Sunday 22nd January 2012

I did wonder how old Jonny Money (sic) penetrated the Hockney PV. He was a friend of Dr Mun, the scandalous lecturer when Robert Nevil and I were at uni. The one with the Hockney, now I think of it, which I used to Windolene – because it didn’t look as if anyone else was going to. It belonged in fact to Stephen Spender, whose wife, Lady Nat Spender, wouldn’t have it in the house because it was a naked boy

Anyway, Jonny Money sold very good antiques up and down the King’s Road and for years and years I assumed he was dead, but he isn’t. He was found alive by me at the Doctor Mun Memorial Lecture, given by Reggie Cresswell, the Ghanaian ceramacist, in October.

On a visit to the Royal Academy, as an ordinary member of the public, Jonny had noticed something about the doors of the fine rooms. The key-hole covers – they weren’t right, not authentic, false modern additions. He scoured and found one in the right style, got it copied and presented a complete set to the Academy. In return for which, they said, ‘Do come to the PV for Hockney.’

That’s not the end of it. At the PV something else emerged. He observed the hinges of the doors – wrong sort of screws, Phillips screws!

Is this not the path of life-time admission to Private Views at the Royal Academy?