Don’t miss the opportunity to see the beautifully restored Tabard Inn sign which now hangs in the Michael Room.
It was painted by the distinguished artist Thomas Mathews Rooke in the early 1880s and was gifted to the Bedford Park Society by Greene King. On the right is the painting before it was restored! (Click to zoom in).
The conservation project was overseen by John Scott (below, addressing members at the Bedford Park Society party) and has been a wonderful collaborative effort involving the Tabard and its last two landlords and current owners, Greene King; St Michael & All Angels and its vicar Fr Kevin; the Bedford Park Society committee and the Victorian Society. Read the full story below.
From ChiswickW4.com: Original Tabard Inn Sign Returns to Bedford Park
Painting displayed in St. Michael and All Angels Parish Hall
A significant piece of local history that had been presumed lost has been restored to Bedford Park .
The original Tabard Inn sign, specially made for the public house on Bath Road, was painted by the distinguished artist Thomas Mathews Rooke in the early 1880s. Rooke was a leading figure in the Victorian art world who was a resident of Bedford Park and his sign aimed to capture the appearance and ambience of early Bedford Park.
Despite its importance, the sign mysteriously disappeared and was presumed lost some time ago.
It was apparently replaced by a modern sign in the 1970s but remarkably was rediscovered in 2016 when the Tabard pub was refurbished and the 1970’s sign was being replaced. The contractor spotted, when dismounting the sign, an earlier painting hidden underneath the boards…
Click link to read the full story on ChiswickW4.com.
- Anyone who attends an event in the Michael Room will be able to see the sign on display. Otherwise, to request an opportunity to see it, contact the Parish Office.
- For more information about The Bedford Park Society and its work, click here .
- For more paintings displayed by The Bedford Park Society at St Michael & All Angels see: Fenja Gunn’s paintings of Bedford Park.
