On the 21st birthday of Romsey Art Group, June 1984, a special afternoon tea party was held for Founder Members, hosted by chairman Jessica Bohannan (centre).

Romsey Art Group President, Lady Romsey, opens the North Gallery extension on June 18th 1983.

The building of the North Gallery extension heralded the end of the outside ‘kharsi’’ which everyone dreaded using!  The outside corrugated iron cubicle met its end and is seen being removed by members.

After extensive fund raising and grants, the North Gallery extension was given the go-ahead and in 1982, under the direction of  Courtenay Hosking, building work began. Apart from a few contractors, over 75% of the building work was undertaken by members of the group.

President Lady Romsey plants a tree in the gallery grounds in 1981 in memory of Earl Mountbatten in the presence of members.

Following the murder of the Romsey Art Group president, Earl Mountbatten, Lady Romsey (now Lady Brabourne) agreed to maintain the group’s links with Broadlands and became the second president.  She is seen on the right with founder member Jane Finmore at the spring exhibition 1980.

Lord Mountbatten admires the sculpture of his head which to this day is a prominent feature at the Mountbatten Gallery.

Earl Mountbatten, president of Romsey Art Group, opens the autumn exhibition 1970.  By now the number of artists in the group had risen sharply and exhibits had risen to 344.  Pictured with the Earl, left to right, are founding chairman Patience Nicholson, Aldwyth Wellington (a past Mayor of Romsey), well-known artist Montague Dawson and the group’s treasurer Col. Jones.

On September 28th 1967 at their autumn exhibition, Romsey Art Group had a royal visitor, King Gustav of Sweden, who is seen signing the visitor’s book.

The first exhibition at the newly-named Mountbatten Gallery opened on 8th June 1967.  The local newspaper reported as follows:  “Romsey Art Group’s summer exhibition is worthy of their newly acquired gallery in the village of Lee, just outside Romsey.  The little Victorian chapel, which is now their home both as an exhibition gallery and as a working studio for members, is wholly delightful, as is the exhibition which they have put on there.   Earl Mountbatten, accompanied by his daughter Lady Brabourne, formally opened the gallery and between them the artists presented 250 exhibits of paintings, sculpture and pottery.”