This watercolour dates from 1890, when Allingham was invited to spend Easter with the Tennysons at Freshwater. Like his father Lord Tennyson, Hallam was a great admirer of her work and the purpose of the visit was to show the artist some picturesque thatched buildings as possible subjects for her pictures. She was so pleased to see that many of the cottages had retained their thatched roofs that she returned in subsequent years to paint during the Spring. She continued to visit Hallam and Lady Tennyson after the poet's death in 1892 and, with her brother Arthur Paterson, published The Homes of Tennyson in 1905.

We are Grateful to Annabel Watts for her help in preparing the entries for lots 6-9.