Kent Kingdon\u2019s Bequest for the Royal Albert Museum and Free Library<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Registered charity, no. 306641
A charity for Exeter\u2019s heritage<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kent Kingdon Trust exists to purchase books for the Westcountry Studies Library and works of art for the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Trust was established under the Will of Kent Kingdon, an Exeter cabinet maker who died on 2 April 1889. The Will laid down detailed instructions for the administration of his generous bequest. The Trustees were to meet on his birthday, 24 April, to select books for the Library. Every third year no books were to be selected but \u201ca good work of art\u201d was to be chosen for the Museum. Kent Kingdon had fixed ideas on what he preferred: \u201cif a painting I prefer a good landscape\u201d, and as far as books were concerned \u201cno theological works or works of fiction of any sort or kind\u201d. In the early part of the twentieth century the funds facilitated the purchase of many items but over the years they were eroded by inflation. From the 1970s the fund became dormant but in 1994 the Trust was revived and the income which had accrued over the previous twenty years reinvested. Some of the earlier stipulations of the Will have been dropped, for example the limitation of Trustees to \u201cgentlemen\u201d and the requirement that every seven years the interior of the Museum be decorated in \u201cgrey and black but no gilding as I consider that exhibition rooms should be kept in very quiet good taste\u201d. Nevertheless the intention of the present Trustees is to continue the spirit of Kent Kingdon\u2019s wishes and the Trust is now once more able to assist the Library and Museum with purchases, although on a much more modest scale than at the start of the century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the re-establishment of the Trust grants have included assistance in the purchase of the following items:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are only examples of many purchases over the years. It is hoped to draw up a fuller list to recognise the great contribution of Kent Kingdon\u2019s bequest to Exeter\u2019s heritage over more than a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Trust also holds a sum of money made over to it by the Devon Dialect Society when it disbanded. This is available to assist in the promotion of Devon dialect studies, particularly for providing access to a corpus of dialect texts or recordings through the Public Library in Exeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The illustration below is taken from The ship of fools, translated by Alexander Barclay (second edition, 1570). Alexander Barclay of Ottery St. Mary was the first Devon writer to appear in print when his translation was originally published in 1509. By making a grant of ninety per cent of the purchase price in 1999 the Trust was able to ensure that this important item was acquired for the Westcountry Studies Library in Exeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Libraries and museums aim to preserve the written and visual heritage of their community and region, but funds are not always available for them to acquire everything that is desirable to carry out this duty comprehensively. By making a donation to the charity you will be recognising and assisting the work of the museum and libraries in this field. All items proposed for purchase are considered by the Trustees to ensure that they are appropriate to the collecting policy of the institutions and fit with the spirit of Kent Kingdon\u2019s wishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you wish to make a donation, please make a cheque payable to the Kent Kingdon Bequest and forward it to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Claire Bailey, Development Officer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3RX<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All donations received will be acknowledged and noted in the annual report to the Trustees. Acquisitions for the Library will bear a special Kent Kingdon bookplate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Email Claire Bailey, Development Officer<\/p>\n\n\n\n