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Philip Millward worked for Fluor Corporation in Los Angeles from 1967-1984 in the engineering and construction of major oil and petrochemical projects worldwide. Philip was also a company representative in Tehran in the period leading up to the Iranian revolution in 1979, then in Riyadh and eventually became an engineering director of the UK company. He is also a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.
Jeannie Millward attained a Diploma in Furniture History/Furniture Restoration at the London College of Furniture and went on to establish an antique shop in Camden Passage, Islington. She lived in Tehran in the period leading up to the Iranian Revolution in 1979, working for the British Institution for Persian studies, followed by an interesting time in Saudi Arabia and travelling extensively in Pakistan.
Together, Philip and Jeannie established Country & Eastern in 1979, importing craft items from Turkey through to east of Java to shops in Norwich and London. The two built a vast collection of paintings and craft items, both old and new.
Philip and Jeanie also converted a Grade II 19th Century roller skating rink in central Norwich in 1993 to house the collection, which now numbers over 7,000 items and focuses on South Asia and neighbouring countries.
In 2010, the two established the South Asian Decorative Arts & Crafts Collection Trust to manage the collection and conduct research projects.
“We are rather humbled and unexpected by this but we do appreciate this recognition of our work over more than 40 years.”