Portrait of the Rev. Septimus C. H. Hansard by Lowes Cato Dickinson, ca. 1880-1890

Oil on canvas; Portrait, three quarter length of a bearded man turned to his right with both hands resting on the top of a walking cane.

Given by Arnold G. Hansard

After the sitter's death some of his friends and admirers commissioned Lowes Dickinson to paint a replica which hangs (1945) in the Great Hall of Rugby School at which he was educated under Dr Arnold.
Given in 1946 by the sitter's son, Arnold G Hansard, to the Bethnal Green Museum (The Registered Papers for this acquisition are nominal, under "Hansard"). The sitter was the Rector of the Parish of Bethnal Gren from about 1862 to his death in June 1895. According to a letter on the RPs "My father was the originator of the B G Museum. The ground on which it stands was part of the old "Bethnal Green", at this time it was owned by a charity - part had been given to build St John's Church as a "Chapel of Ease" to his Parish Church (St Matthew) and a portion at the South end leased for a private lunatic asylum. The green was enclosed and rents were collected from butchers who put their sheep there ready for killing when wanted. My father with two friends (whose names I forget) raised a public subscription to purchase the green with the object of its being used for building a branch of S. Kensington Museum - the rest to be laid out as a public garden; and when they had collected the necessary amount the land was handed over to Government"

The sitter was the Rector of the Parish of Bethnal Green from about 1862 to his death in June 1895. This painting was originally given to the Bethnal Green Museum (now the Museum of Childhood). The Reverend had offered great support in the founding of that esat end branch of the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A), helping to secure the land on which the museum was built.

After the sitter's death some of his friends and admirers commissioned Lowes Dickinson to paint a replica of this painting which hangs in the Great Hall of Rugby School at which he was educated.

MISC.2-1946