Sir William Perkins’s School is a prestigious independent day school for students aged 11 to 18, in Chertsey. Founded in 1725 by the wealthy merchant Sir William Perkins, the school has been a cornerstone of the Chertsey community, providing an aspirational learning environment for 300 years.

“We know so much about our founder, Sir William Perkins, who was a wealthy Chertsey merchant, founder of The School in 1725, yet we have no idea what he looks like” said Debbie Picton, Head. “To find the portrait of Sir William Perkins would be ultimate way to mark this prestigious anniversary. We are hoping that someone out there can help solve the mystery of where his portrait is”

President of The Chertsey Society, Malcolm Loveday, has worked tirelessly to find the portrait, which is believed to have been sold in 1908. “The auction of items from West Horsley Place which included ‘oil paintings’ was held in Guildford on the 9th & 10th November 1908 by Williamson & Burt. It is likely that this includes the portrait of Sir William Perkins. I was hoping that if we located a copy of the auction catalogue that it would give details of the painting, but so far, I have not located a copy of the catalogue”. Henry Weston was Sir William Perkins nephew and heir. Weston also became the owner of West Horsley Place (the location of the BBC TV series ‘Ghosts’) and an inventory of items at West Horsley Place listed the portrait of Sir William Perkins.

“The National Portrait Gallery and Birmingham Museums have no information. We have searched the V & A museum website for their Auction Catalogue to no avail, likewise I failed to get any hits on a general Google search for the auction catalogue,” said Malcolm. “It is time to enlist the help of the public”

To mark the 300th anniversary of the school an exhibition of the schools long rich history is on display at the Chertsey Museum from 29th April to 31st May. “We invite everyone to join us in celebrating this momentous occasion and to discover the fascinating history of Sir William Perkins’s School” said Tricia Tyler, Head of Project 300 at SWPS. Emma Warren, Curator and Manager of Chertsey Museum has worked with the school to create a fascinating exhibition which is open to members of the public.

For anyone who has any information regarding the missing portrait of Sir William Perkins can contact the school directly via office@swps.org.uk