Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Sloane, Florence Knapp March 31, 1953
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Dorothy Strawhand https://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008405 February 12, 2020, 7:31 pm

Norfolk Virginian Pilot April 1, 1953

                MRS. SLOANE DIES; FOUNDER OF HERMITAGE

       Long Active in Cultural Life of City; Funeral Tomorrow at 2 p.m.

Mrs. Florence Knapp Sloane, a leading force in the cultural life of the 
community through her 58 years residence, died yesterday at 2:30 a.m. at Norfolk 
General Hospital.
She and her husband, the late William Sloane, founded the Hermitage Foundation, 
and it was largely through her efforts that the Norfolk Museum of Arts and 
Sciences became a reality.
Mrs. Sloane had been in declining health for several years, her final illness 
extending about a month.  She was born in New York, the daughter of Mrs. Deborah 
Ewing Knapp and Jacob Frost Knapp.
From girlhood she manifested an interest in the arts and played the violin 
herself.  This interest lasted throughout her life and through her many talented 
and serious students of art and music received opportunities to study.
Probably two of the happiest moments of her late life were when she entertained 
after a concert by the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra String Quartette at the 
Hermitage, complimentary to the musicians and the Christmas family parties.
                           Came Here as a Bride
Mrs. Sloane came to Norfolk in 1895 as the bride of William Sloane, president of 
William Sloane and Company, textile manufacturers.
The Sloanes began construction of a 30 room Tudor house on a 25 acre wooded plot 
in 1907.  It was named the Hermitage and located on North Shore Road, Lochaven, 
on the Lafayette River.  This house and land later became the property of the 
Hermitage Foundation and serves as a museum, housing classes for students of 
cultural subjects as well as providing a show place for an extensive collection 
of objects of art brought to Norfolk by Mrs. Sloane.  The foundation also owns 
the collection.
                          Build Servicemen's Club
Mr. Sloane, who died in 1940, built a house at the intersection of Mowbray Arch 
and Fairfax Avenue during World War I to be used as a servicemen's club.  After 
it had served its purpose for the military, the Sloanes turned the house over to 
the Norfolk Society of Arts to be used as an art center.  It was the forerunner 
of the present Museum of Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Sloane became a director of the Seaboard Citizens National Bank and erected 
the Wainwright Building.
Mrs. Sloane was among those Norfolkians who long ago recognized the need of a 
permanent museum.  To encourage the movement to build such a structure, she 
brought several outstanding art collections to the city and turned several 
floors of the Wainwright Building into exhibition halls.
As a member of the Norfolk Society of Arts and the Irene Leache Memorial Fund, 
she worked untiringly toward the establishment of a museum.  During the fund 
raising campaign not only did she make substantial donations but she spoke 
before virtually every organization in the city in its behalf and brought in 
outside speakers to stimulate interest.
In March 1933 she saw the fruit of her labor when the Norfolk Museum of Arts and 
Sciences opened its doors to the public for the first time.
                         Was First Director
She became the first director of the museum, relinquishing her duties as 
volunteer director when the first permanent director was engaged.  Mr. Sloane 
was the first chairman of the board of trustees.
In recognition of her outstanding work toward the establishment of the museum, 
the Cosmopolitan Club in 1932 named her Norfolk's First Citizen and awarded her 
the Distinguished Service Medal for the year.
The Hermitage Foundation, a non-profit, non-stock corporation for the 
furtherance of the development of arts and crafts, was founded in 1937 with a 
self-perpetuating board of directors as administrators.  Mrs. Sloane was 
director of the board at the time of her death.
The 25 acre plot and the home, as well as the collection that includes what is 
considered to be the finest collection of oriental sculpture and ceramics in the 
area, was deeded to the foundation.  Also at the Hermitage is a collection of 
Spanish polychrome wood sculpture and textiles; Italian and French textile and 
laces; English and European ceramics, ivory carvings, Persian rugs and 
tapestries, Hindu ritual bronzes and jade, large Buddhas and a library of works 
on art, history and custom. 
The foundation has sponsored an annual series of lectures on "The Art of Living" 
and offers instruction classes in several phases of art.
                             Scholarship Fund Established
Within the foundation, a Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Hermitage Foundation 
was set up in 1940 "to educate deserving students in art, music and sciences ---
-age unlimited."  Besides funds from the foundation, this scholarship trust has 
received financial aid from bequests and donors.  At present, eight students are 
using it to further their work in either music or art.
Included within the scholarship structure is a science scholarship, but this has 
not been used.  Trustees of the foundation also administer the scholarship 
funds.
Mrs. Sloane was a member of the board of managers of the YWCA, of the Woman's 
Club of Norfolk and of the Quota Club.  At one time she was vice-president of 
her husband's textile company.
She was a member of Christ and St. Luke's Episcopal Church.
Surviving are two sons, William Sloane, Jr., of Waco, Tex. and Edwin K. Sloane, 
of Norfolk, and a granddaughter.
Funeral services will be conducted at the Hermitage Thursday at 2 p.m. by the 
Rt. Rev. George P. Gunn, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia 
and the Rev. Moultrie Guerry, rector of Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church.  Burial 
will be in Elmwood Cemetery.

Additional Comments:
Elmwood

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