The Young Gallery, Salisbury has received a generous donation of material relating to the renowned cartoonist Ronald Searle.

Searle (1920-2011) was known for creating St Trinian’s and his work on the Molesworth books.

The donation includes an original ink and watercolour caricature showing Robert Edward Peter Gascoyne-Cecil, 6th Marquess of Salisbury by Ronald Searle. This caricature was commissioned and published in Punch Magazine’s ‘Heroes Of Our Time’ section on 17 February 1957. The accompanying caption read, ‘For peers may come and peers may go, But Cecils rule for ever.’ The Marquess of Salisbury was an aristocratic and controversial figure. He was MP for Bournemouth West 1950-1954, president of the Monday Club and supported Rhodesian independence. He lived at Cranbourne Manor, 16 miles from Salisbury.

The donation also includes the original publisher proof for the caricature with annotations by Ronald Searle, a print of the page in Punch, and a letter and postcard from Ronald Searl to the donor Robert Stiby.

In 1942, Ronald Searle and Arthur Stiby, the donor’s father, were captured and imprisoned in Changi and various other Japanese Prisoner of War (POW) camps. Although the two men never met, they shared the same experiences and used their talents to contribute to prison stage shows. They both survived working on the Burma Railway and returned home in 1945.

Robert Stiby purchased the Searle material in memory of his father, to commemorate their shared experience as POWs. Searle wrote to Robert Stiby stating, ‘I’m glad to hear that ‘Salisbury’ has found an appreciative home […] It’s a drawing I like.’ He also referenced the wartime productions he helped to stage during his time as a POW, including ‘Music through the Years.’

The painting, letter and postcard are on display in Gallery 1 from 23 May. They are exhibited as part of a wider display in Gallery 1 which showcases objects from the Young Gallery’s permanent collection of over 4000 objects. The exhibition explores watercolours, prints, drawings, oils, photography and books, and highlights the history of the Gallery, which moved to its current location 50 years ago.

It is free to visit with no booking required.

Dr Emily Dunbar, Curator and Gallery Manager said: “We are grateful to Robert Stiby for this wonderful addition to the Young Gallery’s collection. The material celebrates Searle’s unique style and gives a valued insight into two men’s experiences as prisoners of war.”

Robert Stiby, donor said, “My father always admired Ronald Searle’s work. I wanted this example of his sardonic humour to be exhibited, not only because of its association with Salisbury but as a tribute to two brave and remarkable survivors of the horrors of war. That it is now part of Salisbury’s permanent art collection is a legacy, which means a lot to me and my family.”

More information about The Young Gallery can be found at https://www.younggallerysalisbury.org.uk/.