It is with great sorrow that we mark the passing of Dr James S. Dearden.

‘Jim’, as he was known, was the Curator of the Whitehouse Collection at Bembridge School prior to its move to The Ruskin and Brantwood. Over four decades he made important further acquisitions to the original collection, playing a pivotal role in assembling the world’s largest Ruskin archive. His scholarly research on the collection has provided the bedrock on which all subsequent Ruskin scholars rely. Jim’s unfailing willingness to help and encyclopaedic knowledge alike will be sorely missed.

Professor Sandra Kemp, The Ruskin

Howard Hull, Brantwood