The Marianne North Centre Hastings
Supporting the local community
Marianne North
A story to inspire today
Today’s relevance Marianne North’s life story reflects many of todays considerations Marianne North foreshadowed many current day concerns about habitat loss, climate change and biodiversity. She lamented the abuse of natural world resources, such as the towering redwood ; Sierra Nevada lost a third of its timber during the Gold Rush, an early indicator of today’s continued challenges.
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As a woman of the 1800’s, she was a rare example of someone who, while self-educated, came to be respected by some of the leading men of her day such as Charles Darwin. Marianne North is still a celebrated artist with most of her work being housed at Kew Gardens. The Marianne North Gallery is still the only permanent Gallery dedicated to a female artist in the UK.
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There are 5 plants which she painted that have been attributed to Marianne North and are identified within the Northia species name.
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At the 2023 RHS Chelsea Show, a panel depicting Marianne North was included in the Women in Horticulture display. In January 2023, US essayist Maria Popova (1.2m readers worldwide) wrote a glowing article about her entitled “Turning Loss and Loneliness into Wonder: How the Victorian Visionary Marianne North Revolutionized Art and Science with her Botanical Paintings”.
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Locally, people in Hastings are proud of Marianne North: a social media tribute in August 2023, the anniversary of her death, proposing a Marianne North Centre to commemorate her, generated an enormously positive reaction
and comments by local people across Facebook and Instagram, such as “amazing, talented woman”, “a wonderful idea”.
Kew Garden Marianne North Gallery
Opened in 1881
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Designed by James Fergusson
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Houses 838 Marianne North Paintings
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The paintings are still hung to Marianne North's original instructions
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2015 a further 41 paintings were donated by family
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2021 a new plant was identified from one of her paintings
Marianne North Hastings Links
The eminent botanic artist of International importance, Marianne North (1830-1890), was born and spent much of her life in Hastings with her Father, Frederick North the appointed Hastings MP at different periods spanning 38 years.
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On her father’s death in 1869, Marianne North sold the family home and embarked around the world painting exotic flora, in order to educate the Victorian public.
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She held successful exhibitions in London on her returns to UK. However, she never lost touch with Hastings and also held an exhibition here in 1877 of an initial 500 works, arranged by local MP Lord Brassey, husband of Annie Brassey, photographer and traveller.
Travels with Marianne North
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1871-72- Her first trip covered United States, Canada and Jamaica.
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1873 - Brazil
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1875 - Visited Tenerife and the Canary islands
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1875-77 - A two year journey around the world. She painted flowers in California, Japan, Borneo, Java, and Ceylon.
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1877 - Exhibited some of her paintings in Kensington Gallery
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1878-79 - Visited India and travelled alone around the country. Produced 200 paintings.
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​1879 - Exhibition of her paintings in a London gallery
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1880 - Visited Borneo Australia and New Zealand (at the suggestion of Charles Darwin) and California. Produced 300 paintings in Australia.
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1882-3 Travelled to South Africa.
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1884 Travelled to the Seychelles Islands
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1884–5 - ​Visited Chile
This was her last painting journey
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1886: Moved to Mount House Alderley, Gloucestershire.​
Hastings Links that can support regeneration
The economy of Hastings remains highly seasonal and despite its majestic location and vista, White Rock suffers from poor access.
A landmark botanical garden would provide a year-round family attraction for both locals and tourists - complementing the Hastings Garden Town plans and opening up the site for seasonal activities and community engagement
