The Orleans House Gallery web site has posted an announcement for an upcoming Burton exhibit starting 15 January 2005. It is entitled, "The Case For and Against" and is claimed to be an inquiry into Burton's life. Please go to www.richmond.gov.uk for all the details.

Also at this site is a photo of Burton's personal effects including a pistol. The pistol displayed is certainly a percussion piece. In a brief exchange with the gallery I learned Burton's prototype pistol will be displayed. Currently no images of this gun are available but may be at some point in 2005.

As you know the Orleans Gallery is showing their collection of Burton's artefacts. I took a small group of my students to see the exhition and to have a personal view of Burton's poxssessions. These included his pistol, his sword and sheath, his sewing kit and his cigar case. Our students were allowed to handle the sword and the pistol. Would you be interested in seeing any of the photos we may take and any comments my students have?
For information the students are aged 15/16 and are not in mainstream schooling. They have been permanently excluded from school so their behaviour may be challenging, but they have good brains and good ideas and insights.

It could be really good for them to get involved in an international correspndence.

Ann Nash