BECKENHAM & BROMLEY NATIONAL TRUST CENTRE

Brian Bloice gave an excellent illustrated talk in the Great Hall of the Civic Centre at the November meeting on the subject "Life and times of Henry Tate 1819-1899".

His meteoric rise from grocers apprentice in Liverpool to multi-millionaire, art connoisseur, benefactor and member of high London society was almost entirely dependent on his business acumen and particularly on his introduction from France of a new method of sugar refining, making sugar much whiter and finer and the manufacture of sugar lumps possible.

His factory was at North Woolwich and his home Park Hill in Streatham was filled with the works of contemporary English artists such as Millais.

He opened his house every Sunday afternoon so that the public could view the paintings, he built libraries and an important art gallery, now known as Tate Britain.

The next meeting will be held in the Public Hall, Beckenham at 2.15pm on December 8, when Joy Hooper, archivist to Thomas Cook Tours will outline the development of the company in a lecture entitled "the history of Thomas Cook Tours".

On December 14 at 8pm in the Great Hall of the Civic Centre one of our favourite speakers, Neil Lloyd will give a colourful history of Kentish Railways and the title of his talk is "A Kentish conflict". Everyone is welcome to both meetings.

For information about membership please phone 020 8466 6201 and for general information visit the website at www.ntbbcentre.freeuk.com