Little-known story of art collection to be retold across Chichester

The unfamiliar story of an extraordinary assortment of twentieth-century artwork buried in a Chichester gallery for more than half a century is one of artistic flare and the determination of two teachers working in the face of war-torn and penniless Britain.

This, the history of the Bishop Otter Art Collection, chronicles the work of Sheila McCririck (1916-2001) and KM Elisabeth ‘Betty’ Murray (1909-1998) of the city’s Bishop Otter College whose dedication to assembling exceptional artwork is to be retold at a new exhibition.

History of the Bishop Otter art collection

The display, which runs from June to October, is the first of its kind in Chichester that will present the artistic work of Patrick Heron, John Bratby, and Peter Lanyon, among others, across two Chichester sites at the Otter Gallery and Pallant House Gallery. The story of the Bishop Otter Art Collection is the outcome of the vision of these remarkable women, says Dr Gill Clarke, the curator and a Visiting Professor at the University of Chichester who has published an illustrated book to coincide with the exhibition.

“In this the centenary year of the birth of Sheila McCririck, the Head of Art at Bishop Otter College from 1949 to 1977, it is fitting to celebrate her foresight in the creation of a unique collection of twentieth century British art, especially as finance was restricted,” she adds. “Her ability to select figurative and abstract work, often purchased from little-known artists at a time when funds were non-existent, was ground-breaking while Betty Murray, the Principal of the College, provided tenacity against fierce opposition from staff and governors.”

The two-site exhibition is part of a new partnership between the University of Chichester’s Otter Gallery and the Pallant House Gallery to showcase fine art from across the city.

Simon Martin, Artistic Director at Pallant House Gallery, says: “Not only does the Bishop Otter Collection owe a debt of gratitude to Sheila McCririck and Betty Murray, but so too does the Gallery. Founder Walter Hussey had been a friend of Murray, advising on the Otter Collection, and in turn she was one of the key figures in the local council who argued for the establishment of a modern art gallery in Chichester.

“She was to become one of the first Trustees of the Gallery, and her vision for a relatively minimal home for modern art is in fact what it has become. How fitting then that the collection Sheila McCririck and Betty Murray first formed should be presented and celebrated at Pallant House – the city of Chichester owes them, and their colleagues, a great debt of thanks for their foresight.”

The ‘civilising influence’ of art

The Collection was launched in the decade following the Second World War when the emphasis of the College was on the rebuilding of a battled-scarred region through the integration of the arts within education. This, according to its history books, was founded on the belief that living with art added a dimension to life and a quality not available in any other form, while only original works were capable of bestowing enrichment.

Professor Clarke adds: “Both women believed in the civilising influence of art and the educative value of its challenge, and to achieve this the works had to be on display in accessible places.”

The limited funds available for the Collection – just 50 pence per student each year based on the 200 female scholars at the College – ensured that it was reliant on paintings mostly lent by artists for lengthy periods. “The unerring eye of Sheila McCririck with the support of Betty Murray meant that works were by often little-known artists such as Henry Moore and Stanley Spencer,” says Professor Clarke.

Betty Murray herself often initiated contact with artists which included writing to popular English painter Ivon Hitchens, in 1949, who replied suggesting ways to acquire works. “You don’t want artist’s second-best pictures,” he penned, “nor is it fair to ask painters to lend their best, saleable work for long periods as the modern painter is mostly hard-pressed financially.

“Why don’t you buy two pictures a year on the instalment plan at £25-a-year each: if you know the artists you want then you can write to them, saving the dealers commission of 33 per cent – I could personally let you have a 75 guinea picture for 50 guineas.”

How Hitchens’ Autumn Stream divided opinion

The success of Murray’s letters ensured the Collection was supplemented by notable artists William Gear and John Craxton who willingly loaned their work – from these came some of the early purchases when limited funding was secured. Professor Clarke adds: “Such was the achievement of their vision that during the following three decades work was acquired from Graham Sutherland, William Scott, Patrick Heron, Sandra Blow, and Mary Fedden.”

The popular Autumn Stream painting by Hitchens has hung at the College since its acquisition in January 1950 but initially provoked much debate among staff and students. Its Council – the governing body of the institution – queried the collection as an educative and viable enterprise after being gathered in an on-campus exhibition.

“The choices made were subject to criticism,” says Professor Clarke, “and some saw no value in modern art and originals, while others favoured originals but were doubtful of the choice.” Ms Murray only once spoke about the criticism, at an exhibition of the collection’s selected works at the University of Sussex in 1972, in which she claimed it was a regular occurrence when any particular purchase affronted one’s taste.

She said: “Truth is beauty and beauty is truth, and that picture is neither truthful nor beautiful – this was said of our Patrick Heron with the implication that young students should not be exposed to an abstract of this kind.”

A merger which threatened its existence

However, despite the ever-growing collection, the governors agreed that the policy of artistic challenge should be continued – and so the collection remained an integral foundation of the institution until a merger with Bognor Regis College again threatened its existence. Professor Clarke adds: “The College merged in 1977 to form the West Sussex Institute of Higher Education – now the University of Chichester – which caused uncertainty about the collection’s status and how best to protect its future.

“The solution – which came a long awaited two years after the merger – was for the Collection to stay at Chichester in the possession of the College and its residual trustees.” It was only after the University built a new Learning Resources Centre at its Chichester campus in 1997 that an opportunity to incorporate a new gallery was realised.

This – the Otter Gallery – was to honour Bishop William Otter who lived from 1768 to 1840 and in whose memory the original College was founded. “This inauguration in 1998 marked a new phase in the life of a distinguished Collection reflecting its original intention to place art at the heart of people’s lives,” adds Professor Clarke.

Visit the exhibition

The Bishop Otter Art Collection will be on display from 20 June to 9 October in the Otter Gallery, at the University of Chichester, and at Pallant House Gallery from 18 June to 11 September. The exhibition is supported by the Bishop Otter College Guild and will be accompanied by the illustrated book created by Professor Clarke.

To find out more visit the Otter Gallery at the University of Chichester’s Bishop Otter Campus, College Lane, Chichester, PO19 6PE, or email gallery@chi.ac.uk. Alternatively go to Pallant House Gallery at 9 North Pallant, Chichester, PO19 1TJ, or contact info@pallant.org.uk.