Thank you for your recent email. I was particularly interested in the article about the Disco Ball which we saw on our visit to Sudbury Hall. 

However I must confess that the disco ball was not nearly as troubling as the speech bubbles attached to the glorious portraits in the long hall. I attach two photographs - they are in poor taste and divisive in the sense that they create unnecessary displeasure by weaponising  ‘class’ and the reference to throwing an orange at one of the frames is an unsubtle ( to me ) allusion to the throwing of orange paint at famous paintings by the Just Stop Oil movement. If it isn’t that then what is it ? 

I was so keen to see the famous Grinling Gibbons carving around a wonderful portrait. But the attention of the visitor is directed by a huge sign and hoarding towards a little black servant at the bottom of the portrait with the most puerile text imagining the life of the child and even wondering “if he even existed “. The wooden sculpture is marvellous. The painting is beautiful. Of course we don’t all know about the history of servants and if we don’t I have no problem with attention being drawn to this historical situation. But it is not well presented and I don’t believe it should dominate the exhibits in that room. It is a trouble making presentation and offers very little information to the viewer. Who writes these texts ? 

Instead of leaving Sudbury Hall better informed and happy I came away upset. I am a member of The National Trust and have thought of resigning but felt that is cowardly and should express myself using my vote. But in my opinion even the voting system is not properly democratic. 

Yours sincerely 
Anonymous