Obituaries of Albert Frank Kendrick

Albert Frank Kendrick (1872–1954) was renowned as an authority on textiles, ceramics, and woodwork. In 1897 he became Keeper of the newly formed Department of Textiles in the Victoria & Albert Museum and played an important part in the formation of the Museum’s collection of textiles.

From The Times, 20 July 1954

Authority on Textiles
Mr Albert Frank Kendrick, who, as a Keeper in the Victoria and Albert Museum from 1897 to 1924, became known as an authority on textiles, ceramics, woodwork and kindred works of art, died at St Peter's-in-Thanet, Kent, on Saturday at the age of 82.

He was born at Maidstone, on June 8, 1872, the son of the late Albert Kendrick. As early as 1898 he published an exemplary book, 'The Cathedral Church of Lincoln' in which he dealt with its history and architecture from the time of Remigius, almoner of Fécamp Abbey who had been, in 1067, appointed by the Conqueror to the See of Dorchester and was subsequently translated to Lincoln as its first bishop. Kendrick, who described Remigius as 'statura parvus sed corde magnus', early showed himself to be well versed in the principles of architecture, heraldry and ecclesiastical lore.

By 1905, recognized as a sound critic, Kendrick was engaged in writing articles or compiling catalogues on the manifold exhibits in the Victoria and Albert Museum. One of his earliest contributions to the 'Burlington Magazine' was on a tapestry removed from the walls of the Audit Room at Winchester College. Then followed one on the pall or hearse cloth belonging to the Worshipful Company of Saddlers.

English Tapestries
More than general interest attached to the article he published in the 'Burlington Magazine' on a Mortlake tapestry panel of a bowling green in the collection of Lord Addington. Later came articles on early textiles from Damietta and early silk stuffs from Egypt. In 1921 he wrote about scenes from the gospels seen in the Franco-British Exhibition of Textiles. He wrote at length also on the oriental carpets, made more than three centuries ago for Sir Edward Montagu, and hung in Broughton House. Equally close was his study of tapestries in the collection of the late Lord of Comers at Eastnor in 1915; and, at a later date, of embroideries and beadwork panels at the Bower House, Havering-atte-Bower, as well as of the tapestries in the possession of the late Lord Rochdale at Old Hall, Highgate.

When Chequers was presented to the nation by Lord and Lady Lee of Fareham in 1923, Kendrick was engaged to deal with the tapestries and carpets in the official catalogues of the principal works of art in the house. His services were readily given to cataloguing 20 tapestries lent by the Austrian Government from the Kunsthistorisches Museum to the memorable Flemish Exhibition held at Burlington House in 1927. So wide was his range of interest and foreign travel that he also wrote with authority on Chinese objects of art, Sicilian fabrics, pile carpets, costumes and Mohamedan textiles of the medieval period. During the last months of his life he worked assiduously, if intermittently, on Coptic fabrics and costumes.

From The Times, 24 July 1954

Mr H Clifford Smith writes:
As the oldest colleague of the late A F Kendrick ('A F' as we affectionately called him), I would like to add a few words to the fine tribute paid to him in the recent obituary notice in 'The Times'.

On the reorganization of the Victoria and Albert Museum prior to the reopening by King Edward VII of the completed building in 1909, Kendrick was put in charge of the newly formed Department of Textiles, and for the next 15 years, until his voluntary retirement in 1924, he presided over it as its Keeper.

Throughout this time he played an important part in the formation of the museum's collection of textiles - by far the finest in the world - and he came to be regarded as an authority of international standing on the subject.

Of the departmental catalogues compiled by him, which are held to be outstanding from the point of view of scholarship, the most important are those dealing with Coptic and early medieval woven fabrics, of which the previous collection purchased by the museum from that distinguished connoisseur, Canon Bock, in 1863, formed the arc. For over 25 years these catalogues held the field as the standard works on the subject and were consulted by European and American scholars alike. Kendrick was responsible for two well-known text-books: 'English Embroidery' (1905) and 'English Needlework' (1933).

Another standard work of his, which he wrote in cooperation with C E T Tattersall, was 'Handwoven Carpets, Oriental and European', two volumes (1922). He also undertook the translation into English of a great work of European scholarship, the magnificent book on carpets, first printed in Vienna and published in this country in 1922 in two sumptuous volumes under the title of 'Old Oriental Carpets'.

All those who knew Kendrick or came in contact with him will remember his distinguished appearance, quiet and courteous manner, unfailing good nature, kindness, and helpfulness to all those who consulted him and benefited from his wide, scholarly and technical knowledge, and will cherish the warmest recollections of him.

Reproduced with kind permission of The Times
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