VBLT - The Minories - Art for everyone

The History of the Trust and The Minories

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Clarence Victor Lay, was born in Holy Trinity Parish, in Colchester in 1865. He was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School and later made his reputation in the brewing industry in the King's Lynn area. He changed his name to Batte-Lay by deed poll in 1922 and, on his retirement, went back to Colchester, where he died in 1935, following a fall from his pony during his daily ride. He was a hereditary freeman, whose ancestors can be traced back to the days of the bay trade. Victor Batte-Lay was an avid collector of furniture and paintings.

After his death, his widow; Margaret Eleanore Batte-Lay looked after his collection for twenty years. In January 1955, before she died, she directed her Trustees to purchase and endow a building in Colchester as a memorial to her husband "for the benefit and advantage of the inhabitants of Colchester and in particular those who shall take an interest in the artistic and antiquarian features of that town."

The Minories, its Walled Garden and 18th century Folly, then owned by Dr Butt, a second generation woman doctor and sister-in-law of Lucien Pissaro, was purchased in 1956.

The Minories was opened to the public as an Art Gallery on the 30th May 1958 by the then Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, later knighted as Sir Trenchard Cox and Mr R.A. Butler, Home Secretary.

This private Trust, answerable to the Charity Commissioners, has provided through the tenancy of The Minories a public cultural and artistic centre for Colchester and North-East Essex for almost 50 years.

The Trust has been assisted The Friends of the Minories, an association of supporters who have been organising fundraising events for the gallery since its foundation in 1976

By the early 90's the Trust's resources were rapidly dwindling and the gallery run by the Trust finally closed in 1992 while discussion raged about its future.

In 1994 the Minories reopened when firstsite became the tenants, using public money from Essex County Council, Colchester Borough Council and East of England Arts. Kath Wood was appointed Director of firstsite

In May 2006 firstsite was granted final planning approval by The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for the groundbreaking new arts complex for the East of England. Construction will started immediately, and the building is expected to open to the public late in 2007

In September 2006, the Trustees of the Victor Batte Lay Trust actively began their search for a suitable replacement tenant for The Minories

March 2007 - Colchester Institute was selected as the preferred tenant to occupy the Minories when the existing tenants, contemporary arts organisation firstsite, move to the new facility. The VBLT came to this decision as a result of a public tender process. The opportunity to submit proposals for the tenancy was publicised through an advertising campaign in the local, arts and charity media and a website was created to support the process.