Sir Richard Woolley, 1906-86

A portrait of Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley, who was the Astronomer Royal from 1956 to 1971. The picture is signed and dated, 1971, and a label on back reads 'Sir Richard Woolley FRS, Astronomer Royal, 1956-1971. Artist: Mrs Margaret Ware, 77 New Church Road, Hove, Sussex. Presented to Sir Richard on the occasion of his retirement by the staff of the Royal Greenwich Observatory December 31, 1971'. Woolley was subsequently Director of the new South African Astronomical Observatory, 1972-76. Though born in Weymouth he had strong family connections there, undertook his early university education there after his parents moved back to South Africa on retirement, and spent his last years there himself after his final retirement in 1976. Since this portrait came to the Museum as part of the RGO Collection in 1998, it seems likely he either gave or left it to the Observatory. Nothing has so far been found about the artist except that there is a portrait dated 1943 of a Margaret Ware (by Paul Ayshford, Lord Methuen) in Brighton Museum, who may be the same lady.

Object Details

ID: ZBA1748
Collection: Fine art
Type: Painting
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Ware, Margaret; Ware, Margaret
Date made: 1971
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 43.18 x 33.02 cm