Welcome to our second Newsletter, not sent earlier because of the prevailing circumstances.

To begin with, we are very pleased to show you a picture of our hanging sign with our beautiful Logo designed by Robert Gillmor. It is really remarkable how Robert has encapsulated a specific interest of the three remarkable members of the Soper family.

The opening of the shop was unavoidably delayed last year by hold-up to some necessary re-furbishment. We decided to wait until this year before opening. However, as we all know, Covid 19 happened. Now circumstances are such that we are not able to open yet.

In the Autumn we did have a lovely visit from Joan Wakeley with her two daughters, Ruth and Carolyn. Quite by chance Ruth had heard the broadcast about The Soper Collection and immediately contacted Joan. Joan’s late husband, David, was modelled by Eva when he was a baby. David’s parents lived near the Soper family and his father was the family doctor. When David was a boy Eileen made a beautiful engraving of him. A model of the bust and a copy of the engraving are in The Soper Collection. Joan brought with her a watercolour of David as a baby, painted by Eileen, also a model of a puppy given to Joan by her mother when Joan was a child. Only recently, Joan realised the puppy was modelled by Eva. Eileen’s engraving CR No 135 ‘Leap Frog on the Sands’ 1929 was given by Eva and Eileen to David’s parents as a wedding present. This engraving is also in The Soper Collection. We are delighted to be able to show you pictures of Joan’s items.

We hope that many of you are able to experience happy times on the beach, commensurate with social distancing.

The very, very good news is that we have been advised by The Arts Council, London that The Soper Collection is deemed to be of national importance being pre-eminent in a local context. This is a thoroughly constructive and promising development and will be advantageous in our quest to achieve the aims of the Charity, The Soper Collection. These we are pursuing as well as possible under the prevailing conditions. Our aims, as are clearly expressed on our website, are that a public venue be found so that the wonderful Soper artwork may be viewed and secondly, and concurrently, that The Collection may be used educationally.

All your generous donations are safe and intact in their entirety, being kept for future constructive use.
We send our very best wishes to everyone to come through these troubling times and look forward to sending you more news in due course.

Geoff Lindsey-Smith,

Jane Gosling,

Joy Baker

(Trustees/Directors of The Soper Collection.)