Richard Pankhurst
Statement on the death of Richard Pankhurst
We were very sorry indeed to hear of the death of the scholar Richard Pankhurst, and we dedicated our spring 2017 tour of Sylvia to his memory.
Richard was so supportive of Lynx Theatre and Poetry when we began. His encouragement of the writer, Jacqueline Mulhallen, when she first sent him the script, saying it was a very good description of his mother's thoughts and feelings as a young girl, was followed by the understanding he showed of our artistic needs.
Knowing that the play was to be accompanied by slides, he encouraged William Alderson to photograph the original paintings in his own home rather than the reproductions in his book, Sylvia Pankhurst Artist and Crusader, so that we had the best possible images to show.
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This perceptiveness meant that there is now an archive of slides of paintings by Sylvia Pankhurst which has been used by scholars for illustrations in books and for exhibitions ever since.
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Richard was warm, friendly and approachable and always encouraged scholars interested in his mother's life and work. We were not the only ones!
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In 2019 Richard's wife Rita also died, and Jacqueline Mulhallen has written a short memorial to her.