About Us - Dame Laura Knight

The Trustees of the Estate of Dame Laura Knight DBE RA RWS

In their lifetime Laura and Harold Knight were great supporters of artist charities and in particular the Artists’ General Benevolent Institution for poor and distressed artists and the Artists’ Orphan Fund both of Burlington House, London and Laura did not forget them in her Will, leaving a legacy whereby a fifth of all her assets should be distributed to these charities.

In 2002 the great nephew of Dame Laura Knight, the grandson of Laura’s sister – R. John Croft FCA decided that more should be done to promote interest in the artist and there was little to no management of the artists’ residuary assets.

In 2003 Four Trustees of the Estate were appointed to take over responsibility and to manage the artists’ residuary assets from the Executors of the artists’ Estate. The Trustees continue to support artist charities and assist art students in their studies where possible.

In 2004 The Trustees gave their full support to the Chairman, R. John Croft in his personal aims to create a Catalogue Raisonné on the works of the artist. At the same time the Chairman planned to create a formal Archive on the artists, much of which will arise from his Catalogue researches and in addition from his plans to set up on Official website on the artists.

In 2005 a website was set up to assist in promoting interest in the artists and in the following year the Friends of Same Laura Knight Society was set up.

The Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society

With similar Objectives to the Trustees, The Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society was set up with its own Objectives:

The Prime Objective is to promote and create greater interest in the lives and works of Dame Laura Knight DBE RA RWS and her husband Harold Knight RA ( the artists); and
To encourage and support Talks; well written Articles; Exhibitions; Film; Television and Radio productions on the artists; and
To assist Art students, Educational establishments, Researchers, Public Galleries and others in learning more about the lives and works of the artists; and
To Assist R. John Croft in seeking further information on the lives and works of the artists in order to compile a Catalogue Raisonné, to be recognised worldwide as the most informative document on the artists. In so doing to assist in exposing any myths and unsupported information created since the death of the artists; and
To generally assist the Trustees of the Estate of Dame Laura Knight DBE RA RWS if and when called upon in promoting and protecting both the assets and names of the artists; and
To promote Local branches of The Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society who whilst adopting similar objectives to the above, will also incorporate their own objectives specifically to encourage local membership in promoting and organising talks, excursions and other social events relative to developing their local membership. Such activities whilst concentrating upon the work and lives of the artists may also encourage the work of young local art students.

Branches of Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society

The Malvern sub branch of the Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society

At present there is only one active Society of The Friends, whose aims are primarily to locally promote the artists through a series of lectures, social activities and outings to Public Galleries and places of artistic interest. www.lauraknightmalvernhills.co.uk

It is hoped that the Branch will in time be able to provide additional unknown research information on the artists, for inclusion in both the Catalogue Raisonné and also for inclusion on this website, for the overall benefit of art students and all those generally interested in the artists.

The Nottingham sub branch of the Friends of Dame Laura Knight Society

In 2011 an attempt was made to establish this branch after a talk given by the Trustee Chairman at the Nottingham Society of Artists, but unfortunately due to inability to find sufficient number of Committee members this project fell through.

Other Branches?

Persons interested in setting up their own Laura Knight local branch, who with a group of others are prepared to give up some time in setting up a Branch to:

Have some good fun , with opportunity of Socially meeting others with interest in arts, that may include hearing interesting people giving talks on the artists and also the contemporaries of their time, enjoyable and interesting excursion trips to Public Galleries and places associated with the artists in their lifetime, plus of course social get-togethers such as luncheons etc.

It takes time to organise such events, which can be made easier if you can get together some friends to assist in the administration. But If you are interested and wish some advice or assistance in setting up a new Branch, DO contact us and we can perhaps assist you in providing a list of some well known and highly respected speakers as a start off to get your branch off the ground.