I have somehow managed to gain access to the obituary of Elizabeth Esteve-Coll in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph, a well-informed account of her which must have been written with personal knowledge.
I knew some, but certainly not all of her history – her schooling in Darlington and her time at Trinity College, Dublin, but not the amount of time she spent at sea with her Spanish husband.
The obituary perhaps does not convey how charismatic as well as energetic she was when she arrived as Keeper of the National Art Library in 1985, which was why the senior staff supported her appointment as Director in 1987 (this may have been forgotten).
She was recruited to reform the museum’s management. More of her thinking will become clear when the recordings in National Life Stories are released.
I owe her a lot. She was a remarkable person, ahead of her time, and she remained very active behind-the-scenes at the Wolfson Foundation and Sainsbury Centre after having to stand down as Vice Chancellor of the University of East Anglia because of her MS.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
She was remarkable Charles, clear minded and strong despite the difficult circumstances which prevailed. Unfairly blamed for the curatorial cuts which were forced upon us by the Treasury. She was brave, kind and also great fun to work with. May she rest in peace.
Dear Malcolm, Thank you for this comment. Yes, both brave and kind, but also tough. Hope you’re well ! Charles
Thank you Charles – yes enjoying retirement in France. I hope all is well with you too !
Yes, am writing away ! Charles
Charles, just a piece of added information about Elizabeth Esteve-Coll and her husband Alex. They lived in the ground floor flat in our house in Muswell Hill, which Maurice had converted, never thinking that he would get married again, let alone have three children! They originally came for three months, introduced by a school friend of Elizabeth. But they actually stayed for two years, from 1965 to 1967. I know the year dates because our second child, Benedict was born in August 1965, so we rather badly needed the space back!
Hope that you have had a good summer.
With best wishes.
Jane
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Dear Jane, How fascinating ! I knew she had known Maurice but not that she had lived in your house. Now I want to know more about Alex. Charles
Charles, Elizabeth only knew us because a young couple called Jean and Trevor Charlton White were living in the ground floor flat, they didn’t live in the basement, they lived on the ground floor, we lived on the first and second floor. So the children played with Elizabeth in the garden, as we didn’t have access to the garden whilst they were there. Alex was rather in the background, so I cannot tell you much about him. They seemed to get on well together. It was convenient for them to be in Muswell Hill because they owned several flats in a building in Crouch End, which they frequently visited. Alex had an adult son whom we met and who visited quite often. I have quite a few photos of Elizabeth in the garden playing with the children! Best wishes, Jane
Hello Charles – thanks for the tip about the Telegraph obituary, which is certainly much better informed than some of the others. I was very much a beneficiary of Elizabeth’s tenure at the V&A, being appointed to a senior role in the NAL in 1990. I only realised some time later that she grew up only a few miles away from me in north east England. As the Telegraph says, she had “a certain nobility of bearing” but she could also be incredibly down to earth and kind. She continued to attend art library events after she became Director and I have fond memories of chatting to her over breakfast or dinner at several conferences. In short, I owe her a lot too!
Best wishes, Doug
Dear Doug, It’s interesting how many people feel this way – I think a particular gift was her support for younger staff. Charles