Morden Hall Memories

Posted on 6 August 2013 · 4 Comments

Several years ago… I can’t honestly remember when exactly … I was approached by the education wing of the National Trust to create a new display for the Snuff Museum (yes, there really is such a place) at Morden Hall Park. So I duly researched the history of snuff and found it much more interesting and influential than I first supposed.

Indulging my love of costume and setting and 18th century engravings and cartoons (Cruikshank; Hogarth), I quickly became absorbed in the subject, which is full of tales of woe and witticisms. Snuff was regularly used as the butt of contemporary jokes, and the political caricatures popular at that time were a strong influence on my illustrations. From slavery to prostitution, the shadow of tobacco is a long one, cast over centuries. Snuff was considered medicinal by some (and prescribed for chest complaints!); it was usually flavoured (peppermint and rose were popular); and the culture of snuff boxes and accessories is a fashion-era all by itself.

The brief was to create illustrated panels for the museum/mill that showed the story of snuff in pictures. Recently I found the original sketches and purely by coincidence Fritha Lindqvist from Orchard Books visited the mill with her family and sent pictures of the finished things. I confess I’ve never been to see the end result; I’m delighted they are still there. I must make a trip to see them myself…

And if you have a day out at Morden Hal Park – which is a lovely place for families – do take a look.

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James Mayhew

James is the creator of the much-loved Katie and Ella Bella Ballerina series and has written or illustrated many other books, including Koshka’s Tales, Mouse & Mole (by Joyce Dunbar) and Gaspard the Fox (by Zeb Soanes). Alongside his work in publishing, James performs live on stage during concerts for children, combining live classical music, storytelling and art.

4 responses to “Morden Hall Memories”

David

8 August 2013

Now here’s a coincidence – I went there on the obligatory every-two-months afternoon out with the mother just before getting the train to Cheltenham. First visit, and I was so surprised by all that green space and the river running through it, especially as I’d always thought Morden – setting-off point for my first independent teenage forays into London – the armpit of south London. We walked near the mill exhibition and around the rose garden, but I had NO IDEA about the snuff museum. A good reason to return…

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1. James Mayhew
  
  8 August 2013
  
  How extraordinary.Well we both need to return, evidently!
  
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David

29 August 2013

So I persuaded my mother on our latest monthly meeting to go back – and checked out the room. Your panels are a delight, but the display in that room seems to have fallen into the sere and could do with a bit of tarting up. Such an interesting subject, after all.

And it was so good to see the park – where the roses have given way to a splendid dahlia display – well used by the local community. A Utopian scene.

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1. James Mayhew
  
  2 September 2013
  
  It was in a terrible state when the panels were commissioned. And that was so long ago it sounds like they’re almost back where they started! I’ll go and see for myself one of these days…
  
  Reply