Portrait of Clare Sheridan painted by Edward Blackmore
Detailed View

Born into a wealthy, and cultured family, Clare Sheridan was brought up at Brede Place in East Sussex and later, in the 1950s lived for a while in Hastings Old Town.  A well known writer and sculptor, her bust of her first cousin, Winston Churchill is in Hastings Town Hall.  Described as "beautiful and intelligent" she was a striking woman, tall and blonde, with a lively outspoken character.

After the sudden death of her son in 1937 she went on a pilgrimage to Montana and Canada, to find spiritual refreshment, and stayed with the Blackfoot Indians.  In a letter to the Blackmores she wrote:

"I went out there to them, a shattered wreck, having lost my son aged 21, the being I lived for.  I had to go away, alone, like a sick animal . . . in the end I 'found my medicine' - it was living on the Blood Reserve".

Buckskin beaded bag
Detailed View

During Sheridan's time on the Blood Reserve she was adopted into the Blackfoot tribe and was given many items that are now on display at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery including Blackfoot beaded belts, bags, clothes and a stunning beaded dress.

Beaded Dress
Detailed View

The Sheridan Collection was passed to Ted Blackmore in the 1960s, and this was in turn acquired by Hastings Museum and Art Gallery in 1982.

Hastings Old Town Museum stocks a short, informative book on Clare Sheridan, written by Betty Taylor, wife of the late Dr. Colin Taylor.