Portrait of William Sykes Baverstock. Born in Norwich England, Baverstock came to New Zealand in 1901 with his father the lithographer William Baverstock Senior. Baverstock began working in the lithography department of the Weekly Press in 1910 and also attended Canterbury College School of Art part-time. In 1920 he became a working member of the Canterbury Society of Arts (CSA) and a foundation member of the Group in 1927. In 1943 he became Secretary Treasurer of the CSA, a ful -time position he held until 1959. In 1948 Baverstock was invited to become honorary Curator of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery and performed this part-time role until 1960 when he was appointed the Gallery's first director. Awarded OBE 1968 he retired later that year as Director of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery.