Thanks to a £44,400 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Bridport will be the centre of a major art historical event in April 2008. “Fra H. Newbery, a Dorset Trail,” will consist of a series of linked exhibitions and events across Dorset, centred on Bridport, to highlight and celebrate the influence of artist and educationist Francis H. Newbery. Fra Newbery was brought up and educated in Bridport and went on to become the Director of the Glasgow School of Art in 1885.  He is widely acknowledged to be a key figure in the promotion of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow School.

The starting point for the event is the series of panels by Newbery in Bridport Town Hall, depicting key figures and events in the history of Bridport.  This will be linked to a separate exhibition in the Allsop Gallery, at Bridport Arts Centre, of works borrowed from public and private collections, while another exhibition in Bridport Museum will look at Newbery’s life with particular focus on the Literary and Scientific Institute, which housed Bridport School of Art.  The Newbery Trail will also encompass exhibitions of work by or associated with Newbery in Corfe, Swanage and Dorchester.

The Newbery Trail event is a project developed by the Bridport Heritage Forum, which is made up of local organisations including Bridport Museum, Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport Town Council, Bridport History Society, Bridport Camera Club, Bridport Library, the West Dorset Research Centre, the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society and the Bridport News.

Heritage Forum Chairman Charles Wild said, “This substantial Heritage Lottery Fund grant is exciting news.  This will be a month-long event in April 2008 and will be very good for Bridport, as it will attract attention nationally.  It is the culmination of an idea which originated more than ten years ago, at the time of an exhibition held in Glasgow to mark the 50th anniversary of Newbery’s death.

“Crystal Johnson, who, with her mother Julie Price, worked on the original project back in the 1990s, has put together a really superb project proposal which has been instrumental in securing this grant.”

In addition to the £44,400 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, partnership funding has also been promised by Dorset County Council, West Dorset and Purbeck District Councils, and Bridport Town Council.  “We are grateful for this support, also for the help of the art historian George Rawson, who staged the original exhibition in Glasgow and who has been very supportive of the current project,” said Charles Wild.

Alice Martin, Curator of Bridport Museum, said, “Bridport Museum is delighted that the Heritage Lottery bid has been successful. It will be an excellent chance for us to show and interpret an artist of some not inconsiderable talent, especially one who was so closely connected to the town's heritage. We look forward to being involved in the project and with its other partners.”

Chris Huxley, Director of Bridport Arts Centre, said, “We are absolutely delighted that this major exhibition has got the green light from the HLF.  Fra Newbery is an important art historical figure and this multi-venue show across Dorset will create renewed interest in his work.  Having Bridport Arts Centre play a central role is fantastic and it's good to think that the whole idea for this, which originated with the Old Library Action Group ten years ago, will finally come to fruition.”

Nerys Watts, Heritage Lottery Fund Regional Manager for the South West said: "This fantastic project will celebrate the life and work of Francis H. Newbery and his links to Dorset. The Heritage Lottery Fund is dedicated to supporting projects that open up our heritage for locals and visitors to learn about and enjoy, and this project will clearly achieve this by taking place in several local venues".

For further information, pictures etc, contact: Alice Martin, Secretary, Bridport Heritage Forum, c/o The Coach House, Gundry Lane, Bridport DT6 3RJ; tel. 01308-458703; e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .