Watch a complementary recording of our recent online lecture
Following the popularity of our autumn 2021 lecture, we asked Nicholas Friend MA FRSA, to provide further insights into Bedford Park in two additional presentations for the Society. The first took place on 26 January. We are delighted to offer access free of charge – see details below.
Bedford Park, founded in 1875, is often seen as the world’s first garden suburb but it had precedents in estate, mill and retirement villages of the 18th and earlier 19th centuries. Nicholas outlined the distinctive differences between those villages and Bedford Park’s planning, ideas and ideals, and the influence Bedford Park’s new thinking had on similar developments in Britain, Germany and the United States.
The lecture was described as “superb,” “brilliant,” excellent” and “a fascinating talk bringing together so many strands of the garden suburb development.” We were delighted that Nicholas agreed to pass on more of his exceptional knowledge of Bedford Park’s history and influence.
Nicholas was Founder-Director of the Cambridge University Art History Summer School for 25 years. Since 1986 he has also been Founder-Director of Inscape, the art history study tour society, which has taken its members into the active study of buildings and art galleries all over the world.
The talk lasts just under one hour.
Contact the Society: information@bedfordpark.org.uk to find out how to access the recording of the lecture.
Nicholas Friend MA (Oxon) MA (Cantab) FRSA
After working as Staff Tutor in art history for the extra-mural department of Cambridge University, Nicholas Friend was appointed Founder-Director of the Cambridge University Art History Summer School and continued in that post for 25 years.
Since 1986 he has also been Founder-Director of Inscape, the art history study tour society, which has taken its members into the active study of buildings and art galleries all over the world from Istanbul to New Mexico.
With Covid’s lockdown of study group travel, he gave an extensive series of Zoom lectures on architecture, painting and the decorative arts. His interest in Bedford Park coincides with lecturing in late 19c British architecture and design for Sotheby’s Institute and elsewhere, together with his membership of the Victorian Society and William Morris Society. He chaired the latter Society’s Committee to celebrate the centenary of William Morris’ ‘News From Nowhere.’ He is an active Companion of Ruskin’s Guild of St George.