Early Life and Family Background

Phyllis Elinor Legh was born on 9 December 1895 at 6 Belgrave Square, London. She grew up as the youngest daughter in a family of significant standing. Her father was Thomas Wodehouse Legh, 2nd Baron Newton, who lived until 1942, and her mother was Evelyn Caroline Bromley Davenport, born in 1859. The house in Belgrave Square provided a specific, structured beginning to her life, rooted in the social landscape of late Victorian and Edwardian London.

In January 1918, she married Henry Gerard Walter Sandeman at St Peter, Eaton Square, Pimlico, London. He worked as a port and sherry shipper. Their life together moved through the years of the early twentieth century, eventually bringing two daughters into the family: Susan, born in 1923, and Chlöe. These domestic ties and the family's connections shaped the environment in which she lived and observed the world around her.

Artistic Career and Exhibitions

Her presence in the art circles of Suffolk was marked by steady, recurring exhibitions. Between 1935 and 1974, she showed her work from The Mill House in Ufford, Woodbridge. These showings were spaced across several decades, including appearances in 1935, 1937, 1944, and 1974. By 1938, she had become a member of the Ipswich Art Club, a group she remained associated with as she continued to exhibit her paintings and drawings.

The subjects of her work shifted between portraits and landscapes. In 1937, she presented a piece titled 'Liza', followed by a portrait of 'Miss Nancy Churchman' in 1942. Her output also included more structured illustrative work, such as the illustrations she produced for 'Pilgrim's Progress', which were exhibited in 1944. Even in her later years, her hand remained active; a watercolour titled 'River with Bridge' was shown in 1974.

Key Works and Artistic Subjects

Her brushwork often captured the specific atmosphere of the places she knew. One notable oil painting, The Servants' New Year's Eve Ball in the Entrance Hall at Lyme Park, was painted about 1906. It depicts a gathering of figures and musicians beneath a large chandelier, using a palette of yellows, blues, and pinks to fill the hall. This work reflects the social life of the Edwardian era through the eyes of a young observer.

As her career progressed, her subjects shifted between the quietude of nature and the intimacy of portraiture. She exhibited Still Life and The Pollard Willows, Ufford in 1935 and 1937. Her interest in people also extended to her own family; in 1941, she presented a portrait of her daughter, Chlöe, at the Ipswich Art Club. Other works from her collection include:

• Liza
• Miss Nancy Churchman
• River with Bridge
• Illustrations to 'Pilgrim's Progress'

Beyond the canvas, she turned her attention to the memories of her upbringing. She wrote Treasure on Earth, a book centered on her childhood spent at Lyme Park in Cheshire.

Later Years and Death

By 1939, she was living at 76 Chester Square in the City of Westminster, London, alongside her husband. Her presence in the art world continued through the decades, with her work appearing in various exhibitions. In 1974, she was still exhibiting a watercolour titled 'River with Bridge' from The Mill House in Ufford, Woodbridge, Suffolk.

She passed away on 5 April 1986 at Mill House, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk, at the age of 90. That same year, her painting 'The Servants' New Year's Eve Ball in the Entrance Hall at Lyme Park' was a gift from Mrs Colville.