Claude Hotchin

Sir Claude Hotchin OBE (7 March 1898 – 3 June 1977) was a businessman and art dealer, patron and benefactor in Western Australia. He is remembered for his support for Australian painters and Western Australian (especially regional) art galleries.

Claude was born at Quorn, South Australia, a son of butcher Robert John Hotchin ( – ca.27 October 1909) and Bertha Mary Hotchin (née Brown, later Osborne) ( – 28 July 1938), a tailor. In 1905 the family moved to Broken Hill, New South Wales. After leaving Broken Hill's Burke Ward school, Claude worked for a few years as a junior clerk at the Town Hall and moved to Adelaide in 1914 or perhaps 1915, and found work as "oil boy", messenger and shop boy in the hardware store of Clarkson Ltd, 124–126 Rundle Street, Adelaide, which specialised in glass, paint and ceramic lavatory ware.

On 4 June 1925 he and his newly-wed wife, a daughter of the business owner Albert Edward Clarkson ( – ca.25 April 1936), moved to Perth as sales manager of the firm's Murray Street branch (previously Sedgwick Ltd.). In 1929 the store manager and local director, Charles Sutcliffe Harper, was promoted to general manager and full directorship, and Hotchin look his place as local director.

In 1928 Hotchin built "Mornington Flats" consisting of six self-contained two-storey flats on Colin Street, West Perth, which he sold in 1930.

In April 1932 the Murray Street building was destroyed by fire, and Hotchin and Harper bought out Clarksons (W.A.) Ltd., taking over premises at 94 William Street, Perth, opening on 1 June 1932. In 1940 Hotchin bought Harper's shares, business prospered, and in 1950 he was able to sell up and retire.

Claude had always enjoyed visits to art galleries and early resolved to purchase as many Australian paintings as he could afford. He began collecting seriously in 1937 with the purchase in Sydney of the oil painting Mutiny by Norman Lindsay. His home became a showplace of art and meeting place for artists. He was active in hosting art exhibitions at various venues, then in 1947 established the Claude Hotchin Art Galleries above Skipper Bailey's car showroom at 900 Hay Street, managed by his daughter Margaret.

...
Wikipedia