![Trenchardcox](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Trenchardcox.jpg)
Sir George Trenchard Cox (1905–1995) was a British museum director.
Early years
Cox was born on 31 July 1905 in London to barrister William Pallett Cox and Marion. He was educated at
Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...
and then at
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the city ...
, where he took a first class degree in modern languages tripos. Away from studying languages he was encouraged by family friend
Cecil Harcourt-Smith
Sir Cecil Harcourt-Smith (1859–1944) was a British archaeologist and museum director. He was Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum from 1904 to 1909, and Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum from 1909 to 1924.
Ear ...
(1859–1944), director of the
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
(1909–24) to develop an interest in the arts. This was inspired further by
Sydney Cockerell
Sydney Carlyle Cockerell (16 July 1867 – 1 May 1962) was an English museum curator and collector. From 1908 to 1937, he was director of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England.
Biography
Sydney Cockerell made his way initially as clerk ...
, director of the
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge. It is located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge. It was founded in 1816 under the will of Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Vis ...
in Cambridge (1908–37), to pursue a career in museums.
Cox started work as a volunteer at the
National Gallery
The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...
, London and then in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the
British Museum
The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
. During this time he spent a semester at Berlin University studying Art History. He spent a short time at the Sorbonne which led to him writing a study of the French Renaissance painter
Jehan Foucquet in 1931. In 1932 Cox became assistant to the Director, Sir
James Mann, at the Wallace Collection. During this time he developed a keen interest in the decorative arts of eighteenth-century France and went on to contribute to the catalogue of the exhibition of French Art at Burlington House.
In 1935 he married Maisie Anderson. In the summer of 1939, with Mann abroad, Cox was charged with organising the Wallace Collection's evacuation from London. After this time he became private secretary to Sir Alexander Maxwell, the permanent under-secretary at the Home Office.
Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery
In 1944 Cox's skills as an administrator saw him take up the post of Director of
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BM&AG) is a museum and art gallery in Birmingham, England. It has a collection of international importance covering fine art, ceramics, metalwork, jewellery, natural history, archaeology, ethnography, local ...
. He restored the museum buildings back to the original function, after they had been used as council offices for 5 years during the war, managing to refurbish and restore them on a tight budget. With the help of the Keeper of the Department of Art,
Dr. Mary Woodall, he established excellent relations with the Birmingham Corporation and established the museum as a leading institution. Cox is well known for the care and support he gave to museum staff, always remembering to send a note of congratulation to those responsible for a new exhibition or display. In 1947 he published a book on
David Cox (no relation), Birmingham's most famous landscape painter. In 1954 he was made a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(CBE).
Victoria and Albert Museum
![Shahjahancup](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Shahjahancup.jpg)
In 1955 Cox was offered the post of Director and Secretary of the
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
by
David Eccles, Minister of Eductation. He is known to have learnt the names of all of the museum's several hundred staff within three weeks of starting the job and greeted everyone thereafter by name. He is also responsible for introducing the conservation and education departments to the museum and reorganised and extended the
National Art Library
The National Art Library (NAL) is a major reference library, situated in the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), a museum of decorative arts in London. The NAL holds the UK's most comprehensive collection of both books as art and books about art, ...
. Cox acquired important objects such as the jade wine cup of the Shah Jahan and created a high standard of exhibitions, notably 'Opus Anglicanum' in 1963 and 'The Orange and the Rose' in 1964. In 1966 he retired early due to failing eyesight.
Other offices
Cox was knighted in 1961. In 1963 he became president of the
Museums Association
The Museums Association (MA) is a professional membership organisation based in London for museum, gallery and heritage professionals, museums, galleries and heritage organisations, and companies that work in the museum, gallery and heritage s ...
, he was member of the
Ancient Monuments Board
English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses.
The charity states that i ...
for England 1959–69 and the
Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries
The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) was until May 2012 a non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Governmen ...
1967–77 and appointed Chevalier of the
Légion d'Honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
in 1967. Continuing his interest in popular education, he was the founding president in 1968 of the
National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies
The National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS), operating under the name The Arts Society, is a national organisation in the United Kingdom promoting education in the arts and the preservation of artistic heritage.
It was ...
(NADFAS), and a fellow of the
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), also known as the Royal Society of Arts, is a London-based organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA acronym is used m ...
and of the Society of Antiquities. From 1968 to 1979 he served as Peoples' Warden at
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England parish church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since at least the mediev ...
, where he was a strong supporter its social welfare activities. He died on 21 December 1995.
Photographs by Trenchard Cox are held at the Conway Library in the Courtauld, London, and are being digitised.
References
Dictionary of Art HistoriansDictionary of National BiographySociety of Antiquaries of London
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Trenchard
Directors of the Victoria and Albert Museum
1995 deaths
1905 births
People educated at Eton College
Alumni of King's College, Cambridge