Snell Collection

Tallulah Bankhead (1902 - 1968), American actress, talk show host and bonne vivante

Olive Snell
Portrait of the artist Olive Snell, whose portraits in crayon and colour regularly appeared in The Tatler and The Bystander during the first half of the 20th century

Lilyan Tashman by Olive Snell
Lilyan Tashman (October 23, 1896 March 21, 1934) American vaudeville, Broadway, and film actress. Tashman was best known for her supporting roles as tongue-in-cheek villainesses

Sketch cover featuring Amelia Earhart by Olive Snell
Portrait of pioneering American aviator, Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1937) by society portraitist Olive Snell on the front cover of The Sketch magazine. Date: 1928

Gwen Farrar by Olive Snell
Miss Gwendoline Farrar, entertainer and musician pictured by society portraitist Olive Snell in 1918. Date: 1918

Holborn Union Infirmary, Highgate, London
The Holborn Union Infirmary, Archway Road, Highate, North London. A tram passes by. The infirmary, which was opened in 1879, was designed by Henry Saxon Snell

Hannah Snell / Maddocks
HANNAH SNELL Female soldier

Miss Penelope Pike by Madame Yevonde
Front cover of The Sketch featuring a photograph of Miss Penelope Pike who had just announced her engagement to the elder son of the Marquess and Marchioness of Zetland

Comic postcard, Girl chats with cockerel - rhyme by H J Snell Date: 20th century

Lady Marguerite Strickland by Olive Snell
Lady Marguerite Strickland (1913 - 2002), only daughter of the Earl of Darnley, one of the loveliest of the young married women in society. Her marriage to Mr

Lady Lettice Lygon by Olive Snell
Lady Lettice Cotterell (nÚÑáLygon) (1906-1973), Wife of Sir Richard Charles Geers Cotterell, 5th Bt; daughter of 7th Earl Beauchamp. Lygon family possible inspiration for Waughs Brideshead Revisited

Viscountess Weymouth pictured on holiday (probably on the Riviera) by Olive Snell. She was formerly the Hon. Daphne Winifred Louise Vivian (1904-1997), and married Viscount Weymouth in 1927 Date: 1929

St Marylebone Workhouse Infirmary, Rackham Street
The St Marylebone Workhouse Infirmary, Rackham Street, London. It was designed by Henry Saxon Snell. Date: 1881

The Hon. Mrs Lionel Tennyson, formerly Felicite Tennant and daughter of Lord Glenconner. Wife of Lionel Tennyson and the Hampshire cricketer and England captain, who was the grandson of Alfred

Thomass New-England almanack; or, The Massachusetts calendar
1220295 Thomass New-England almanack; or, The Massachusetts calendar, for the year of our Lord Christ, 1775 (litho) by American School, (18th century); American Antiquarian Society, Worcester

Hannah Snell, British soldier, 18th century (1904). Hannah Snell (1723-1792) disguised herself as a man and became a soldier after her husband deserted her

Princess Jean de Faucigny-Lucinge (Baba d Erlanger)
Princess Jean-Louis de Faucigny-Lucinge, formerly Miss Liliane (Baba) d Erlanger portrayed by Olive Snell for The Tatler. Date: 1925

Detail of broad gauge locomotive and carriages at Swindon, 1849
Taken from a painting by Edward Snell. Edward Snell worked at Swindon Works in the late 1840s

Swindon Works and Railway Village by Edward Snell. 1849
An early watercolour painting of New Swindon by Edward Snell. Snell was head draughtsman at Swindon Works, later becoming assistant to Works Manager, Archibold Sturrock in 1846

Artist Olive Snell skiing at Murren
Olive Snell pictured with Captain Beckwith preparing to ski at Murren in Switzerland. Her portraits in crayon and colour regularly appeared in The Tatler

Mrs Lecky Pike (Olive Snell) and daughter
Portrait of Mrs Lecky Pike aka artist Olive Snell, whose portraits in crayon and colour regularly appeared in The Tatler and The Bystander during the first half of the 20th century

St Marylebone Workhouse Infirmary - A Royal Visit
The Prince and Princess of Wales talk to patients at the official opening of the St Marylebone workhouse infirmary. The buildings, designed by Henry Saxon Snell and his son

St Georges Infirmary, Fulham Road, London
St Georges Infirmary on Fulham Road. Passers-by include a cyclist and a horse-drawn omnibus. The building, designed by Henry Saxon Snell

Lady Anne Wellesley
Lady Anne Maud Rhys (n饠 Wellesley) (1910-1998), Wife of Hon. David Reginald Rhys; daughter of 5th Duke of Wellington. Pictured by society portraitist Olive Snell in The Sketch. 1929

The Begum Aga Khan, by Olive Snell
Portrait of Princess Andr饠 Aga Khan (1898-1976), the third wife of Aga Khan III, by society portraitist Olive Snell. Pictures by Snell appeared regularly in The Tatler

Lady Bridgett Poulett by Olive Snell
Lady Bridgett Poulett, ( only sister of Earl Poulett, described by The Sketch as a typical modern beauty, with fair hair, large eyes and is greatly in request at social gatherings. Date: 1932

Grand Hotel by Edward Knoblock
Promotional postcard of Grand Hotel by Edward Knoblock from Vicki Baums novel (1929 - original German title Menschen im Hotel). First produced at the Adelphi Theatre, 3rd September 1931

Lord Snell at London Fire Brigade Annual Review
Lord Snell (Chairman of the Council) at London Fire Brigade Annual Review in Victoria Park, 30 June 1934, inspecting firefighters wearing Proto breathing equipment. Date: 1934

Madeleine Carroll by Olive Snell
Portrait of British film actress Madeleine Carroll (1906 - 1987), in private life Mrs Philip Astley. Star of The Thirty-Nine Steps. Date: 1934

Frances Day by Olive Snell
Frances Day (1908 - 1984), born Frances Schenk, revue, cabaret, television and film actress and one of the original blonde bombshells

Margaret Whigham on front cover of the Sketch
Miss Margaret Whigham drawn by society portraitist, Olive Snell on the front cover of The Sketch in 1930, the year of her coming out as a debutante

Thomas Snell Jones
THOMAS SNELL JONES Scottish churchman, minister of Lady Glenorchys chapel at Edinburgh. Date: 1754 - 1837

SECRETAIRE, BY SNELL, 1851 engraving

SECRETAIRE, BY SNELL, 1851 engraving

Lord Snell at London Fire Brigade Annual Review
Lord Snell (Chairman of the Council) at London Fire Brigade Annual Review in Victoria Park, 30 June 1934, inspecting firefighters wearing Proto breathing equipment

Platanus x hispanica, London plane leaves
London plane leaves fallen in the Natural History Museum Wildlife Garden. Photo taken on November 1997 by Sue Snell

Malus sylvestris, crab apple
Crab apple trees blossoming in spring in the Natural History Museum Wildlife Garden. Photo taken in March 1998

Sorbus aucuparia, rowan
Rowan tree with ripe fruit growing in the Natural History Museum Wildlife Garden. Photo taken in July 2001

St Lukes Workhouse, Old Street, London
A design by architect Henry Saxon Snell for additions to St Lukes Workhouse on Old Street. The new buildings, opened in 1879, contained administrative offices and infirm wards for 930 inmates

St Marylebone Workhouse Infirmary
An exterior view of the St Marylebone workhouse infirmary. The buildings, designed by Henry Saxon Snell and his son, were located at Rackham Street, Ladbroke Grove

LCC-LFB Firefighters cheering (hip-hip-hooray)
Officers and firefighters give three cheers for the Annual Reviews Inspecting Officer, Lord Snell of Plumstead, Chairman of the London County Council

LCC-LFB Presentation of Silver gallantry medal
Lord Snell, the Chairman of the London County Council, is presenting Fireman J W Roots with the Councils Silver Gallantry Medal in recognition of his extraordinary bravery at a fire at 5 St Peter

St Georges Union Receiving House and Casual Ward, Wallis Ya
A London workhouse establishment opened in 1884 by the St Georges Union on Walliss Yard (now Warwick Row), Westminster. It was designed by Henry Saxon Snell. Date: 1884

Miss Cathleen Nesbitt, A study by Olive Snell
Miss Cathleen Nesbitt (1888-1982) She starred in a wide variety of plays with styles from comic Shakesphere to Serious Drama, noteably The Merchant of Venice and Loyalties

Staff and patients at Holborn Union Infirmary, Highgate, Lon
Doctors and nurses in Ward 12 at the Holborn Union Infirmary, Archway Road, Highgate. The building, opened in 1879, was designed by Henry Saxon Snell. Date: Date unknown

LCC-LFB Presentation of Silver gallantry medal
Lord Snell, the Chairman of the London County Council, is presenting Fireman J W Roots with the Councils Silver Gallantry Medal in recognition of his extraordinary bravery at a fire at 5 St Peter

Rudolph Snellius, Dutch mathematician
Rudolph Snellius (1546-1613), Dutch mathematician. Born Rudolph Snel von Royen, Snellius was born at Oudewater. He studied in Cologne and Heidelberg before gaining a teaching post at Marburg

St Georges Union Infirmary, Fulham Road, London
Design for the new St Georges Union infirmary on Fulham Road, south west London. The architect was Henry Saxon Snell

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"Unveiling the Extraordinary Life of Olive Snell: A Captivating Journey through Art and Adventure" Step into the world of Olive Snell, a remarkable artist whose talent knew no bounds. From capturing the essence of iconic personalities like Tallulah Bankhead and Lilyan Tashman to illustrating Amelia Earhart's daring spirit on a sketch cover, Snell's artistry mesmerized all who beheld it. But Snell's creativity extended beyond portraits; she also ventured into other realms. With her brushstrokes, she brought to life Gwen Farrar, infusing her with vivacity and charm. And even in unexpected places like Holborn Union Infirmary in Highgate, London, Snell found inspiration that transformed ordinary scenes into extraordinary works of art. Yet it wasn't just her artistic prowess that defined Olive Snell; her own life was an adventure worth exploring. She delved into history by uncovering the fascinating story of Hannah Snell/Maddocks – a woman who disguised herself as a man to serve in the British Army during the 18th century. Such tales ignited Snell's imagination and fueled her creative fire. Snell's passion for exploration took her far beyond canvas and paper. Whether skiing at Murren or donning various personas like Princess Jean de Faucigny-Lucinge (Baba d Erlanger), she fearlessly embraced new experiences with zestful enthusiasm. In addition to being an artist extraordinaire, Olive Snell was also Mrs Lecky Pike – a devoted mother captured alongside her daughter in heartwarming moments frozen forever on film. Her ability to capture emotion through humor is evident in one of her comic postcards where a girl engages in playful banter with a cockerel while H. J. Snell weaves rhyme around them.