Sandhurst, Berkshire [thanks to Katie Deacon]

                                     Farley Court, Farley Hill,  a picture recently purchased at auction by Bob De Lacy.

                 1] Front elevation 2000 photo courtesy Stephen Richards          2] Farley Court view as top painting by Francis Vingoe 

A month before Christmas 2017  I received a message from Vanessa in New Zealand, telling me she had two paintings by my  relative, Francis Vingoe. One of her Great-Grand parent's house in Aldershot Road, Street address 1930 146/7 Aldershot Road, Church Crookham. Another was of the Parish Church, but this is not to hand at present. They were both  painted at a rough guess" in the early  1900�s. The  one  shown is of the 'Aldershot Road' House.

Vanessa's G Parents emigrated to New Zealand in 1920 and took the two paintings with them. They had lived in Aldershot Road until  1919, after which  it was sold to a builder who had his office there.  A cousin visited the house a couple of years ago when an elderly lady in her 80�s was living there, and had done so for 60 years.

Her husband's family had brought  it from  Vanessa's Great-Grandparents, and she was then  living only in the downstairs rooms, and was  not sure  how much longer she could  go on doing so, as the house was far too big for her alone! Does anyone know anything about this  house, or of this lady, and if it still occupied or has  passed on to new owners?  We would love to know!  I  have found some old post cards of the  road concerned, dating back to the early 1900's. Although the houses are generally well  hidden among the trees, someone who knows the area well might be able to spot the right one as the four chimneypots on the stack  are very distinctive, but I suspect that they may have gone a long time ago!                                                              

                                  

                                                                                 Aldershot Road, Crookham

                                Girls with 'posh' Perambulators                                             Aldershot Road Crookham further on.                                                                                                                             

                                                                        Unknown brick House & Garden probably in Berkshire with an early date of 1901.

This was  first find of 2018 and it was discovered in an Antique Shop in Edmonton, Alberta, Western Canada..The painting depicts the usual subject of Francis Vingoe, a house and gardens,  possibly somewhere in Berkshire.

This is the 2nd art work of  Francis Vingoe  discovered in Canada, the first of which was  bought by a visitor taken back to China!  Other paintings have turned up in San Francisco & San Diego California, USA,  as well as New Zealand & Australia. It is now nearly 20 years since I started  collecting 'virtually' the artwork of Francis Vingoe and, although no great 'Master'  artist, his work  documents the homes of the working and middle classes, as well as the  'great and the good': a valuable  contribution to the history of  the times.  I don't expect his charges were high and I  have heard that he often accepted  'cash in kind' or part payment, such as a night's  lodging in a pub, or Inn, if that was the subject!    

 Update- July 2018.

Another work of art  by Francis Vingoe found and rescued, thanks to Mark. This time the date of 1914   is rather poignant, as this must have been done in the first year of World War I.  Indeed,  it must have have been painted  in about June as the climbing roses are in full bloom on the front wall of the house. A young girl in a bonnet is sitting on the lawn enjoying the summer  sunshine. If anyone recognises this property or where it might  be located please get in touch. The clapper board style facia might indicate the Kent area, where I know Francis also worked for a while. This little gem, found an charity shop in Eastbourne, is in very good condition, so was obviously once loved  and cared for by someone!  

 Mark, the finder, would love to hear it anyone may know where it is today.      I hope it is still in existence and recognisable by someone!

I have been trying to trace the  family of Frances Vingoe and found  his mother  was   buried in NSW Aus.                                     Now waiting to see if any paintings of his will turn up  from there!
                        

                                   Another one has just turned up in Canada. The tale  goes that it was a wedding gift in 1904 to Ada Bennett, who once worked in the above  house.

On her death it passed to her daughter in Canada. She died and left it to a local historian who is trying, [together with his daughter who contacted me] to trace the history of the house, and its owners in the late 1890's. This was when Ada Bennett worked there. They wish to return the painting, with its the story, back to any descendant of Ada Bennett.  Does someone still remember the house and its location, or know more about Ada Bennett who married in 1904? The house is believed to be somewhere in Berkshire, or in that general area. With its three storeys, fine lawn, massive chimneys, conservatory and large  'Bay' windows, with roller blinds shielding the rooms from the afternoon sun, it was certainly built to impress. Sadly after WW1 so many such fine buildings were impractical and expensive to run as a large household. They were often demolished to make way for modern housing developments, or massive road improvement schemes and therefore the location may be totally unrecognisable today  Any  information or even a wild guess is welcome!

 e-male address:  sandrapenhalvean <at> gmail.com  .............please replace <at> with @

 THE SEARCH GOES ON