One of Northumberland’s top visitor attractions is dipping into a collection of watercolours to paint a picture of a little known yet central character in the location’s history.
An exhibition based on the paintings of Caroline Lady Trevelyan opens at the National Trust’s Wallington property on Saturday.
Wallington’s George Otto Trevelyan – who was Liberal MP for Tynemouth and served as a Cabinet minister – married Caroline Philips, the daughter of a wealthy Manchester merchant, in 1869.
They remained wed for 59 years and had three sons - Charles, George and Robert.
Charles won Newcastle Central for Labour in 1922. He was a member of Ramsay MacDonald’s Labour cabinets and gave Wallington to the National Trust.
His brother George Macaulay Trevelyan was one of the leading, and best selling, historians of his day, while Robert was a poet and man of letters.
But, compared to other Trevelyan family members, Caroline is little known.
Now the National Trust is hoping that the exhibition, “A Passion for Painting – the Lady behind the Brush,” will shed light on Caroline and her life.
The starting point for exhibition curator and Wallington house steward Charlotte Hawley has been the scores of Caroline’s watercolour views.
Many were painted on the Wallington estate. Others are of other Northumberland locations and scenes from Caroline’s travels in Europe.
“She was inspired by the landscape in which she lived,” says Charlotte. “As soon as she saw a view which inspired her she painted it. Everywhere she went, she painted because she loved doing it. She painted because it made her happy.
“She was not one for the limelight and she is almost a hidden figure. She has been waiting to be discovered, and this has been a voyage of discovery for us.”
The exhibition features one of Caroline’s dresses. She was also a talented embroiderer and examples of her work are in the collection of the Victorian and Albert Museum in London.
She was also interested in the Arts and Crafts movement and introduced examples into the house at Wallington, from William Morris wallpaper to tiles, chairs and lamps.
Caroline and George were also responsible for one of the best-loved aspects of Wallington for visitors - the conservatory and its marble fountain in the walled garden.
Visitors can track down Wallington estate views painted by Caroline, using cards, and are being asked to take photographs or do their own sketches and share them on social media.
“We hope that people are as inspired by what they see, as Caroline was,” says Charlotte, who has come to know Caroline better while researching for the exhibition.
“I have huge respect for her. You can really see the influence she had on her children and family.”
Caroline’s father and uncle were MPs. She met George Trevelyan when he travelled to help her father in his election campaign.
She played an active role in politics as the president of Morpeth and Wansbeck Women’s Liberal Association, and was also involved in the Tynemouth Association.
Caroline died in 1928; her husband died eight months later.
Wallington head gardener Edward Keith wrote of her: “Lady Trevelyan was never a lover of the London life, the rush and glitter of the London season did not fit with her quiet and orderly ways.
“I know from what she confided to me that the sweetest hours of her life were those spent in the midst of her family.”
