The NADFAS Story

2008 marks the 40th Anniversary of the foundation  of NADFAS.

The first Decorative and Fine Arts Society was the inspiration of Patricia Fay in 1965. The Chiltern  Antiques Group, later to become the Chiltern DFAS, was formed to bring together people  interested in the decorative and fine arts who wished to hear expert lecturers, to visit museums,  galleries, houses and collections and to increase and broaden their knowledge. Patricia Fay  received great help and encouragement in her work from Sir Trenchard Cox, then the Director of  the Victoria & Albert Museum and subsequently NADFAS President.

 Such was its success that other societies followed and in 1968 the first eleven societies formed  the National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies, holding the Inaugural Meeting at the  Victoria & Albert Museum in the presence of HRH The Duchess of Kent who became the first Patron. NADFAS became a registered charity in 1972. In 2001, it was decided that NADFAS should become an incorporated body, limited by guarantee, with effect from 1 January 2002.

NADFAS expanded throughout the United Kingdom and in 1984 the first overseas Society was formed in Rheindahlen, Germany, to be followed by the first Australian Society, in Sydney, in 1985. There are now NADFAS societies throughout Mainland Europe and Australia. The Australian societies have Group Associate Membership of NADFAS and are internally self-governing.

NADFAS societies not only grew in number but also in initiative. Throughout the 1970s great effort went into the formation of Church Recorders, Young NADFAS and the Voluntary Conservation Corps (VCC) which are now Young Arts and NADFAS Volunteers. Overseas tours were arranged, closely followed by British tours and a national newsletter was produced. By the late 1980s a separate committee was needed to give detailed advice to societies on opportunities for further study at local and national level which is now the Education Department. For all this inspiration and vision Patricia Fay received the OBE in 1975. She died in 1979 aged 46.

The first NADFAS office was in Grand Buildings, Trafalgar Square but with 126 societies it soon became necessary to move to larger premises in Ebury Street. Within ten years these offices also proved inadequate and a move was made to Lower Grosvenor Place. In 1992 with 260 Societies and an annual increase of around ten Societies, it was agreed that the Silver Jubilee of NADFAS should be used to launch an appeal to raise funds to acquire a permanent home for the Association. After much deliberation it was accepted that the most accessible and convenient place, from every corner of the United Kingdom and Mainland Europe, was central London and so the search began. In 1994 the Jubilee Appeal enabled the Association to purchase 8 Guilford Street, London WC1N, now named NADFAS House.

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of NADFAS and the South West Area will celebrate the occasion  on May 1st 2008. For  programme and venue details ,see                                                       www.nadfassouthwestarea.org.uk

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