Henry Sandon
Henry Sandon | |
|---|---|
_(Henry_cropped).jpg) Sandon in 2010 | |
| Born | Henry George Sandon 4 August 1928 London, England |
| Died | 25 December 2023 (aged 95) Malvern, Worcestershire, England |
| Education | Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Authority on Royal Worcester porcelain |
| Television | Antiques Roadshow |
| Spouse |
Barbara Starkey
(m. 1956; died 2013) |
| Children | 3, including John Sandon[2] |
Henry George Sandon, MBE (4 August 1928 – 25 December 2023) was an English antique expert, television personality, author and lecturer who specialised in ceramics and was a notable authority on Royal Worcester porcelain. He was curator of the Dyson Perrins Museum for many years.
Personal life[edit]
Born on 4 August 1928 in the East End of London,[1] Sandon was evacuated to Buckinghamshire during the Second World War[3] and finished his schooling at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe.[4] He then studied at the Guildhall School of Music and became a singer and music teacher at the Royal Grammar School Worcester and a lay clerk in the Worcester Cathedral Choir.[3]
Henry Sandon died at a care home in Malvern, Worcestershire on Christmas Day 2023, at the age of 95.[5] Following his death the Museum of Royal Worcester wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "It is with great sadness we share the news that Henry Sandon passed away on Christmas morning. Our curator and then patron of the Museum for many years, a much-loved expert who shared his knowledge and enthusiasm for pots and Worcester in person, in books & on tv. Sorely missed."[6]
He was the father of ceramics and glass expert John Sandon, who is also a well-known television personality.[7]
Career[edit]
He began his career as an archaeologist and became interested in the history of ceramics after discovering Roman pots in his garden in Worcester.[3] During the 1950s, he collected ceramic art from buildings in Worcester that were being demolished.[3] He was appointed the Curator of the Dyson Perrins Museum at the Royal Worcester factory in 1966 and held that position until 1982.[3] He was described as "the world's leading authority on Worcester porcelain."[1]
Sandon joined BBC One's Antiques Roadshow for its second series in 1979 and made many appearances on the programme across 40 years.[6][1][3] One of his projects was an excavation at the Royal Worcester factory site.[3] He was also a former curator of the Gardiner Museum in Toronto.[3]
Honours[edit]
In 2000, he was voted Antiques Personality of the Year by the readers of BBC's Homes & Antiques magazine.[8] He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to broadcasting, the ceramics industry, and to charity.[9]
The Henry Sandon Hall at the Royal Porcelain works in Worcester is named in his honour.[4] He opened the centre for the arts in 2018.[10]
Selected publications[edit]
- The Illustrated Guide to Worcester Porcelain 1751 - 1793. New York: Praeger Publishing. 1969. ASIN B001SQB338.
- Royal Worcester Porcelain 1862 to the Present Day (2nd ed.). London/ New York: Barrie & Jenkins / Clarkson N. Potter. 1975 [1973]. ISBN 978-0214201066.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Obituaries, Telegraph (26 December 2023). "Henry Sandon, Antiques Roadshow expert and leading authority on Worcester porcelain – obituary". The Telegraph – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Tributes paid to 'much-loved' TV personality from Worcestershire". Cotswold Journal. 26 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Malcolm, Fiona (2005). Battie, David (ed.). The Antiques Roadshow. Mitchell Beazley. pp. 51–52, 94. ISBN 1-84533-060-9.
- ^ a b "Our Spaces". Royal Porcelain Works. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Madden, Sophie (26 December 2023). "Antiques Roadshow's Henry Sandon dies aged 95". BBC News. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ a b Pidd, Helen (26 December 2023). "Antiques Roadshow pottery expert Henry Sandon dies at 95". The Guardian.
- ^ "Antiques expert Henry loses his beloved wife". Worcester News. 9 February 2013.
- ^ "Antiques Roadshow UK: Appraisers: Sandon, H". PBS. Archived from the original on 18 April 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
- ^ "BBC One - Antiques Roadshow - Henry Sandon". BBC.
- ^ "VIDEO: Watch Worcester Porcelain expert Henry Sandon officially open the Royal Porcelain Works". Worcester News. 30 June 2018.
External links[edit]
- Henry Sandon at David Foster Management
- Henry Sandon's Memories of VE Day, Antiques Roadshow website
- Henry Sandon at IMDb
- Henry Sandon discography at Discogs
- Obituary at The Times
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