23 Facts About Arthur Jeffress

Arthur Tilden Jeffress was an influential gallery owner, collector, and patron of the arts in post-World War II Britain.

Arthur Jeffress died in 1961, leaving his art collection to the Tate and Southampton City Art Gallery.

Arthur was born in Brentford, Middlesex on 21 November 1905, the second son of Albert and Stella Jeffress of Charlotte, Virginia, USA His older brother, Joseph Randolph Jeffress, was born in 1900.

Albert Jeffress was in the tobacco business and in 1902 helped to form the British American Tobacco company, a joint venture between the UK's Imperial Tobacco and The American Tobacco Company.

The Arthur Jeffress family lived at Kenton Grange, a 27-acre estate at Kenton, Middlesex.

Arthur Jeffress left the majority of his estate to his wife, two sons and his sister, Anita Jeffress Hill of Berkeley, California.

The Sitwells' artistic salon at their Carlyle Square home regularly hosted eminent writers, artists, critics and patrons; Arthur Jeffress thus came into contact with this world.

Arthur Jeffress was one of the numerous Bright Young People, young bohemian artists, aristocrats, and socialites, during the 1920s and 30s.

Arthur Jeffress greeted his guests attired in a white angel-skin sailor suit with red trimmings, a ruby necklace, two diamond clips and a spray of white star orchids.

Arthur Jeffress put his art collection into storage and closed up his house, offering its use to the military.

Arthur Jeffress's unit was assigned to the Middle East and North African Campaigns after one month of training, shipping out on board the SS Zam Zam for Mombasa, Kenya.

Arthur Jeffress stayed in New York to recover for a short while; he was determined to contribute to the Nazi defeat, but given the cessation of BAAC activities, he joined the American Field Service, again as an ambulance driver.

Arthur Jeffress was shipped out to fulfil the original BAAC objective in North Africa, this time arriving with no interruptions.

Arthur Jeffress reached the rank of captain, moving with his team through Egypt into Libya and then into Italy, at the forefront of the Allied advance.

Arthur Jeffress had brought Robert Melville with him from the Hanover Gallery to run this new operation.

An influential art critic and journalist, Melville's reputation, combined with that of Arthur Jeffress, helped to quickly establish the new gallery in the London art world.

Unlike the Hanover Gallery, Arthur Jeffress did not represent individual artists; Jeffress would purchase paintings he and Melville liked from artists, other galleries and auctions, curating them into shows and selling them.

Arthur Jeffress was an expert marketer of his business, using his extensive social network and personal charm to promote it.

Arthur Jeffress was considered one of the most colourful figures- and his gallery one of the most colourful institutions- in the London art world at this time.

Arthur Jeffress committed suicide on 21 September 1961 while staying at the Hotel France et Choiseul in Paris.

Arthur Jeffress employed two handsome young gondoliers to transport him around the city; after one grand dinner party, the Duchess of Windsor asked if Jeffress would take her home in his gondola.

Arthur Jeffress was however unable to do so because the gondoliers he employed had gone off "carousing".

Arthur Jeffress left his art and money to communities he cared about:.