Born in 1920, Ann Marks was raised at 20 Queen’s Gate in London, surrounded by family, culture, and tradition, and later educated in Paris. During the Second World War she served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, undertaking the demanding and confidential work of aircraft tracking and signals. In later years, she found great satisfaction working in the Sales Department at Marks & Spencer, where she met her husband Michael Marks, later 2nd Baron Broughton, son of the Chairman, Sir Simon Marks, later 1st Baron Broughton.

In 1963, Ann discovered Hammill Farm, a neglected Queen Anne house outside Eastry in East Kent, originally built in 1715. Though little more than a shell, she recognised its potential. With patience, vision, and quiet determination, she restored and furnished the house, transforming it into a deeply personal home that remained her refuge and joy for the next sixty years.

Ann’s taste was gentle, feminine, and thoughtful. Many intimate domestic pieces were sourced locally and chosen with care and affection, later complemented by grander works inherited from her own family and from the estate of her parents-in-law, Sir Simon and Lady Miriam Marks. Eighteenth-century pictures from the Pinto and Hirsch collections sit alongside Girl with a Muff and the portrait of Thomas Pelham, later 2nd Earl of Chichester, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, reflecting the distinguished taste of Simon and Miriam. A pair of Dutch still-lifes, gifted by her aunt Mrs James de Rothschild of Waddesdon Manor, speaks to a lineage of generosity and style.

Above all, Hammill was a lived-in house, animated by Ann’s love of entertaining, conversation, cards, and travel. Family and friends gathered frequently within its beautifully furnished rooms, which echoed with warmth and laughter. It is hoped that these works of art, some modest, some grand, may now bring the same pleasure to new custodians, as they did to Ann and all those who were fortunate enough to share her world.

Commenting on the collection, Head of House Sales and Private Collections, Joe Robinson said, “What makes this collection so compelling is its humanity. These are works chosen to be lived with and loved. Hammill was a house full of people and energy, and that spirit remains present in every object offered in this sale."

Auction Highlights

Auction Details

Tuesday 3 March 2026, 2.30pm GMT
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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