What becomes of paintings and photographs when RAF units are disbanded?

[ColinB]

I am trying to trace some paintings and photographs which I saw on long disbanded RAF stations and squadrons. I know that paintings were commissioned from Frank Wootton as I saw a retrospective of his some years ago at the Smithsonian where a number of his commissions were on loan for viewing. I believe I also saw others by John Young and Terence Cuneo in my travels.
Are these pictures sold off, stored or donated to local institutions or galleries?

[henry crun]

Your question might gather more replies if posted in the Military Aircrew forum.

[Wander00]

Thought they used to be stored at the MU at Stafford

[Yellow Sun]

It all depends where the paintings originated from in the first place. After the Second World War paintings by official War Artists were allocated to units and messes. There was a catalogue of these paintings (well list really), I know this as I had a copy on an old file when I looked after the paintings at Cranwell. These remained public property and on disbandment or closure should have been returned to the MoD department responsible for them.

By the 1980s some paintings had hung on mess walls for so long that knowledge of their original "ownership" was forgotten and I know of one mess that regarded a painting as its own "non public" property until I pointed out that it was a War Artist item on loan. I have little doubt that this occurred elswhere and went uncorrected. When a unit closes its memorabilia, silverware etc. used to be sent to a holding depot (Stafford, Quedgely might be somewhere else now) This did have its uses as when you needed a new sports trophy there was a ready supply of old (and hideous ones) available to be re-allocated. Many paintings and other items went there as well.

However, senior officers had tendency to intervene and seek for their headquarters or other units items that they knew of from previous postings. In many cases these were straight Property Book to Property Book transfers and undocumented in any other way. They got in before the inventory takers and snaffled the good items.

Post war paintings are more difficult, if officially commissioned they are MoD property, but those gifted to messes or units, or bought on their behalf can present problems. The paintings in College Hall at Cranwell were a case in point. Many had been donated to The College, which was fine when it was a Cadet Mess receiving public subsidy, but when graduate entry arrived it became an Officers Mess the property in College Hall suddenly became Non Public. As o i/c paintings I had a bulging property book with many items requiring maintenance or restoration and no funds to carry it out! It was all very well the Old Cranwellians donating another portrait, but what I really needed was money to look after the ones they had already put on the walls!

Looking at what I have written I realise that this probably does not help you a lot. However I would have thought that your first line of enquiry should be through the IWM or the RAF Museum. Then it could be on to the National Archives to review the work of the allocation committee.

Good Luck

YS

[ColinB]

Thank you for your helpful and comprehensive reply to my initial enquiry. I can now see what a major task it would be to trace the paintings and photographs I am interested in. I am sure that the documentation was originally in place but whether it has escaped the "weeders" is another matter.
There was a story making the rounds that some years ago that there was a hangar full of PSA files at RAF Abingdon which were going to be compacted if they were not claimed within a certain period. I am assured by our record-keeping professionals that this story was apocryphal.
I do own the original painting of Dover Patrol by John Young but any thought of donating it to an RAF organisation is now redundant.
I suppose the best path would be to trace individual items by naming them on one of these forums and where I saw them and see if anyone knows where they went to.
CB

[Warmtoast]

ColinB

If you haven't already done so it's probably worthwhile having a look at the MOD Art Collection site here:
Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Defence Estate and Environment | MOD Art Collection | Ministry of Defence Art Collection (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/DefenceEstateandEnvironment/MODArtCollection/)

The site also provides contacts who may be able to help in your research. i.e.

Charlotte Henwood
(Curator)
020 7218 0502

Simon Campbell Bird
(Business Manager)
020 7218 4106

Patrick Hearne
(Research)
020 7218 7875

Address:
Ministry of Defence Art Collection
G.I.50
Main Building
Horseguards Avenue
Whitehall
London SW1A 2HB
Fax: +44 (0)20 7 218 3825

[Diablo Rouge]

There is an incredible shortage of original works of art in RAF Mess's. Bentley priory possesed awesome wootton paintings, and whilst unsure of what happened after its closure, I am quite confident that they are safe, and quite possibly in the vaults of the RAF museum at Hendon. These are not on public display because of issues over their security, or so I have been told by someone very close to that particular coal face. David Shepherds solitary spitfire painting is at Air command and several other Shepherds are at the Officer selection centre at Cranwell. The RAF Club in London is possibly the jewel in the Mod crown regarding art, several of which are loaned in perpetuity. I would advise anybody considering loaning work to have the rear of the work clearly adorned with any terms or conditions of loan for when the host establishment should close. MoD Stafford is where many artifacts are stored including silverware. This may extend to artwork.

[Noyade]

Frank Wootton I googled this gentleman and found this...

The Art of Flight: Flying Machines Flying! (http://www.ronaldtkwong.com/news/theartofflightflyingmachinesflying.html)

A memorable childhood birthday present was a book on the RAF illustrated with some paintings by Frank Wooton.
I'm not sure, but I think I have this book. This is one painting from it but I can't quite make out the artist's name, it looks like it does start with a "W"...?

Doesn't really matter, I love it, no matter who painted it...

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1769/upupandaway.jpg (http://img338.imageshack.us/i/upupandaway.jpg/)

[Noyade]

PS. What's the Island in the painting?

[ColinB]

Thanks to everyone who provided such comprehensive and helpful replies. I am stumbling onwards.
I have found the following which may be of interest
Paintings (http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/results.do?highlight=28)

[Props]

I visited Bentley Priory recently which has been stripped of everything in the way of art.However I was told the intention is to form a Museum in the Dowding Room and return most of the works to Bentley Priory.