The first time I entered Dora House remains vivid in my mind. I had just been elected a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors and, although nervous and excited, I felt an immediate sense of welcome. There was a sense of belonging to a community of sculptors. I was caught up in the atmosphere of the rooms themselves, with their history, decorum and possibility, and even the draughts and uneven stairs seemed part of the charm. Dora House quickly became essential to my life.
Many lasting and important friendships began on that first day, colleagues who have remained part of my world ever since. Through discussions, meetings, joint exhibitions, mentoring and parties, I was fortunate to be involved at a pivotal moment. Toward the end of the twentieth century the Society faced financial difficulty, and the question arose: should we sell Dora House and move somewhere more functional.
To me, Dora House was the heart of the Society and had to be saved. I consulted a collector of mine, who later volunteered to be our Treasurer. His advice was unequivocal: under no circumstances should Dora House be sold. No financial difficulty justified parting with the Society’s greatest asset, which would only grow in value. He convinced all of us, and I became deeply involved in the effort to raise funds to secure its future. Progress was slow, but the commitment never wavered.
Today, seeing the transformation of a building once in such need of repair, I feel immense gratitude to Caroline Worthington, her team, RSS members, friends and donors who made this restoration possible.
The photo shows Johannes von Stumm, myself, Brian Falconbridge and Anne Rawcliffe-King at the AGM in Dora House in 2008.
Helaine Bluemenfeld OBE FRSS, Vice President of the Society 2024-2009 , May 2026
Ahead of the Year of the Home in 2026 when we celebrate the Society's 50 years at Dora House, we asked members to share with us their personal memories of Dora House. We will be sharing them throughout 2026 as part of a programme of this milestone, marked also by the delivery of our project Creating a Home for Sculptors. If you have a memory you would like to share, you can still do so via this link.
