The latest portrait of a Warden of Wills Hall was unveiled on a memorably happy evening. Wills Hall was in ebullient mood for a packed Formal Meal on Friday, 27th April 2007. Guests on the High Table included Sir Michael Wheeler-Booth, sometime Clerk of the Parliaments, Lady Gass, Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Sir John and Lady Kingman and Professor Judith Squires, head of the Department of Politics.

The portrait was commissioned by the Junior Common Rooms for the years 2004-2007. The three Presidents of the JCR, Charles Gunter, Oliver Payton and Jonathan Cherry, who masterminded the project and who are all happily still resident at Wills, each spoke to introduce the portrait. Sir David Wills, great grandson of the Hall's founder and now a Patron of the Wills Hall Association, paid tribute to the students and to Donald Shell and unveiled the portrait, to thunderous applause.

The portrait was painted by the Cornish artist Laurence Kell, who also received a burst of applause. Mr. Kell has undertaken many commissions for portraits and his works have been frequently exhibited, most recently at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters' 2007 Annual Exhibition at the Mall Galleries. The portrait is the distinguished latest addition to the set that hang in the Dining Hall.

Date: 27th April 2007

Attendance: 200

Guest Speaker:

Click on a photo to view in full size.