A UNIQUE piece of Chartist history recovered from Newport’s former department store Wildings when it closed has been retained for posterity.
The panorama panel, once used in an historic commemorative Wildings window display, was saved by Newport cobbler Kelvin Reddicliffe and will now go on display to the public.
The two-piece panel artwork depicts a scene from the Chartist revolt outside Newport’s Westgate hotel. It is an enlargement of the original picture, painted in 1978, by renowned Newport artist John Wright.
A Chartist Revolt expert and cobbler, Mr Reddicliffe, of Timpson’s, Austin Friars, Newport, rescued the artwork and put it for sale in aid of St David’s Hospice Care.
The piece, which created quite a bit of interest from potential buyers, has now been sold for £500 to Pat Drewett of Our Chartist Heritage (OCH) the local Newport group passionate about the Chartists and their message.
Mr Drewett said: “We didn’t know of the existence of these panels until alerted to them and their sale by Kelvin. We’re very pleased to have been able to acquire them and will use them as a central, educational feature at events such as at the Newport Rising Festival later in the year.”
Mr Reddicliffe said: “The Wildings Chartist panels really couldn’t have gone to a better new home.”
Wildings, established in 1874, closed its doors for the last time in December after trading continuously in Newport for 144 years.
The backdrop, a representation of the original commissioned by Wildings, was used by the Commercial Street department store as part of its celebrations of the anniversary of the 1839 uprising.
The anniversary also saw staff dress as Chartists and serve customers kitted out in contemporary clothes.
Mr Reddicliffe makes and sells various pieces of Chartist memorabilia including that relating to the destroyed Chartists Mural, to raise funds for Newport-based St David’s Hospice Care and other charities.
The original John Wright Chartist Uprising painting is also now owned by Our Chartist Heritage and it is planned to make this available for public viewing in Newport Art Gallery in John Frost Square as soon as possible.
Anyone interested in knowing more about Our Chartist Heritage should visit our-chartist-heritage.co.uk
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