Mother and Child - Matthew Frere-Smith

Mother and Child - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: Mother and Child
Artist: Matthew Frere-Smith
Location:  52°37'27.84"N  /  1°17'07.06"E  << Click link for image of location

Found just across Union Street from Jenny Lind Park is a row of three-story flats with terraced front gardens.  It's not a lovely building to look at, with its' boring brick facade and flat roof... and this may be the reason the flowing, modern, Mother and Child was commissioned by the Norwich City Council's architectural office under the leadership of David Percival to emblazon its' flank along the street.

Mother and Child - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

The mother holds her child up close to her face. Her head is distantly inspired by non-western models and contrasts with the flowing curves of her attenuated body. This was commissioned as the artist started to move away from conventional methods and subjects

Matthew Frere-Smith's name will be familiar to any artist who studied at Norwich, Great Yarmouth, or Lowestoft during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.  After studying at Wimbledon and the Royal College of Art, he taught whilst completing numerous commissions and won an international competition in Milan in 1974.  His work can be seen at the Sainsbury Centre and many will have seen his elephant at the Elephant and Castle in London.  He died in 1999.

The Beehive

The Beehive - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: The Beehive
Address: 30 Leopold Road, Norwich NR4 7PJ
First Beer Sampled: Oakham Ales Bishop's Fairwell

Another Eaton neighborhood pub is this tastefully represented dandy known as The Beehive.

Although it may have run illegally for a few years before, the pub (of unknown name) started in late August 1898 with the transfer of a beerhouse license from the Bird in Hand, King Street by Steward & Co  in consideration for a new license issued to Caroline Dix for new premises situated at the corner of Melrose and Leopold Roads.  After a few unsuccessful attempts and withdrawn applications, it finally achieved a full license in 1922. It was a tied Courage pub in the 1970s (which as you can see on the above picture of the outdoor signage, the Courage cockerel, read: rooster, still is above it to this day) with the local CAMRA branch regularly meeting there.

The Beehive - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

This is very much a real local pub that is used by customers of all ages. The interior has two rooms, a bar and an eclectic comfortable lounge with leather sofas. There is also a function room upstairs. It plays host to football, golf, darts, pool & rugby clubs and has regular quiz nights and wine tasting evenings. The beer garden outside is popular particularly when barbecues are held during the summer months.

This year, The Beehive won the Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA Pub of the Year Award!  Click HERE to read the announcement article ;)