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James Lomax

James Lomax trained as a museum curator under the late Christopher Gilbert at Temple Newsam before working at Manchester Art Galleries for five years. He returned to Temple Newsam in 1985 where he worked until his retirement in 2011. For 35 years he has been involved in most aspects of museum curatorship: acquisitions, research, publications and cataloguing, teaching, exhibitions, conservation and collections management. Much of his work has touched on the history of collecting and the historic role of art dealers and the trade. His publications include the catalogues British Silver at Temple Newsam and Lotherton Hall (1992); (with James Rothwell) Country House Silver from Dunham Massey (2006); and many contributions to journals. Exhibitions range from John Singer Sargent and the Edwardian Age (with Richard Ormond) (1979), Maids and Mistresses (2003); John Smeaton: father of Civil Engineering in Britain (2011). Notable acquisitions secured include the Kirkleatham Centrepiece (1987); the Jennens and Bettridge garniture (2002); Earl Grey’s writing table (2006); the Daisy Fellows chinoiserie epergne (2010); Lord Raby’s massive silver cistern (2011); the Horton Fawkes beadwork mirror (2013). James was Hon Editorial Secretary to the Furniture History Society 1985-88; Chairman of the Silver Society 1998-99.  He has been Hon Curator of the Chippendale Society since 1995 and Chair of the Leeds Art Fund since 2012.