John Lea Nevinson
(1904-1985), Costume historianSitter in 3 portraits
School photograph including John Bicknell Auden; John Lea Nevinson and Bernard Auden
by Elliott & Fry
bromide print, circa 1915
NPG x25118
School photograph including John Bicknell Auden; John Lea Nevinson and W.H. Auden
by Elliott & Fry
bromide print, circa 1917
NPG x25119
by Passport Photo Service
print, 22 February 1983
NPG x25117
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Susan North
21 September 2017, 13:54
I think that this is John Lea Nevinson, dress and textile historian, 1904-1986. He worked at the Victoria and Albert Museum 1929-1939. From 1931-39 he was an assistant keeper in the Textiles Department. After WWII he joined the Ministry of Education, but pursued his interests in dress and textile history, as well as renaissance iconography and prints, publishing articles on these subjects for Connoisseur, Apollo, Costume and other journals. He wrote the essay on dress for Latham & Matthew's Companion to Samuel Pepys diary. The Costume Society (UK) dedicated the 1984 edition of their journal Costume to him (vol18), which includes an appreciation by Donald King, a bibliography of his publications, as well as some photos of Nevinson, from which you will be able to identify if he is the same person as in your photos. Nevinson died in 1985 and there is an obituary in Costume vol.20. Claude Blair, who from your records appears to be the executor of Nevinson's estate, was a former colleague at the V&A. The Auden connection is very intriguing; they would have been young boys in 1917 (haven't worked this out yet!).
Michael S Lea. John was my father's cousin.
03 August 2020, 13:24
https://www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk/sites/default/files/SAS205.pdf
the obituary of John Lea Nevinson published by the Surrey Archaeological Society 1985. One of many societies John was involved with and made a significant contribution to.