Creative Connections: Ealing – National Portrait Gallery

I was surprised and intrigued to find a display about my own borough of Ealing at the National Portrait Gallery. Creative Connections is a series that looks at some of the well-known creative people with connections to a particular borough, as well as working with young people to explore creativity. This particular project based in Ealing partners Brentside High School, whose students have created a film installation with artist Eelyn Lee called An Ealing Trilogy.

Ealing has a rich history, growing in popularity since the extension of the Great Western Railway in the mid-1800s and the creation of Ealing Broadway station. Today it is home to people from all over the world, and its history encompasses Ealing Studios, the Ealing Music Club, and Ealing Art College (now part of the University of West London).

The exhibition has some great pictures of local landmarks including Pitzhanger Manor and Ealing Studios, as well as images of the students involved with the project. Famous figures with some connection to Ealing are pictured, with descriptions of their life and work. I knew about some of these people already: the architect Sir John Soane, who bought Pitzhanger Manor in 1801, and Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron, famed as the first computer programmer, who taught at the Ealing Grove Industrial School for underprivileged children which had been founded by Lady Byron.

Others, however, were new to me. Ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn was brought up in Ealing, while director Steve McQueen grew up near Ealing Studios. Inventors Trevor Baylis and Sir William Henry Perkin had Ealing connections: the latter (who invented the first synthetic dye, mauveine) opened a chemical factory in the area. Singer Dusty Springfield and actor Sid James also spent part of their childhoods in Ealing, while Pete Townshend went to Ealing Art School and The Who played Ealing Club, as did Freddie Mercury.

If you have any connection to the borough of Ealing, this is definitely worth a visit.