Petworth Cottage Museum
The First Twenty Years
In 2016 we were able to stage an exhibition to celebrate twenty years of the museum. Extracted from the Petworth Society's scrapbooks of cuttings, the pictures and transcripts collected here occupied three sides of the exhibition hall. Five years on we cannot stage another physical exhibition but we can show these cuttings here. Unless otherwise stated the cuttings are all from the Midhurst & Petworth Observer. Click on the pictures to enlarge.
28 Tribute to
“Incomer's” Huge Contribution to Petworth
5th March
2009
A man who arrived in Petworth as an incomer has been recognised for his giant contribution to the town over the last two decades. Retired architect Raymond Harris, now in his 80s, has contributed to many facets of life in Petworth and on Monday a plaque bearing his name was unveiled in the Leconfield Hall by Lord Egremont. The plaque was in recognition of Mr. Harris's major role in the 15-year programme, which began in 1992, to repair the structure and refurbish the interior of the hall, which Lord Egremont's family had given to the town in the 1950s. In his speech, Lord Egremont also paid tribute to the many other voluntary roles Mr. Harris had taken on, including his involvement with the parish church, the Petworth Cottage Museum, and the Petworth Festival, of which he is a former chairman. The town had a lot to thank the incomer for, he added. Tim Wardle, Leconfield Hall treasurer, told the Observer, “Raymond oversaw the structural repairs and the total redesign of the interior to make the hall more fit for purpose. It had been a depressing building to walk into, with few facilities and badly run down. His vision and his energy over a long period of time has dramatically changed it. We were very lucky he came to Petworth. Raymond said in his speech he hoped it would be 50 to 100 years before major work was needed again,” Mr. Wardle added. After the ceremony, which was attended by a number of invited guests, a light half-hour recital was given by musician and composer Terry Allbright, a former trustee of the hall, accompanying mezzo soprano Susan Legg.
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