‘Cornish Fisher Folk’ Could Help Fund Farnham Museum Renovation

Published on: 12 Dec, 2025
Updated on: 13 Dec, 2025

Cornish Fisher Folk by Walter Langley, currently at Penlee House Gallery & Museum

By Chris Caulfield

local democracy reporter

A painting, first exhibited in 1908 at the Royal Academy, will be sold by Waverley Borough Council with up to £100,000 from the proceeds going to help fund the restoration of Farnham Museum.

The Cornish Fisher Folk is an oil on canvas depiction of life in a turn-of-the-century fishing village by Walter Langley (1852-1922) noted for his social realist portrayals of working class figures, particularly fishermen and their families. He was a pioneer of the Newlyn School that attracted artists to the area for its “natural light”.

The painting will this weekend go back on public display at the Penlee Gallery in Cornwall. Waverley Council has only recently becoming aware of its possession or even how it came to own the work.

Investigations discovered the picture was sold in 1910 for £100. It was passed down to a second owner, following the death of the purchaser, who subsequently bequeathed it to Godalming Parish Council, a forerunner of Waverley Borough Council in 1920.

In 1974, when the borough was created, Cornish Fisher Folk was given to Waverley, with other paintings allotted to Godalming Town Council.

Cllr Paul Follows

Speaking at the Tuesday, December 9, Executive meeting where the decision was taken to sell the painting, was leader of the borough, Cllr Paul Follows (Lib Dem, Godalming Central & Ockford).

He said: “Members of the Executive will be well aware of the Cornish Fisher Folk painting that we have in our possession.

“This is not a joke item, this is very much a real painting that the council possesses.

“I gather that it is considered to be a work of art to some people, art being very subjective as it is, it’s not something that I personally find particularly attractive.

“We know that there is of course the Penlee Gallery that are partially interested in it because they have a local connection to the painting.”

In July this year, the council arts officer wrote to Penlee House and Gallery offering the opportunity to buy the painting at a price no lower than £65,000 – even though in theory it could attract more at auction.

Penlee responded immediately confirming their interest but explained it lacked the cash and would need to fundraise.

The Penlee House & Gallery website

The proposed sale to Penlee Gallery is likely to be below best consideration, reports presented to the committee read, but these were offset by compelling social, cultural and reputational benefits.

The painting is already held by Penlee Gallery on loan and is publicly accessible as part of its permanent exhibition programme, selling it to them would ensure the artwork’s continued professional conservation, curation, and long-term display, securing its preservation for future generations.

Penlee is being offered the opportunity to buy the work for £65,000 with all the money going towards the restoration of Farnham Museum.

If it is unable to raise the cash in time the council will auction the painting in March –  with £100,000 ring-fenced for the museum with anything above that shared between other arts organisations including Cranleigh Arts Centre, Haslemere Hall, Godalming Museum, the Borough Hall and Haslemere Museum.

Should Penlee be successful, a sell-on clause would be attached entitling Waverley to a pre-agreed percentage of a subsequent sale should it be sold to a third party.

Cllr Mark Merryweather

Cllr Mark Merryweather (Lib Dem, Farnham Moor Park), said: “Just to clarify, it’s in our ownership, its not in our possession.

“It’s on loan to Penlee and with all the reorganisation going on, I’m only half joking when I say, that being down there it was at risk of being forgotten about.

“I think it clearly has some value for those people who appreciate it, those particularly down in Penlee.

He added: “Everybody is satisfied that we are doing this properly for as close to as we can get to best value.”

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