SOLE BAY GROUP

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Between the First and Second World Wars, the Sole Bay Group was one of the most influential in Walberswick's artistic history. Formed in the very early 1930s by Walter Francis Crittall, grandson of the founder of the eponymous Crittall windows and known as Mr Pink, after he had acquired 'Old Farm' from the Seward family in 1928, when he proceeded to modernise this Walberswick farmhouse with his family's famous Crittall windows, his main home was at Silver End, Braintree, Essex where he became a close friend of Sir George Clausen and later they were neighbours at Great Easton, Essex. Attracted by the philanthropy of Crittall and the fame of Clausen, many artists gathered around the two 'founders' in an informal painting group and the Group held regular exhibitions at the original Stella Peskett Memorial Hall, Southwold and at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh, although 'just for fun' they were professionally presented, with proper catalogues and included works by some extremely well-known artists. Crittall was the chairman with Tom Van Oss, hon. secretary and treasurer, with members Margaret Delisle Burns, Arthur James Wetherall Burgess (6 January 1879–16 April 1957), Hester Cleminson, Gerald Jackson, Cecil Lay, Dorothy Loftus and George Mostyn. The 1933 exhibition featured as guest artists in addition to Sir George Clausen, several artists who were, or would become Royal Academicians: John Alfred Arnesby Brown, Thomas Dugdale, Rod Dunlop, Sir William Russell Flint (4 April 1880–30 December 1969), Martin Hardie (15 December 1875-20 January 1952), Bertram Priestman, Sir Stanley Spencer (30 June 1891–14 December 1959) and Algernon Talmage. Other guest exhibitors include Geoffrey Birkbeck (12 October 1875-25 April 1954), Amy Browning/Dugdale, sister and brother Hilda Anne (20 November 1889–1 November 1950) and Richard Cotton Carline (9 February 1896–18 November 1980), Gilbert Spencer, Leonard Squirrell and Clifford Cyril Webb (14 March 1894–29 July 1972). The Group disbanded or faded away just before the Second World War.

There was another Sole Bay Arts C.I.O. which as the Southwold Arts Centre held exhibitions at The Gallery, Buckenham House, High Street, Southwold from 1989. These two groups are to my knowledge unconnected with the original Group.