday 21 April
Mary Miers, Architectural Writer, Art and Books Editor for Country Life and author of The Western Seaboard will discuss and sign copies of her book.

Edinburgh's Royal High School set to rise again as £35m art hotel

Jim Landis, who spoke at last year's Annual Dinner about plans for the old school building in Regent Road has told us about this article which appeared in the Scotsman.
For copyright reasons we can't reproduce the article, and so we can only refer you to the site http://www.scotsman.com/ and cover the main points here -

The former Royal High School building on Calton Hill in Edinburgh is to be redeveloped into an arts hotel, Edinburgh City Council will announce today.

The £35 million project will bring the A-listed building, once mooted as a home for the Scottish Parliament, back into public use for the first time since 1968.

The hotel will include a restaurant, café and public gallery.

Council chiefs described it as a "hugely exciting" development.

However, critics hit out at the decision to turn it into a hotel rather than a cultural facility, describing it as a "bungle".

Mongolia Adventure Gallery

Melanie Mareuge-Lejeune, a former RHS pupil and regular attendee of our events, has launched an on line gallery of her photographs. It starts off with her Mongolian Adventure with some very striking photos of the country and its people.
http://www.melml.com/gallery_290408.html

Melanie follows in the footsteps of another former pupil, Alan Mitchell, who passed through on his world tour back in 2002 when this website was launched. http://www.royalhigh.org.uk/alsmongolia.htm