I’m extremely sad to hear of the death of Peter Carrington, a great survivor who was in some obscure way which I do not understand a distant cousin.
I first got to know him, but not at all well, when he was chairman of the V&A, touring the departments as he had the Empire. He was co-chair of the fund-raising committee at the National Portrait Gallery together with the late Drue Heinz. This only involved asking for money from Sir Christopher Ondaatje, which he did very effectively over a memorable lunch. He was Secretary for Foreign Correspondence at the Royal Academy and an Emeritus Trustee.
When I was appointed Secretary, he lifted me up by the lapels and told me I was completely mad, but he did this, as he did everything, with charm and humour.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
Peter Carrington was a delightful man if, like my beloved Father, misguided politically. But he was that rarity today, an honourable man. He loved the arts, painting in particular, and was, until recently, a regular attender at Parliamentary visits to Museums and Galleries.
It’s notable that the best Conservative Arts Ministers in recent years (Tim Renton, Richard Luce and David Mellor) have all been, like Peter Carrington, very decent people.
I would have loved to see PC lift you up by the lapels! Your are neither a homuncule nor a lightweight in any sense of the word & he was no Atlas or halterophile. . . .
Yes, I did wonder how he managed it as I wrote it. But I definitely remember the sensation of being forcefully grabbed by the lapels. I could suggest that it was a judo move, but I doubt it. Charles