This evening (11 April 2012) I chanced to switch on the tele on the "Yesterday" channel and caught an old transmission of "Antiques Roadshow". The first surprise was that the object under discussion was a formal portrait of a Christ's Hospital boy, seated and holding a large, open stamp album. The expert found the artist's signature but I did not catch the name, although I did note the date, which was 1952. The 'member of the public' was the sitter, who said that the portrait showed himself and had been commissioned and paid for by the 'governess' who had presented him. The second surprise was the value - £10-12,000 (so much!).
A little investigation indicates that the programme was recorded at Bala in North Wales on 14 September 2003. If the portrait was painted in Wales in 1952, it seems possible that the 'governess' could have been the wonderful Mrs Ridley and the sitter might have been one Colin Davis, who was presented by her in 1951.
Can anyone shed any further light on this, please?
David
