The Officer Decision has decided to approve the renewal of an existing loan for a historically important painting to be displayed in a museum.

URL: https://democracy.ipswich.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1377

Decision Maker: Officer Decision

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: This decision relates to the renewal of an existing loan of an item in the Ipswich Borough Council Museum collections. Suffolk Record Office, The Hold, Ipswich - (IPSMG.LO.2019.07) John Henniker-Major, 2nd Lord Henniker in the uniform of Worlingworth Volunteers (1801) by Mather Brown (1761-1831), oil on canvas (IPSMG: R.1937.236)   The original request was made jointly by the Suffolk Record Office and the Worlingworth Local History Group in 2020. It proposed that the painting of ‘Lord Henniker’ would go on display in the John Blatchly Library of The Hold following its conservation, which would be funded by the Worlingworth Local History Group. The conservation has now been completed by a specialist art conservator and consequently the painting is ready to go on public display.   This loan provides an opportunity to put this historically important work on display. Lord Henniker’s portrait is thought to be the only surviving painting of a Suffolk man in the uniform of a volunteer soldier at the time of the war against Napoleon (1799-1815). The artist Mather Brown was born in Boston, Massachusetts and was an accomplished portrait painter whose subjects included the US president Thomas Jefferson and George IV as Prince of Wales. The display in The Hold would be supported by archive material from the Suffolk Record Office and the Worlingworth Local History Society.   Consultation: Ipswich Museums Manager, Portfolio Holder for Planning & Museums, Friends of Ipswich Museums   Loan commences: 1 Sept 2025 Loan ends: 1 Sept 2030 Exhibition dates: 11 Sept 2025 – 11 Sept 2030

Content: This decision relates to the renewal of an existing loan of an item in the Ipswich Borough Council Museum collections. Suffolk Record Office, The Hold, Ipswich - (IPSMG.LO.2019.07) John Henniker-Major, 2nd Lord Henniker in the uniform of Worlingworth Volunteers (1801) by Mather Brown (1761-1831), oil on canvas (IPSMG: R.1937.236)   The original request was made jointly by the Suffolk Record Office and the Worlingworth Local History Group in 2020. It proposed that the painting of ‘Lord Henniker’ would go on display in the John Blatchly Library of The Hold following its conservation, which would be funded by the Worlingworth Local History Group. The conservation has now been completed by a specialist art conservator and consequently the painting is ready to go on public display.   This loan provides an opportunity to put this historically important work on display. Lord Henniker’s portrait is thought to be the only surviving painting of a Suffolk man in the uniform of a volunteer soldier at the time of the war against Napoleon (1799-1815). The artist Mather Brown was born in Boston, Massachusetts and was an accomplished portrait painter whose subjects included the US president Thomas Jefferson and George IV as Prince of Wales. The display in The Hold would be supported by archive material from the Suffolk Record Office and the Worlingworth Local History Society.   Consultation: Ipswich Museums Manager, Portfolio Holder for Planning & Museums, Friends of Ipswich Museums   Loan commences: 1 Sept 2025 Loan ends: 1 Sept 2030 Exhibition dates: 11 Sept 2025 – 11 Sept 2030 To approve the renewal of an existing loan.   Reason: This loan provides an opportunity to put this historically important work on display.

Date of Decision: July 28, 2025