The Levens family and Croydon’s bells

Levens family members were key figures in Croydon’s bell ringing tradition, elevating the art over several generations

Not just a pretty face

Ellen Kirby (1851-1924) whose humble origins in rural Berkshire contrasted sharply with her later success as a respected housekeeper, wife, and businesswoman

A woman before her time

Meta Brevoort (1825-1876) an intrepid Victorian mountaineer and the first female climber to wear trousers

Farming the future

John Mayhew (1716-1769): a Norfolk farmer at the cutting edge of a rural revolution

A most trusted and loyal aide

Snowy winter scene with Glamis Castle in the background

Charles Reginald Collingwood (1855-1934): Thirty five years in service and links to a notorious Victorian gothic mystery

Gone without a trace

Edward Henry 'Teddy' Bovill (1887-1916) just one of the many thousands of 'Missing of the Somme'

Exodus from the New World to the Old

Lil Coolidge (1857-1906): Aug 1857 to Sep 1864, New York to the French Riviera

The wandering years

General Map of the Alps annotated to show the location of Cannes, Genoa, Mt Cenis, Geneva and Thun

Lil Coolidge (1857-1906): Oct 1864 to Jan 1875, a circuitous route from Cannes to Oxford

Staying in and ‘Coming Out’

A pale lady is seated alone in a schoolroom holding a black-edged letter, obviously downcast and presumably musing sadly about home and family, as suggested by 'Home, sweet Home', the music on the music stand. Three pupils play happily in a sunlit background.

Lil Coolidge (1857-1906): Jan 1877 to Jun 1880, the rocky and twisting road to finding love