Belles

Searle relaxes off-set with Sandra Alfred during the filming of 'The Belles of St. Trinian's' (1954)

Searle and his first wife Kaye Webb on the set of  'The Belles of St. Trinian's' (1954) with actress Joyce Grenfell.

Ronald sketches British starlet Sabrina on the set of 'Blue Murder at St. Trinians'. 'If you look at the CREDITS, you'd think Sabrina was the star : in the opening credits she was billed as "Guest Artiste" and in the end credits, she billed just after Alistair Sim. However, in spite of the film's publicity stills showing her in uniform, she never got out of bed (in in this case, gentlemen, that is not a good thing.) And she never said a word. Featuring as the school swot, she lounges with a good book as a JEWEL THIEF and several policemen revolve around her. It's unfortunate that the plot did not do the same.' - Nylon.net

Searle with actress Lisa Gastoni

Chelsea Arts Ball

Searle contributed to the decor of the 1954 Chelsea Arts Ball with a 'mermaid' construction 50 feet tall! Searle's style was beautifully translated into three dimensions under his supervision.

"...Searle called upon all his powers of invention. The décor was  even more sumptuous, on the theme 'The Seven Seas'. In a ghostly dance, weird sea monsters, giant spider crabs, mermaids and octopuses swung slowly above the heads of the dancers, illuminated bymulti-coloured lights, whilst a giant King Neptune held court with mermaids in the centre of the sea-bed." (-Artists & Bohemians: 100 years with the Chelsea Arts Club, Tom Cross)

Here is one of Searle's preparatory sketches for the central model.

'The Seven Seas', 72 x 52cm (28 3/8 x 20 1/2in) watercolour, gouache and pencil.

This drawing was also used included in the event's programme.

Here is the full programme

The Times January 1st, 1955

In the Searle Archive, Hannover I found several photographic prints showing the models Searle constructed in detail.  In addition to the central construction with its King Triton & mermaid figures there are numerous other submarine creations.  Evidently he also painted a back-cloth too.