Historic Newbury painting takes pride of place in the Town Hall

Luke Clint painting commemorates Newbury Coat making

AN historic painting depicting a world-famous Newbury event has taken pride of place in the town hall.

The painting, by Luke Clint, commemorates an event – the making of the Newbury Coat – at Greenham Mill which took place on June 25, 1811, following a wager of 1,000 guineas between Sir John Throckmorton and Mr John Coxeter of Greenham Mill, Newbury.

Sir John challenged Mr Coxeter to substantiate his boast of being able to produce a coat within a day.

At 5am on the morning of June 25 1811, two sheep belonging to Sir John were sheared by his own shepherd Francis Druett and the wool given to Mr Coxeter at Greenham Mills. The fleece was spun into yarn and the yarn into cloth.

At 4pm the cloth, rich damson in colour, was handed to Mr Isaac White, tailor of Newbury, whose son, James White, cut the coat out and had it made up within two hours and 20 minutes, after which the master manufacturer, Mr Coxeter, presented it to Sir John.

At 6.20pm, just 13 hours and 20 minutes after the shearing, Sir John put on his new hunting coat to the cheers of a 5,000-strong crowd which had gathered as the news of the event spread.

The feat was considered unique, making the coat world famous.

Newbury District Council attempted to buy the painting when it came up for auction in 1985, bidding £11,500.

However, it was outbid by a private dealer who paid £17,500 – and there were fears that the painting would never be seen in Newbury again.

But a short while later, local entrepreuner and art collector Sir Peter Michael purchased the painting.

Speaking at the unveiling on Friday, Sir Peter explained how the painting had hung in his Eddington home and also at his Stockcross hotel The Vineyard. He has now agreed to give the painting on permanent loan to Newbury Town Council.

The painting includes portraits of the people who took part. In the centre is Sir John of Buckland House, being measured for the coat. Sitting at the table nearby is Anthony Bacon, a wealthy, renowned man with many local connections. He is commemorated by the Bacon Arms.

Of the cloth-makers’ family, the portrait shows Mr Coxeter, who ran the mill; his son John junior, who was the weaver of the Newbury Coat; a younger son, William; and Mrs Elizabeth Coxeter with her two-year-old son Samuel, who died in 1893, aged 84, while living in Southampton Terrace, Newtown Road.

The painting was unveiled by the Mayor of Newbury, councillor Julian Swift-Hook, last week.

The original Newbury Coat is on display in Coughton Court in Warwickshire. There have been several reenactments of the making of the Newbury Coat, most notably at the Royal County of Berkshire Show in the early 90s.

Local historian Dr David Peacock said the painting had ‘come home’.

He added: “The event itself, in many ways, symbolises the start of the industrial revolution – this idea that you can start shearing sheep in the morning and by the evening have a coat worthy of being worn by a ‘gentleman’.

“The fact that could be done in one day in 1811 is really quite an indication of how things have changed.

“It is thanks to Sir Peter’s generosity that this painting has come back home to Newbury, in a place where members of the public can look at it.”