A Derby school has honoured its heritage by restoring a 20th century painting of its founder which has been described by experts as ‘priceless’.
The Royal School for the Deaf Derby, in Ashbourne Road, is conserving a painting of Dr William Roe, who founded the school in 1893 to improve the lives of deaf people, who were often ill-treated and misunderstood by society.
Pupils of The Royal School for the Deaf in Derby stood with portrait.
The portrait, which was commissioned in 1913, was painted by Derbyshire born Ernest Townsend who, two years later, was commissioned to paint a portrait of Winston Churchill.
Portrait of Dr William Roe, who founded the school in 1893.
He later created a design for the roofs of the Rolls-Royce aircraft engine factories in Derby, disguising it as a village to protect it from the German bombers.
The painting is currently being restored by James Grogan at Bëcksitch Fine Art, in Belper, which specialises in the conservation and restoration of artworks.
The fifth-generation family business has also produced an illustrative storyboard of the restoration process.
James said: “We are delighted to be part of such a special project that celebrates the school’s heritage. We were keen to take on the project and feel privileged to have been involved as it has such a significant, heart-warming backstory.
“The project began back last summer when head teacher Helen Shepherd contacted the family business regarding the painting, which was showing significant damage, including puncture wounds to the canvas.
“We could also see that the painting had been extensively reworked previously, so it was important we tended to those areas. In the cleaning process the artist’s signature has been revealed on the front of the painting which is particularly rewarding.
“The process has included applying canvas patches to support the tears and puncture wounds and bonding the backing using a traditional wax relining process, as well as cleaning, retouching and revarnishing.
“We also stripped and cleaned the canvas on the reverse of the painting, which revealed the original artist’s documentation and signatures. It has been a lengthy process to ensure that the painting is restored to its former glory and viewed as originally intended by the artist.
“It’s really important that we preserve art for future generations to see, as they are a crucial part of our history. This particular painting of Dr Roe is priceless, as it signifies the important role he played in the deaf community, having founded the school and supported deaf people’s growth and education.”
During the restoration process Bëcksitch has taken hundreds of images, some of which have been carefully selected to create a storyboard. This will be mounted and framed alongside the painting at the school, so the school community can see the hard work that has gone into reigniting its beauty.
The school’s history is regularly celebrated to allow pupils to gain a wider understanding of their culture and heritage.
It all started when Dr Roe, a successful harness maker, made friends with a deaf employee named Jack. Dr Roe then began teaching the Bible to Jack and his friends in his spare time after noticing Bible classes were inaccessible to deaf people.
This prompted Dr Roe and his close friend Sir Henry Bemrose to begin fund-raising for a school for deaf children. The Friar Gate site was then opened in 1897 after a £12,000 fund-raising push.
Dr Roe was keen to help support children progress, so they could eventually make a living and fend for themselves and not be prejudged as a burden.
READ MORE: Royal School for the Deaf Derby pupils defy disabilities receiving Silver Duke of Edinburghs Awards.
Dr Roe’s wife Lydia was also a pioneer in her own right becoming the first woman to teach deaf pupils in England, while money from her will paid for the school’s accommodation block to be built.
Headteacher Helen Shepherd said: “We are very proud of the painting, which was commissioned as a thank you to Dr Roe for being a ‘friend to deaf people’.
Headteacher Helen Shepherd with portrait.
“Hearing people often think of deafness as simply an inability to hear. But being deaf is more than just whether a person can hear or not – it’s about being part of a community with its own history, values, and culture.
“This is why deaf history and culture is a very important part of our curriculum today. From the outset, the school was extremely progressive and today we encourage pupils to learn about the school’s fine history and to be proud of it.
READ MORE: Students from Royal School for Deaf encourage deaf community to remember the holocaust.
“Most deaf people don’t view their deafness as a disability or as a problem that should be fixed. For many of them, it’s a natural part of a cultural experience that they share with friends, both deaf and hearing. We encourage our pupils to be proud of themselves and we invite deaf role models into school as often as possible.
“I feel absolutely confident that Dr Roe would be amazed and proud if he could look around the school today. His legacy has grown and thrived and today the school is a place I am truly proud to work at.”
ENDS
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