Susan Wherrett

Susan Wherrett. Photograph by Andrew Cockrill. 1970.

Ben comes from an artistic background. His mother, Susan Wherrett, was an actress before setting up her own Interior Design and Display Business.

During her eleven year acting career, she worked at the Ipswich Arts Theatre, where she performed in twenty four productions; The Studio at Stratford-upon-Avon; The Phoenix Theatre, Leicester; The Newcastle Playhouse with the John Neville Company; The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh and in the West End, performing at the Harold Pinter Theatre and the Theatre Royal Haymarket and in various television productions etc.

'Salad Days'. Ian Mckellen and Susan Wherrett. Ipswich Arts Theatre. Directed by Alan Gray. 1963.
'Measure for Measure'. Edgar Wreford and Susan Wherrett. Newcastle Playhouse. Directed by John Neville and Michael Rudman. 1967.
'Hobson's Choice'. Susan Wherrett and Antony Webb. Ipswich Arts Theatre. Directed by Robert Chetwyn. 1964.
Ben's Grandmother, dress designer Jean Ramsey Wherrett and Susan Wherrett, meeting Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, at the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, Yorkshire. 1969.
'The Imaginary Invalid'. Peter French and Susan Wherrett. Phoenix Theatre, Leicester. Directed by Richard Eyre. 1966.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Clockwise from top left: Susan Wherrett, Reg Whitehead, David Tudor Jones, Douglas Ditta, Josie Kidd, Gabrielle Hamilton, Derrick Gilbert. Harold Pinter Theatre, London. Directed by Robert Chetwyn. 1964.
One of a number of photographs of Susan Wherrett modelling for the 1969 book cover of Margaret Forster's 'Georgy Girl'. Photograph by Andrew Cockrill.
'War & Peace'. L-R: Antony Webb, Josie Kidd, Edward Fox, Susan Wherrett, Peter Roberts, Derrick Gilbert, Colin Kaye, Hildegarde Neil, Douglas Ditta, Gabrielle Hamilton, Ian Norris, Gawn Grainger. Ipswich Arts Theatre. Directed by Robert Chetwyn. Set Design by Geoffrey Scott. 1964.

In the late 1980’s Susan set up her own business, Ramsey Wherrett Design – Interior Design and Diplay. Her interior design commissions include, The Seckford Theatre, Woodbridge, Suffolk; Trinity Methodist Church, Felixstowe; Woodbridge School and Orwell Park School.

Joseph Ramsey Wherrett

Artist J. Ramsey Wherrett.

Ben’s grandfather, Joseph Ramsey Wherrett was an artist (1914-1960). He exhibited at the Royal Academy and with the Royal Society of British Artists etc.

His work included satirical cartoons, illustrations, posters, still lifes and portraits. His book Composition was published in london and New York in 1946 and reprinted in 1954. The book is still available through online retailers.

Joseph's book 'Composition' first published in 1946.
Still Life by J. Ramsey Wherrett 1948. Copyright Susan Wherrett.
'Let's Work as a Team' by J. Ramsey Wherrett 1952. Copyright Royal Mail Group Ltd. Courtesy of The Postal Museum.

Joseph designed posters for a number of organisations, including the General Post Office.

A set of four he designed in 1955, including The Mail Van Driver and The Telegraph Boy, were reproduced by Post Office Archives as prints and postcards from 1994.

A 1952 poster he designed for the G.P.O, Let’s Work as a Team was produced as a design for a mug, tea towel, flask, coaster and notebook by Gift Republic, who held the licence between 2013 and 2016.

'Let's Work as a Team' by J. Ramsey Wherrett. Reproduced by Gift Republic. Photograph by Ben J. Read.
The Mail Van Driver by J. Ramsey Wherrett 1955. Copyright Royal Mail Group Ltd, Courtesy of The Postal Museum.
The Telegraph Boy by J. Ramsey Wherrett 1955. Copyright Royal Mail Group Ltd, Courtesy of The Postal Museum.

The Postal Museum is situated in central London, for more information CLICK HERE

Cricket illustration from the Radio Times by J. Ramsey Wherrett.