Collection Artefacts
Collection Artefacts Read More »
Exhibition
Trade, Empire and Politics
At the time of Hassell’s paintings of Egham, the country was witnessing global expansion of power and influence with the establishment of the British Empire growing steadily since the 16th century. By 1783, it had colonies in North America and the West Indies, trading posts in India and naval bases in the Mediterranean. The 19th
Trade, Empire and Politics Read More »
Poverty and the Parish
At the time Hassell’s paintings were made, concepts of ‘poverty’ and being ‘poor’ lay at the knotty intersection of Christian morality, economic principles and theories of population. Historically, it was acknowledged that the poor were simply part of the social order and poverty should be greeted with charity, however in the period around the turn
Poverty and the Parish Read More »
Enclosure and the Changing Landscape
County Surveys carried out at this time were not objective descriptions, most had a political motive. Their purpose was to provide information to aid the cause of agricultural improvement. They undoubtedly exaggerated the deleterious aspects of the landscape and the way it was kept in order to encourage the enclosure of land. The process of
Enclosure and the Changing Landscape Read More »
Land in the Bend of the River
Over the last 200 years, the country has seen many trades expand and collapse, empires built and lost, an industrial revolution, slavery abolished, and wars won at a terrible price. Egham and its environs provide a local lens through which to view these changes in time and perspectives we have of the world. In 1822,
Land in the Bend of the River Read More »