Tea in the Garden or The Tea Table (Mrs. M.M.Foot, with her children in the garden of Church House, Pulborough, West Sussex)
Dame Ethel Walker (Edinburgh 1861 – London 1951)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1901 - 1902 (exh at NEAC)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
990 x 740 mm
Place of origin
Pulborough
Order this imageCollection
Standen House and Garden, West Sussex
NT 1214850
Caption
This portrait shows Mrs. M.M. Foot with her three children in their garden in Pulborough, West Sussex. Dame Ethel Walker was the first female elected member of the New English Art Club, a group of artists influenced by Impressionism.
Summary
The painting is of Mrs. M.M. (Maud Mary) Foot and her three children in the garden of Church House, Pulborough around 1902. Mrs Foot’s daughter Enid Maud, born 1898, is seated beside her. Her two sons Ernest Leslie (known as Leslie), born 1895, and Douglas Eric (known as Eric), born 1896, are shown in the background. Mrs. Foot's husband was Dr. E.G. (Ernest George) Foot who established a practice in Pulborough in 1890/1 and retired in about 1926. The family lived in Church House until 1915 when they moved next door to Ancaster House. Both boys were educated at Epsom College. The painting is from the estate of Mrs E.M. Fraser (nee Foot). Donated by C.J.V.C Brooke, in agreement with the family. Shortly after the outbreak of WW1, Leslie joined up as 2nd Lieutenant in Oxford & Bucks. Light Infantry, transferring to Royal Flying Corps as an Observer in April, 1915. He qualified as a pilot in December, 1915, leaving the service in 1919. He held various flying appointments until 1923 when he joined the Bristol Aeroplane Company as test pilot and instructor. On 23rd June 1923 he was flying a Bristol monoplane entered by Sir G. Stanley White in the Grosvenor Challenge Cup, when the plane crashed at Chertsey and he was killed. The cause of the crash was failure of the port (left) wing due to metal fatigue. Eric joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment in January, 1915. He was posted to D Company, 8th Battalion in France on 5th October 1915. On 13th October he was reported "wounded- missing in action".
Provenance
Painted in 1902, given to Mrs E.M. Foote (d.1942) by the artist, and subsequently passed to her daughter Enid. From her Estate (Mrs E.M. Fraser), donated to the National Trust by C.J.V.C. Brooke, 1994 (through the mediation of Simon Houft), and placed at Standen
Makers and roles
Dame Ethel Walker (Edinburgh 1861 – London 1951), artist