The Old Coach Road after Rain

Winter Thoughts was acquired from Victor Waddington in 1974 by Mrs Nancy Elizabeth (Betty) Jayne. Born in South London, Betty was the daughter of an engineering journalist, J. Foster Petrie. During the Second World War, Betty worked with the code breakers at Bletchley Park, then in administrative positions at the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Association of Special Libraries. In 1971, she married Oliver Jayne, a barrister with a career in the construction industry. Together, they bought a house in Sutton, Surrey and started collecting 20th century British and Irish art, which they acquired from leading London galleries. Their collection included work by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Barbara Hepworth (see lot 5 in the Modern British and Irish Art Evening sale), Henry Moore (see lot 1 in the Modern British and Irish Art Evening sale) and John Piper (see lot 152 in the Modern British Art Day Sale) and Jack B. Yeats (also see lot 135 in the Modern British and Irish Art Day sale). Betty continued to live in the same house surrounded by the art she loved until her death at 102.