Flora Twort in Petersfield, Hampshire: Petersfield Plaques #2

This building is at 1–2 The Square, diagonally opposite the statue of William III which occupies a central position in the town.

'1534

This former farmhouse

was occupied by Thomas Osbourne

(16th C) and Thomas Walker (17th C),

both Mayors of Petersfield. Dr. Harry

Roberts bought it in 1918 as a

bookshop and workshops run by

Flora Twort and other

local artists.'

The name Flora Twort (1893–1995) is all over Petersfield. The building above is a museum that also houses the Flora Twort Gallery, which along with some of her paintings also contains general information about the artist. Twort moved to Petersfield after World War II and kept the studio above the shop until 1948, when she moved to Church Path above.

On her death she bequeathed her studio gallery on Church Walk (where she is shown in the photo above), along with her artwork, to Hampshire County Council.

Twort's palette on display in the gallery, with reflections of some of her paintings.

Detail of a mosaic representation of Petersfield on a wall in Dragon Street, made by Kate Ford in 1994, showing (among other things) Twort's name approximately where her gallery is located.

Hampshire County Council have put many of Flora Twort's paintings and sketches online, including a large number of Petersfield and several of the old windmill at Langstone, which was owned by Twort, and is where her friend Nevil Shute (who once unsuccessfully proposed to her) briefly stayed in 1939.

The link to Twort's art is below.
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The Flora Twort Collection