35th Anniversary Celebration: Plant Sale & Open Day

Saturday 14 October marks 35 years since Katherine Mansfield House & Garden officially opened to the public. We're celebrating with a day full of events, beginning with our annual plant sale. It's also the 135th anniversary of Katherine Mansfield's birth and the centenary year of her death.

We're setting up a marquee on the front lawn so we have lots of room for guests to attend the day's events. Entry to the house, including the exhibition of ceramic art 'Dear Katherine', will be by donation.

*Programme*

10am: Plant sale. Each year our volunteers propagate plants from our garden as a fundraiser. Bring your own box or bag. The plant sale will continue throughout the day, or until all the plants are gone!

10.30am - 1.30pm: Meet the Artist. Ceramic artist Sophie Florence Arbuckle will be at her exhibition 'Dear Katherine' to chat about her pieces and the techniques used to make them.

11am: What became of the Samuel Josephs? In Mansfield's story 'Prelude' the Samuel Josephs are a large boisterous family who live next door. They were based on a real family, the Nathans, who lived in the house that is still next door to 25 Tinakori Road. Simon Nathan will tell the real story behind the family.

12pm: Mansfield open mic. Calling all Mansfield fans! We'd love to hear you read an excerpt from your favourite Mansfield story, or your favourite Mansfield poem. Or perhaps Mansfield has inspired you to write something - we'd love to hear that too! Turn up on the day with what you'd like to read, or contact us if you'd like to find out more.

1pm: At the Bay. Introductory talk and screening of the Eastbourne Historical Society's photographic film tribute At the Bay.

2pm: Speeches and cake. Some fun formalities to mark the 35th anniversary of the house's official opening

2.30pm: Mad Heart: Sappho's Fragments in Song. Writer and musician Cadence Chung performs original lyre compositions inspired by Sappho’s fragments, played on an authentic 7-string lyre.