Leeds City Art Gallery

Philip Hendy was Director of the Leeds City Art Gallery from 1934-1946. During this time he developed its collections of English and Chinese art and was heavily involved in the design of a new gallery which was proposed for construction after the war. On August 29th 1939 the existing building was closed for fear of war damage to the works of art, and the Gallery holdings were transferred to Temple Newsam House, a Tudor-Jacobean mansion four miles east of Leeds which was owned by the Leeds Corporation. Hendy was responsible for the restoration and furnishing of the house and the re-hanging of the paintings, before the gallery re-opened on September 22nd of the same year.
During his time at Temple Newsam, Hendy organised a number of milestone exhibitions including work by Henry Moore, John Piper and Graham Sutherland. After the war many of the paintings remained at Temple Newsam. The house, gardens and art collection are still managed by the Leeds Museums and Galleries (formerly Leeds City Art Gallery).
Philip Hendy's re-arrangement and management of the Leeds paintings at Temple Newsam was considered a huge success, and led to his appointment as Director of The National Gallery in 1946.

This series includes Director's reports and committee agendas, correspondence and press cuttings.