Between 1939 and 1945 a significant proportion of Britain’s national collection of modern art from the Tate Gallery in London was brought to Muncaster Castle to save it from destruction from bombing. This illustrated lecture explains why and how this happened, who was responsible, what happened to the pictures while they were stored at Muncaster Castle and reveals some of the pictures which were kept there. In February 2024 the BBC, Border TV and Radio Cumbria ran features on the story.

About the Speaker

Prior to retirement Dr Rob David was a lecturer at Charlotte Mason College in Ambleside and at St Martin’s College, Lancaster, and a regular lecturer for several adult education groups. For several years, he was a Visiting Research Fellow in the History Department at Lancaster University. He is now an independent researcher. He has coordinated a British Council Link, working towards the UN millennium goal of universal primary education, between St Martin’s College and the Asmara Teacher Training Institute in Eritrea. He has studied for the Diploma in Local History, an MA and a PhD at Lancaster University. His publications include a guide to Cumbrian archives (with Mike Winstanley), and Voices of the Lake District (with Jane Renouf). He was President of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society from 2017-2020. He has been a Chair of Cumbria Industrial History Society, Friends of Cumbria Archives, Ambleside Oral History Group and has been Chair of the Advisory Board for the Regional Heritage Centre at Lancaster University.