This painting by
Evacustes Arthur Phipson
depicts Aldwick House.

This was the former home of
composer Samuel Coleridge Taylor.
A portrait of Coleridge Taylor
is on display in the 1800 - 1899
gallery.

Aldwick House is on St Leonard's
Road and is marked with a
blue plaque commemorating
the life of
Samuel Coleridge Taylor.

I was born Maureen Larkin,
and my father was
Frederick Henry Larkin
whose father was also
Frederick Henry Larkin
who was the brother of
Elizabeth (Lily)
Frederica Larkin
who married Mr Phipson.
When Lily (Elizabeth)
married Phipson she was
only 15 and my
great grandfather was asked
if he would let her marry him
and he said yes as long as
he gave her an education
which I think he did.

She died quite young (23 years)
she had two daughters
Anna and Illithia an interesting name,
she travelled on the continent with
Phipson because I have a photograph
of her somewhere, I think it’s in Holland?
and I think in a lot of his paintings
there are two little girls standing
by some of the architecture and
I think they were probably
his two daughters.
I’m surprised he isn’t more famous,
he’s got these paintings
in all these libraries
including the V and A
and I’m really, really surprised
he’s not more famous, not more known.

The 1920s was a period of
huge change in Croydon landscapes.
Developers bought land
and built the suburbs we know today.

Not everyone embraced these changes
including Phipson.
He did not draw exactly
what he saw in Croydon.
He preserved a romanticised image
of the town by refusing to paint
telegraph poles and lamp posts,
which in his eyes ruined a good view.
Instead of motor vehicles he
preferred to paint horse-drawn carts.

There are over 300 works by
Evacustes Arthur Phipson
in the Croydon Art Collection.
If you would like to
see more works by this artist,
you can request access
by emailing
museum@croydon.gov.uk