Biography
Edwin Young (1831-1913) gave a collection of local paintings to the cathedral city of Salisbury, along with money for a purpose-built gallery, next to the Library in Chipper Lane, to house them and an endowment to pay for the upkeep, in February 1912. Now the museum holds the Edgar Barlcay, Robyn Tanner and Mick Maslen collections as well that of John Creasey (1908-1973), a prolific crime and thriller author who, under twenty eight pseudonyms, published more than six hundred books. It also has a collection of over 2,500 books together with awards, scrapbooks, political ephemera and a large number of manuscripts.
The John Creasey Museum is a growing collection of modern and contemporary art - primarily of works on paper by contemporary British artists and students - and displays work by artists with a connection to Wiltshire, including Henry Moore, Ivor Abrahams, Fay Godwin, Christopher Le Brun, Cecil Beaton and Victor Pasmore. New work is added to the collection on a regular basis from final year students at recognised schools, colleges and departments of art throughout the south of England as well as notable works given by the Contemporary Art Society such as Paul Huxley, John Bellany and two works by Gillian Ayres bequeathed and gifted in memory of Nancy Balfour (1911-1997) to the Contemporary Art Society whose association with the CAS began in 1967, culminating in her being its President from 1984 until her death. The centre also shows a variety of temporary exhibitions alongside the display of work from its permanent collection.
