TRAFFORD GALLERY
The Trafford Gallery was founded by Charles Alvar Harding (1915-2001) at 119 Mount Street, Mayfair, London in 1948. Harding, the son of Charles Copeley Harding (1873-1942), a wealthy Birmingham businessman, young Charles lived in Cadogan Square, Chelsea where he entertained diplomats, aristocrats, politicians, and courtiers. The Trafford Gallery staged a number of popular exhibitions and helped to launch the career of artists including John Stanton Ward (10 October 1917–13 June 2007) who eventually became a member of the Royal Academy. 'Established' artists such as Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 1899–26 March 1973) and Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton (14 January 1904–18 January 1980) also showed at the 'Trafford' as it was known which was eventually to close with the last exhibition noted was in April 1974 with the works of Peter Arthur Brannan (13 December 1926-1 December 1994). Suffolk artists who exhibited at the Trafford Gallery include Fred Dubery, Margaret Green, Joyce Pallot and Robert Sadler.