“Another excellent Historic Decoration Study Day! Thank you all very much indeed for arranging a most interesting, educational and fascinating day at Syon House with Stephen Calloway. I enjoyed it immensely and learnt a lot! It was a great pleasure to listen to Stephen’s presentation and see his very good slides - such erudition! He gave us a different slant on the subject and encouraged us to think in fresh ways about style and interior decoration. It was an inspirational talk. I’m sorry that I cannot attend the study day he is giving on 3rd July.
To walk round Syon House with Lady Caroline, learning about its history and events associated with it, and to be able to enjoy the glorious rooms and their contents again, was a privilege and a delight. Thank you, too, for organising a good lunch to keep up our levels of concentration and to give us a chance to get to know the other people attending the study day. Tea in the Green Drawing Room with Zuleika’s amazing cake was a lovely way to end the day.
With sincere thanks to everyone concerned for giving us a splendid study day.”
— JW, London
“I really enjoyed and gained a lot from last friday as well as meeting some lovely people too ! My guest was very grateful too for a day so well spent . Thank you ! ”
— MO
“This is a note to thank everyone concerned for a fascinating, highly informative and delightful study day with Patrick Baty. It was an exceptional day of learning for me - never again shall I look at paint and decoration in the same way! Patrick is enthusiastic, lucid and entertaining in communicating his immense knowledge to his audience. I felt privileged to listen to his talk.
The arrangements you had so carefully prepared for the entire day were first-class in every way. You looked after us exceptionally well, gave us an exceedingly good lunch, and the tour round Syon House itself was immensely interesting. At the end of the day to be given tea in the Green Drawing Room, and a delicious cake specially cooked and decorated for the occasion by Zuleika, was a most enjoyable experience.
You invited comments from those taking part in the Study Day. I cannot think of anything that could have been improved upon, except a form at the end of the day on which to tell you how excellent everything had been. I have been on several study days and visits with various societies and specialist groups, but I cannot recall a day to match the excellent one you organised with Patrick. The Syon House day included every element of education, enlightenment, entertainment and hospitality, and interesting fellow guests, which one could hope for in a Study Day.”
“I thought Patrick Baty a gifted communicator, able to explain things well and simply and I actually felt I had learnt a great deal. It was really fascinating. ”
— FR, London
“Just a quick note to thank you both for a really enjoyable study day on the weekend. Much like Annabel Westman’s study day, I found Allyson McDermott’s lectures to be highly informative and inspirational. I know you both were interested in visitor feedback, but honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing; the whole day was great.”
