Former Bailiff delighted with smiling portrait

Unveiled earlier this week, the painting is by Elizabeth Adams, who, with Sir Richard, completes a ‘hat-trick’ of Bailiff portraits following her portraits of Sir de Vic Carey and Sir Graham Dorey.

Sir Richard said he was delighted with the picture, which shows him smiling with St Peter Port in the background.

‘I think it’s lovely. It captures me.

‘If, when people look at it and think “there’s somebody who enjoyed the office of Bailiff, who is proud to be a Guernseyman and is proud to respect the traditions of the office”, then I will be delighted.’

Mrs Adams worked from photos taken by John Fitzgerald, whose idea it was to have Town as a backdrop.

‘We had tried to find somewhere on the south coast, particularly around Saints Bay because I love that bay,’ said Sir Richard.

‘But it was impossible to find something that would be instantly recognisable.’

Prominent on the skyline behind him in the portrait is the towers of Elizabeth College, of which he is a former pupil, and Victoria Tower. The old court building can also be seen.

As well as the robes of office, the painting shows Sir Richard wearing the crest showing that he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Caen University, and his Knight Bachelor medal.

The present Bailiff, Sir Richard McMahon, has decided to have the painting hung in the hallway near the old entrance to the Royal Court which will see Sir Richard next to his most recent predecessors, while an older portrait will be moved into one of the court rooms.

Mrs Adams was an art teacher at Elizabeth College before she retired about 12 years ago and now works part-time in the art department at The Ladies’ College.

She said she started work on the painting in the summer and it was Sir Richard who asked to be portrayed smiling.

‘He has a reputation for being light-hearted so John Fitzgerald photographed him with a smile. I was thrilled to be asked to paint him, and I really enjoyed it.’