Notable Exponents in the Field of Decoration

The Faculty of Decoration has undertaken the task of producing a record of the people who, over time, by their attained skills and devotion have elevated and enhanced the art and craft of decoration in all its various forms.

The record is, by necessity, an ongoing document and as such some entries are included because they are known by their reputation but with little other information. In each case as more factors come to light the information will be added to the record. Much information with regard to many of the entries still remain meagre, especially in the pen portrait section of the record. Asterisks are used to indicate unknown dates and occasionally locations. The record continues to be an ongoing document and any information further to that published against included names, as well as other names of note for inclusion will be welcomed by the compilers.

The first part of the record lists the names of people of note in their particular area of decoration and the appendix gives a pen portrait of the individual.

In the listed information in part one the term ' Master ............' is used in the historical accepted sense to indicate a person working on their own account. It goes without saying that each named entry in the record is a master in their own particular craft. As can be seen from the listed attainments of each entry many became eminent in associated fields such as Education, Design and Business.Examination and professional bodied referred to in the directory.

City and guilds of London Institute:
Incorporated by Royal Charter. This institute was the premier examining body for the crafts and many fine craftsmen gained C&G Certification during their formative years. Now the institute is responsible as an awarding body for a number of National Vocational Qualifications.
Incorporated Institute of British Decorators:
Founded in 1894 and incorporated in 1899.
This institute represented a membership of the most skilled and qualified craftsmen decorators in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and expatriates in countries around the world. A special resolution adopted in 1953 changed the name of this institute to:
The Incorporated Institute of British Decorators and Interior Designers.
In 1976, again by special resolution, the name was changed to:
The British Institute of Interior Design.
In 1988 the institute merged with the :
Chartered Society of Designers: Formerly the Society of Industrial Artists which had been formed in 1930.

Since the demise of the of the British Institute of Interior Design it was recognised that the qualified interior decorator and decorative painters, as well as many people who were qualified and engaged within the field of decoration no longer had a representative professional body. To remedy this:
The Faculty of Decoration was formed in 1988 and incorporated in 1989.

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Pen Portraits

To learn more about artists please search alphabetically using the links below:

Adams, Robert

Robert Adams studied at the Decorative Trades Institute, Glasgow, and took the City and Guilds of London Institute examination in 1941, a year later gaining a first class final certificate under very difficult conditions at that time of the war.
He joined the Royal Air Force in 1942 and served in the Middle East. On demobilisation he embarked on a course at Glasgow School of Art during which time he was employed at Cosmos Decorators of Glasgow in executing murals and decorative schemes in cinemas and restaurants etc. throughout Scotland.
His teaching career started on a part time basis at Dumbarton and then leading to a full time appointment at Ayr Technical College. He became an Associate of the Institute of British Decorators by examination.

Addison, Raymond

Raymond was born on the 21st June 1930 into a family with a decoration tradition. The son of Harry Addison, Ray had two brothers, Harry and Joe who were both accomplished craftsmen.
He attended Tapton House School, Chesterfield, and received an academic education. On leaving school he started work in the offices of the Chesterfield Tube Company but after six months decided that it was not to his liking and so became an apprentice painter and decorator with S. A . Clarke of Chatsworth Road, Brampton, Chesterfield. It was here that he learned his trade working mainly with his brother Joe Addison on high class decorating projects.
In 1951 he was called up for National Service in the Royal Air Force. After a brief spell at Cranwell he transferred to R.A.F. Hendnesford and Hereford for basic training as a statistician. He was posted to Sundern/Gutersloh in Germany, was promoted to corporal and finished his service in 1954.

He returned to S. A. Clarke and continued his studies in painting and decorating at Chesterfield College of Art, gaining both his City and Guilds Intermediate and Final Certificates in 1955 and 1956, finally achieving his Full Technological Certificate in 1957.
After gaining his qualifications, Raymond was offered a Part-time teaching post at the Chesterfield College of Art, working under Brian Cooper. This was to lead to a Full-time Lecturing post when he left S. A. Clarke.
During his time with S. A. Clarke he gained much experience both as a tradesman and in a supervisory capacity. He was involved with many contracts as well as estimating and tendering for jobs. He was appointed a co-opted director of the firm.
All this experience was brought to bear in his role as a teacher, which he carried out to great effect. His strengths being in costing and estimating as well as in craft science. He was called upon to organise a full time Construction Industry Training Board course which was piloted with great success at Chesterfield College of Art. He also ran courses in estimating and craft science.
Raymond's enthusiasm for all aspects of the trade was always evident and this transferred to his students. He was an accomplished spray painter as well as an exponent of decorative effects and a competent grainer and marbler. Raymond was a member of the Association of painting Craft Teachers and for a period undertook the role of accountant. He was an active member on the Skill Build
committee and was also involved with examination and assessment both with City and Guilds of London Institute and East Midlands Educational Union.
He was a keen sportsman and played football and cricket with equal competence, he also liked ballroom dancing and won many medals along with his wife Brenda. Raymond took early retirement from teaching in 1992 but after a period of illness died in January 1994 at the age of 63

Anderson, J. Ross

Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1862, Ross Anderson came from a long line of decorators, his grandfather and father having owned one of Aberdeen's principal businesses. He was apprenticed to his father, then in London, before emigrating to Sydney in 1885. This was the period of the land boom in Australia and with wealth amassed from the good years of gold mining, pastoral and industrial expansion and the resulting buoyant business market during the second half of the 19th century. The influence of the eclectic styles created by British designers during this period had spread to Australia and success was often displayed in the opulence of Victorian architecture and in the sumptuous schemes for the interior decoration of public buildings and private mansions.
Ross Anderson arrived in Sydney well trained and experienced for this work and was first engaged by Signor Lorenzini and then by Mr. Clay Beeler for whom he decorated many halls and theatres. His first important job in Melbourne was when, in the employ of Messr. Lyon, Wells and Cottier, he assisted in the decoration of the E.S & A.C. Bank (388 Collins Street) , a perfect example of fully integrated Gothic style, its superb stencilled and gilded work ornamenting the architectural forms of the main banking chamber and residential quarters above. Forty years later, Ross Anderson was engaged to decorate an extension of the banking chamber in keeping with the earlier scheme. This was to be his last important job before his semi-retirement and death on 30th March , 1929.
In 1890 He set up his own business in Melbourne and in 1895 he was one of five master painters who met to form the Master Painters' Association. When the land boom collapsed Ross Anderson went to Western Australia where he carried out several important public works. His reputation was firmly established and he was a sought after designer and decorator for theatres, churches and private buildings. A studio label attached to several of his drawings lists 24 public buildings which he decorated in the major capital cities of Australia.
Much publicity was given at the time to his redecoration of the Exhibition Building for the opening of the First Commonwealth Parliament by the Duke of York in 1901. This was a fine example of his work, his designs being selected from six competitive designs submitted. It is recorded (in his obituary) that the interior of the immense building was painted and decorated in fifteen weeks at a cost of four thousand pounds. He was also engaged by Messrs. Paterson Bros., Melbourne's leading firm of decorators, for several important buildings including the Melbourne Town Hall and the Bank of Victoria Limited.
During his lifetime Ross Anderson collected a large number of his designs and drawings and, shortly before his death, presented them to Melbourne Working Men's College ( now the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). They subsequently became the property of the Melbourne College of Decoration.

Bailey, Stuart A.

Start Bailey was born in Portsmouth. He served an apprenticeship in Painting and Decorating, progressing from general painting contracts to restoration projects.
A life changing experience occurred when , in 1998, while convalescing from an injury he enrolled on a restoration course at Portsmouth University where a passion for specialist decorative finishes began to develop. Stuart's passion for marbling, woodgraining, ornate plaster work, gilding and such specialist finishes turned into a healthy
obsession especially after meeting Don Gray in his early years of study. Stuart graduated from Portsmouth University with a BA degree with Honours in Restoration and Decorative Studies.
Don Gray's inspiration guided and encouraged Stuart to take on commissioned work ranging over ecclesiastical projects, theatres, grade listed buildings and renovation projects.
He strives to keep the specialist crafts alive as head of Decorative Occupations at Chichester College, lecturing to future craftsmen in all aspects of interior decoration. One further ambition is to write a book and leave something behind for the future of others - perhaps with the title " Good Faux is not Cheap, Cheap Faux is not Good"

Bennet, Robert James

Robert Bennet carried on a decorating business in Glasgow and was a signatory to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators, 1899

Beaumont, Fred

Born in Slaithwaite in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Fred was apprenticed with the Slaithwaite and District Cooperative Society Ltd. in the Painting and Decorating Department. He was trained at the School of Art, Huddersfield where he gained his City and Guilds Certification.. He exhibited craft work at many of the exhibition held at this time and was awarded a Gold medal at the Apprentices' competition at Manchester in 1932. On completion of his apprenticeship he joined the firm of Brown and Thomas of Huddersfield in order to further his industrial experience in the area of high class domestic and ecclesiastical work. This work included the craft processes of graining , marbling, stencilling , gilding (including glass) lettering and Heraldic work, together with the hanging of all types of wall coverings.
During World War 2 Fred served in the Royal Air Force, returning to the decorating trade and part time lecturing in 1946. In 1947 he was appointed a full time lecturer in Painting and Decorating at the School of Art, College of Technology, Huddersfield. Promoted to Senior Lecturer he took charge of the department in 1964. Throughout this time he was involved with the examination structure of the City and Guilds of London Institute and the Yorkshire Council for Further Education in the field of Painting and Decorating. as an examiner and then Chief examiner.
As a lecturer in the School of Art he was a tutor to students studying for their National Diploma in Design (NDD) . He was involved in instructing them in all methods of painting, including Fresco, encaustic and even glass mosaic. as well as imparting the technical knowledge in preparing the surfaces to receive their work, wood, canvas, paper, glass and all wall surface types. Having been an easel painter from his early days this area was second nature to him and indeed at that time he was exhibiting fine art work annually with the West Riding Artists at the Cartright Memorial Hall at Bradford. For some thirty years, since its inception, Fred accepted the invitation to exhibit his work at the annual Holmfirth Art Exhibition. During the 1950 he exhibited work at the exhibitions held by the Institute of British Decorators. Fred retired from full time teaching in 1972 but continued to paint and has held two one man exhibitions of his work since his retirement. Since his retirement he has been a consultant on various jobs and continues to produce decorative work , all on panels for local churches.

Bibby, Alan

Alan was born in Bolton, Lancashire, on the 14th of March 1933. After leaving school at the age of 14 he secured employment with Bolton Transport working as a coach painter and signwriter, he was with them for two years during which time he attended Bolton College and gained qualifications for coach painting under the Union of Lancashire and Cheshire Institute examining body with first class passes at level 1, 2 and 3.
In 1949 and for the next ten years ( with the exception of National Service) he was employed by Greenhall Whitney Brewers/ Magee Marshall estates department carrying out sign writing, as well as painting, interior decoration and design around numerous public houses and hotels in the Bolton, Preston and Blackpool areas. During this time he attended Bolton College of Art on a day release basis and passed the NFMP intermediate and final certificate of craftsmanship, having been granted exemption from the preliminary in view of work submitted to the NJEC travelling exhibition.
In 1953 he was presented with a complete set of graining tools bequeathed by the late Joshua Negus, a well known Bolton craftsman.
Alan was enlisted as a National Serviceman in 1954 and served two years at No. 35 Base workshops: R.E.M.E., Old Dalby, Melton Mowbray as Corporal coach painter. Whilst there he applied to continue his studies and was given the opportunity to attend the College of Arts and Crafts, Nottingham, where he passed his final City and Guilds certificate in 1955, having passed the intermediate at Bolton Municipal School of Art in 1952.
At the end of his National Service he continued his studies at Bolton and gained the City and Guilds Full Technological Certificate there in 1956. It was during his time at Notting ham College of Art that Alan completed a course in Interior Design through the Institute of British Decorators and Interior Designers. This would eventually lead to him becoming a Licentiate of the Institute in 1965 and a Fellow of the British Institute of Interior Design in 1970.
Alan's teaching career began in 1959 at Manchester Regional College of Art with a temporary full time appointment up to 1960. The next year he was successful in his application for a full time lecturing post at Chesterfield College of Art where he was involved with the interior design and lettering courses as well as painting and decorating .
Alan's strong points were his use of colour and undoubted flair in the design field. He had an eye for fashionable trends whilst retaining an aesthetic appreciation of good taste at all times. His grounding in Lancashire meant that his graining skills were in the best tradition.
In 1976 he was awarded the Certificate in Education through the University of Leeds after completing a two year 'sandwich course' at Holly Bank Teacher Training College at Huddersfield.
Alan continued his appointments as an examiner and assessor to the City and Guild of London Institute and the East Midlands Education Union up until his early retirement in 1985. He was a member of the Association of Painting craft Teachers from 1959 and in 1986 was made an Honorary Member of that organisation in recognition of his work in education.

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Bonnar, Thomas

Thomas Bonnar carried on a Decorating business in Edinburgh. He was the driving force behind the inception of the Institute of British Decorators and was a signatory to the original I.B.D. Memorandum and Articles of Association 1899.

Bradley, James

James Bradley was another of the great Victorian Craftsmen and one of the finest grainers and marblers in an age of fine craftsmen. He was a master painter and decorator in Exeter during the muddle decades of the nineteenth century and such was his stature and ability that there were very few, if any, who could match his genius.
At the Great Exhibition of 1851 he won the highest award, a gold medal, with panels that were and still are truly remarkable, and even today their finish remains faultless. They can now be seen in the Royal Albert Museum, Exeter where the Bradley Collection as it is called, which consists of ten panels worked on slabs of slate 60 inches by 20 inches and one inch thick.

Bromhead, Nicky

Nicky Bromhead studied all aspects of sign work at the Sheffield College ; gaining a Diploma in the subject and was awarded the British Sign Association Prize. She also studied Decorative Painting and became qualified in Stained Glass work.
Her work ranges over the execution of sign and decorative design and the application of painted decoration to furniture. She also undertakes commissions for stained glass design and work.

Brooke, James L.

James Brooke hailed from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. He was an extremely successful scenic and mural artist and contributed countless articles and drawings to the trade magazine ' the journal of Decorative Art' which later became 'Painting and Decorating'
He lectured on design and decoration throughout the country. He was a very practical man and specialised in the decoration of cinemas and churches.

Brown, Ian W. S.

Ian W. S. Brown's involvement in all aspects of the painting and decorating industry spanned some 45 years in which he ran his own business for 33 years.

Burgoyne, Bailie J. R.

after serving his apprenticeship in Perth he came to London, where he spent several years broadening his knowledge and availing himself in opportunities for study, and whist attending the Evening Classes at the Trade's Training School in Great Titchfield Street, he was successful in winning the Painter Stainer's Silver Medal.
Returning to Scotland he eventually set up in business on his own account in Dundee. In 1937 he became a member of the Dundee Town Council and became Bailie in 1940 and served a term as a Senior Magistrate. He had distinctive artistic abilities which found expression in water colours and oil portraits and pastel sketches and several of his pictures are exhibited in the Dundee Art Galleries.

Burrows, Sharon

Sharon Burrows trained at the Sheffield College, initially studying for a National Vocational Qualification in Painting and Decorating which she gained at Level 1, 2 and 3. She continued to study Interior Design at the college and was successful in gaining a Certificate in Interior Design and a City and Guilds of London Institute Post Advanced Craft Certificate.
Sharon set up in business as a freelance Interior Design Consultant, specialising in decorative paint techniques. And also teaching the subjects on a part-time basis at Worksop Adult Education College.

Burton, Harold Joseph

Born in 1910, Harold was brought up in his grandfathers business; 'Joseph Burton the Decorator' where he learned all the traditional decorating skills.
During his training and study in the 1920s and 30s at the Nottingham College of Arts and Crafts, he gained numerous National First Prizes in various annual competitions organised by such bodies as the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers and the National Federation of Master Painters of England and Wales. In 1937 Harold was awarded the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers for his outstanding craftsmanship. About this time he applied for membership of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators but was told he was to young.
The second world war and immediately afterwards the setting up of his own high class signwriting business delayed a further application until 1952 when Fellowship of the Institute was awarded. From then on he was a continuous member of the Midland District of the Institute, serving as treasurer for some twenty years. He was also a member of the finance committee of the B.I.I.D. Council, and in 1988 the Institute awarded Harold its own Silver medal for meritorious service.
Harold was renowned as a most skilled signwriter and taught the subject at evening classes for some forty years and fought for many years to try and establish a sign craft examination with the City and Guilds of London Institute.
Harold Burton was a founder member of the Faculty of Decoration and on his death his family, through the Faculty of Decoration set up a Scholarship Fund in his name.

Burton, John Harold

John's studies were rewarded early when he passed the City and Guilds of London examinations in Painter's and Decorator's work gaining top marks and being awarded the City and Guilds Silver Medal. He was recommended for and awarded the Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers Silver Medal.
After completing his apprenticeship he became a full time student at the Nottingham College of Art and Design under the guidance of Peter Utley. He became an Associate and subsequently a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators and Interior Designers. Once qualified he took a full time Art Teachers appointment and quickly became Head of the Art Department at the school.
In the mid 1960's John spent a year in Australia on teacher exchange programme working at the Melbourne School of Art. On his return he became the Australian District representative on the Council of the Institute of British Decorators & Interior Designers. He travelled widely, joining the Nottingham World Travel Club where he gave many talks on his experiences abroad.

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Cantril, Geoffrey

Geoffrey Cantrill was the nephew of W. H. Cantril. He had managed since 1931 one of the oldest and best known decorating businesses in the North of England. He had a close association with the Manchester School of Art, where his training in design was largely received. Mr. Cantril was a man of great promise when he died as the result of a fall which fractured his skull.

Carpenter, Richard

Richard Carpenter served an apprenticeship with the firm of S. A. Clarke & Partners. He attended Chesterfield College of Art and Design on a part time basis from 1977 to 1985. In 1982 he joined the firm of G. A. Payne. In 1984 he started his own business in interior design and decoration. The design of classical ceiling decoration produced from plaster castings made by himself and subsequently painted was a unique part of his business.

Carr, Zephire Sissons

Zeph Carr was a Lancashire man, his early youth being spent at Preston. He was apprenticed at the age of 13 to a Preston firm of Decorators, to whom at the age of 16 he was articled under the old deed of apprenticeship.
Determined to advance his status into the broad fields of decoration he studied hard on five evenings a week at the local Art Classes, developing his ability as a draughtsman and his appreciation of colour and design. His studies gave him a good background in the appreciation of classical and modern architecture, and he developed a considerable artistic ability in both oil and water colour, thus laying the foundations for the outstandingly able decorative painter and craftsman which he became.
He spent ten years in the close study of natural timbers before committing himself as a grainer in the professional field. The same care and patience went into the study of marbles, extensive visits being made to quarries, polishing works, houses and churches. The water colours he made on these visits, sketching the design and getting the colours exactly right, were beautiful examples of craftsmanship. Thus he became an artist in the use of paint to imitate polished marbles and woods so that each became indistinguishable from the original.
He carried out extensive commissions at Kensington Palace, Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall and Wentworth Woodhouse to mention but a few. He worked in the Palaces of Paris and Madrid and was closely associated with the work of Hugh Stannus, working to many of his designs in the Sheffield area, and becoming an authority on his life. He lectured extensively on Stannus's work. During this period he became manager of the large Sheffield firm of T.B.& W. Cockayne Ltd., a position he held until his retirement in 1937. He was closely associated with the Sheffield College of Art for over forty years, and was responsible for the organisation of Painting and Decorating classes until the appointment of a full-time instructor in the early 1930s. He continued his part time teaching , however, finally retiring at the age of 84.
Zeph Carr was elected a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators in 1909, and was for some years a member of the Board of Examiners. He was a member of the National Federation of Master Painters, serving on the examining bodies of this, the City and Guilds of London Institute and others; he was an original member of the Painting Craft Teachers Association and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. His interest in the educational side of these associations was paramount.

Chappell., Councillor John R.

John Chappell spent the whole of his life in Leeds, and was possessed of the characteristics generally associated with the best type of Yorkshireman. After an early training in his father's business, he practised for a time as a grainer and writer to the decorating trade but, in 1898, he returned to the family business, of which, on the death of his father, he became the head. under his able control, the concern grew in both size and scope and became a limited company under the same direction.. He always had a flair for public affairs and he was able continue and even extend the range of his activities. He notable work as a member of Leeds City Council and for nine years as a Guardian. For twenty one years he was a director of the Leeds and Holbeck Building Society and, for three years, was its President.
Enthusiastic in the interests of educational training for the craft, he was chairman for some years of the National Joint Education Committee and presented the Chappell Shield to stimulate this work in the Yorkshire area. A regular supporter of the National Federation of Master Painters, he became President in 1928-29. His work for the Institute of British Decorators, where for many years he was secretary of he Northern District, was recognised in his election as President of that Institute in 1924.
In his youth he was a prominent athlete. He played Rugby football for several clubs, was a fine cricketer and was a racing cyclist on both road and track. He loved music for its own sake and for some thirty years was organist at a Methodist Church.

Chapman, C. B. T.

Bert Chapman was a very fine grainer and marbler who carried into the twentieth century the established traditions of the high craftsmanship of the great Victorian Grainers and he too claimed to be self-taught in these skills.
He was a Leicester man and all his life and work centred on the city of Leicester, although he travelled abroad frequently. He was apprenticed to the trade of painting and decorating but at the age of fifteen he won a scholarship to study drawing in Rome and after completing his training he set himself up as a master painter and decorator in Leicester, where he lived for the rest of his life. For thirty years , also, he was a part-time teacher of painting and decorating at Leicester College of Art where he passed on to his students the wide knowledge and experience of graining and marbling that he himself has acquired by trial error methods.
He practised his skills with the meticulous care of an oil painter, being himself a keen water colourist and a sign writer, but thought out his life his overriding interest was graining and marbling, and besides being an admirable practitioner of his craft, he was an excellent teacher of it also. Here his enthusiasm was communicated to his students as well as his knowledge and experience.

Clarke, Samuel Arthur

Samuel Arthur Clarke was born in Brampton, Chesterfield, the son of a baker who owned a large amount of property in the area and which required regular maintenance. It may have been for this reason that Samuel was apprenticed to the firm of Buckley, also of Brampton.
After completing his apprenticeship he set up his own business in 1933. The Second World War interrupted the business as he was conscripted into the Royal Air Force serving in the Middle East and Italy. During this time his business 'ticked over' under the control of one of his older employees; mainly carrying out property maintenance made possible by the large amount of stock, especially white lead, in which the firm had invested before the war.
On returning to his business in 1945, and with the return from active service of many of his experienced tradesmen, he soon re-established his clientele. Over the next twenty years the manpower increased until at one point the firm had around twenty tradesmen and four apprentices.
It was during the 1950s that the firm of S. A. Clarke really expanded when Samuel undertook more large contracts in the industrial field. Prior to this the firm was engaged in mainly high class domestic decorating in and around the residential areas of Chesterfield. The expansion of contracts took in the Breweries, decorating Public Houses and Hotels. The Education Authority and Medical Boards, painting Hospitals and Schools. The Mining and Engineering Industries. Markhams of Chesterfield was one such customer and it was through this connection that a team of workers were deployed to Cambridge University, Department of Engineering in 1964 to paint a large 'wind tunnel' which had been built by Markhams in Chesterfield.
Through his business Samuel A. Clarke had many connections and commitments in Chesterfield; he was President of the Lawn Tennis Club, founder member and Chairman of the Chesterfield District Sportsman's Association and a regular season ticket holder at Chesterfield Football Club for over sixty years. He was a President and Honorary Member of Chesterfield Bowling Club, a member of the Chesterfield Darmstadt Society and Scarsdale Probus Club. He was a founder member and sometime President of the Chesterfield Branch of the Master Painters and Decorators Association . In 1961 he was installed as President of the Federation of Master Painters and Decorators of England and Wales at Buxton on the 28th of April.
Samuel A. Clarke employed and trained some of the best tradesmen from the area some of whom progressed into further education as Colleges Lecturers. Some of his staff were taken into partnership and became directors.
In 1978 he retired and to mark the occasion the firm was renamed S. A. Clarke and Partners.

Clipson, S

Mr. Clipson had a very practical outlook, and was able to see that training was just as important for those to be engaged in the broader operations of painting bridges and similar large structures as for those wishing to paint murals and other work of the highest delicacy. He was responsible for framing the Industrial Painting Syllabus, and in setting the examination, for the City and Guilds of London Institute

Cooper, Alan

Alan Cooper was born in Sheffield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Just before his 12th Birthday Alan Cooper was awarded a place at the Junior Art Department of the Sheffield College of Art ( the JAD as it was affectionately called) Education at this establishment had an emphasis on Art and Craft subjects coupled with the usual academic syllabus. Here he was introduced to the skills of silver smithing, wood and stone carving, clay modelling and pottery, decoration and design. He spent three years at the J.A.D. gaining a a good grounding in the decorative arts.
After leaving the J.A.D. he took an apprenticeship with T. B. & W. Cockayne Ltd. - a firm of repute in Sheffield with departments of interior decorating, cabinet making, joinery, polishing, upholstery, soft furnishing workrooms, floor coverings and furniture showrooms. Study of decoration continued on a part time basis at the Sheffield College of Art under a number of eminent instructors the most notable of which was Arthur Davis. Through his apprenticeship with Cockaynes he gained wide experience in all types of decorative work including domestic, ecclesiastical and commercial; working with and gaining experience from the many fine craftsmen employed by the firm. At that time the foreman of the department being the talented decorator, Cyril Fox - who later was to become a lecturer, initially at Nottingham and later in charge at Birmingham College of Art. But undoubtedly the three most influential craftsmen on his career were Arthur Davis, Reginald Sissons and Zeph Carr. The great Zeph Carr was well into retirement when the young Alan Cooper first met him, but because of his talent he was still teaching part time at the Sheffield College of Art and was also carrying out commissions of graining and marbling work on prestigious projects for T. B. & W. Cockayne and as an apprentice Alan accompanied Zeph Carr on these jobs. A memorable experience.
During his apprenticeship Alan gained City and Guilds certification at Intermediate and Final level at a first class grade and was awarded the City and Guilds Full Technological Certificate at a first class grade. As well as
winning numerous prizes and awards in national and regional competitions and exhibitions he gained the NFMP Silver Medal in 1952 and was awarded the NFMP Certificate of Merit on Completion of his apprenticeship. Alan was also awarded the 'Cummings Bequest' in recognition of his consistent level of achievement over his time as an apprentice.
As a National Service conscript Alan served two years in the Royal Air Force. On his return to his civilian career he decided he wanted to get more involved in the wider field of interior design. To this end he took a post, to learn on the job as it were, with I D of Sheffield Ltd. This move brought him into close contact with Reginald Sissons - himself a former apprentice with T. B. & W. Cockayne - who was a great influence in developing his design skills. At this time Alan embarked on study for Associate membership of the British Institute of Interior Design, completing the preliminary, intermediate and final examinations in consecutive years. He was elected an Associate in 1959 and in 1963 was elected as a Fellow of the Institute, subsequently becoming President of the British Institute of Interior Design in 1979.
In 1960 Alan took up a lecturing post at the Sheffield College of Art and Crafts under his former mentor Arthur David who was head of the Painting and decorating department at that time. Alan held this position until 1973 when he went into partnership to form Design Group Associates of Sheffield, an interior design consultancy working throughout the UK.
In 1983 Alan returned to full time lecturing at the Shirecliffe College, Sheffield, and with the experience of a design practice behind him worked on developing courses in Interior Design and on the Signwork and Environmental Graphics course. He retired from full time teaching in 1996 as a senior lecturer.
During his career Alan worked in many historic houses and prestigious domestic and commercial properties carrying out decorative treatments of graining, marbling and gilding etc. as well as decorating furniture, mural painting and trompe l'oeil work. He was awarded a travelling scholarship by the Sheffield College of Arts and Crafts to study Interior Design in the Scandinavian countries. He produced many fine schemes of interior design and decoration in the domestic and ecclesiastical field and produced designs for shops, restaurants and hotels in the commercial field.
Alan Cooper was a founder member of the Faculty of Decoration and its first general secretary.

Cooper, Brian

Brian Cooper was born in 1920 in the Greater Manchester area of Cheshire. He served a seven year apprenticeship with a local firm of decorators and studied at Hyde School of Arts and Crafts where he gained his City and Guilds qualifications. In 1938 he won first prize in a competition for candidates under 18 years of age and was awarded a Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers.
During World War 11 he was called up for national service and saw action in North Africa and Italy. After the war he was appointed as a part-time lecturer at Hyde School of Arts and Crafts in 1947, subsequently taking up a full-time appointment as a lecturer in charge of painting and decorating at Chesterfield College of Art in 1949.
Over the next twenty years Brian was instrumental in the growth of the department with the addition of four full time members of staff and technician support and developed courses in vehicle and industrial painting, block release provision, C.I.T.B. full time scheme as well as short courses in spray painting, costing and estimating and signwriting. A further member of staff was appointed to run an interior design course.
Brian's own strengths were in his organisation skills and his knowledge of craft theory and craft science subjects as well as his undoubted experience in decorative techniques which were brought to the fore in his practical demonstrations.
In April 1971 Brian was installed as President of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers in that organisations
"Golden Jubilee" year. The ceremony took place at Painters Hall in London and he presented Honorary Membership Certificates to James Lawrence and Albert E. Hurst.

Crace, John Diblee

J. D. Crace was the son of John Gregory Crace, who was responsible for the original decoration of the Houses of Parliament, and who built up a business of unrivalled reputation in this country. John Diblee Crace showed an aptitude for decorative art at an early age, and threw himself whole-heartedly into the work of his fathers firm. His training was of the completest kind, and included much study, not only in this country, but also in Italy and the Near East. He carried out much notable work in this country, and was responsible, in his day, for the colour scheme National Gallery, as well as the Indian Room at the Imperial Institute.
He was best known to the decorators of the early twentieth century for his connection with the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators, of which body he was elected its first President in 1897. He held that office until 1917, when failing eyesight made it necessary for him to relinquish active work. The Institute seal was made from his design, and he also design the certificate and the gold medal, of which 1908 he was the recipient.
Always an enthusiast on education, he took a leading part in the establishment of the Travelling Studentship, and his valuable advice was ever at the service of the young craftsman.
As an author John Diblee Crace was less widely known than he deserved, for his 'Art of Coloured Decoration' was a book of sterling merit. He was mainly a classicist, but that he was no mere copyist of 'period' is demonstrated by his work.

Cowtan, Mawer C.

Mawer C. Cowtan carried on a decorating business in London and was a signatory to the original IIBD. Memorandum of Association in 1899.

Cuttriss, John

John Cuttriss , born in Chesterfield, son of Railway Wagon Signwriter, George William Cuttriss, who after serving his apprenticeship in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire had moved north in 1929 to find work at ( Hurst -Nelson) Wagon Repairs Ltd. in Chesterfield where John was born. John's first taste of the world of work was in helping his father, after he returned from the war, with signwriting jobs. On leaving school he was apprenticed to the firm of S. A. Clarke where he came under the influence of Joe Addison and other first class decorators. The firm had a good reputation and a good clientele and turned out an excellent standard of work which gave John a sound grounding in the craft of decorating. During this time John attended Chesterfield College of Art on a day release and evening basis which was the normal form for apprentices in the 1950s. He gained first class passes in the City and Guilds intermediate and final Certificate and was awarded the Full Technological Certificate in 1959.
He served in the Royal Air Force for three years returning to his civilian job with S. A. Clarke in 1963, although by this time the firm was involved more with large scale contracting and industrial painting. Nevertheless it did add to Johns experience although he missed the high class work and in 1965 left to join the work force of the Chesterfield Co-operative Society and so resume his work on a more interesting variety of jobs , which included some signwriting in the Co-op shops.
In 1967 John applied for and got a job as Technical Assistant in the Painting and Decorating department of Chesterfield College and in 1969 he was appointed to a full time lecturing post at the College. In 1973 he was appointed Course Tutor for the City and Guilds Craft Certificate at Shirecliffe College Sheffield. The department at that time was under the control of Arthur Davis. During this time John studied at Teacher Training College and gained the Certificate in Education awarded by Leeds University. With promotion his work developed at Sheffield. He was very much involved with Skill Build and when this was held at Shirecliffe College John was appointed workshop manager for the painting and decorating event and was responsible for designing the work piece for the competition.
John took early retirement from full time lecturing but continued his involvement with education, as a N.V.Q. External Verifier for construction subjects, Moderator for CENTRA Art and Design Subjects and part time lecturing.

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Dakin, Frederick (Fred)

Fred Dakin became established as a decorator at Upper Richmond Road, Putney and High Street, Wimbledon where he carried on a very successful business. He was a member of the London Association of Master Decorators and served on the Council. He was elected a Fellow of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators in 1913 and founded and initially financed ' The Dakin Travelling Scholarship'.

Danks, Peter E.

As an apprentice Peter E. Danks attended Derby College of Art on a part-time basis and later attended full-time. He lectured part-time at Burton School of Art. Peter served in the Royal Army Education Corps, part of which time he was with the Army News Unit on Christmas Island. Leaving the army he became a lecturer at Rochdale College of Art and established the Full-time I.B.D. course there. He moved to Lowestoft School of Art and organised a Full-time, industry sponsored Sign Design and Manufacture Course.
Peter read Archaeology and Anthropology at King's College, Cambridge and was awarded a research scholarship. After a period of part-time work he was appointed to Burleigh College and finally moved to Lincoln.
He has written for several magazines and books. In the 1960s he was a regular contributor to 'Painting and Decorating' and the 'National Master Painter' mainly in an attempt to persuade the craft to move towards new materials but not to ignore traditional skills.
One of Peters most notable work was designing and supervising the making of a set of vestments for King's College Chapel 1977-78.
Peter feels strongly that the removal of drawing and design from the syllabus was a retrograde step, both educationally and vocationally. It was the beginning of a dumbing down of Painting and Decorating with a detrimental effect on most students.

Darlington, Frederick

Frederick Darling ton devoted much of his working life to the education of students. For many years he was Chairman of the Institute of British Decorator's Education Committee, and he worked tirelessly in this capacity in raising the status of the Institute examinations, with the aim in mind of making entrance to the Institute by examination only. He was also instrumental in progressing the Institutes influence in courses of interior design and decoration set up in the colleges and polytechnics after the second world war. He was chairman of the City and Guilds of London Institute Examination Committee for Painting and Decorating.
Frederick was a member of the Royal Flying Corps in the first world war ( before it became the Royal Air Force) and was an accomplished Rugby player in his youth.

Davis, Arthur

Arthur Davis was a Yorkshire man, born in Bradford in the West Riding. He served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Terrys of Bradford, and studied under Mr. Ernest Sanderson at the Bradford regional College of Art. Arthur passed the Associate examination of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators in 1939. He became a Fellow of the Institute in 1947 and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
During the second world war he served with the East Yorkshire Regiment and was commissioned Honorary Captain Adjutant by Royal Warrant.
After the war he made teaching his career; becoming the Lecturer of Charge of Painting and Decorating at the Chesterfield College of Art , and later he successfully developed courses in interior design, decoration and industrial finishing at the Sheffield College of Arts and Crafts where he subsequently became Head of Department.
Over the years he served on many course structure committees, including City and Guilds, Yorkshire Council and Institute, which developed craft education within Further Education and the decorating industry. His devotion to his own particular field and education in general ensured a benefit to countless students whose latent talents he so effectively developed. In 1965 he was elected President of the Institute of British Decorators and Interior Designers. A position he held with dignity and immense pride and which was a just reward for a man who gave much of his time, energy and interest in furthering the progress of the British Institute of Interior Design.

Davidson W. W.

W. W. Davidson was a supreme artist and contributed many articles on the subject decorative art to the 'Journal of Decorative Art (later to become' Painting and Decorating' magazine). He was the son of a Banffshire village barber starting work for two and sixpence per week, working from 6 am. until 6 p.m. (less meal breaks). He completed his apprenticeship with John Orr & Sons of Glasgow who encouraged him to sit the International Travelling Scholarship which he won at his second attempt. In 1908 he took a job with John Sibthorpe of Dublin and in 1911 he was offered a job with the Journal of Decorative Art magazine and moved with his wife to Manchester. He later went to work for the Walpamur Company Ltd. as an advertising expert. After the 1914-18 war he went into partnership with Mr. H. Nott in Manchester but this proved unsuccessful as did a later attempt at business in Halifax. He later retired and spent his time renovating a small croft near Nairn in Scotland.

Deady, John E.

John E. Deady, born in Wigan, he eventually became apprenticed to Harris and Son of Plymouth where he was trained in painting and decorating, stained glass and studio work. Later he became a decorator and designer with William Gaskell & Son of Wigan and Southport, where his work covered everything from producing perspective sketches, hand printing wallpapers and borders, mural painting, lettering and stained glass work to the white- washing of cellar walls. His art and craft training he received at Blackheath School of Art, London, The school of Art, Plymouth and the school of Art, Wigan.
He served with the Royal Engineers in the First World War and was mentioned in despatches in connection with the battle of Passchendaele Ridge.
Prior to him becoming Head of Department at Leeds College of Art he taught at Wigan and Burnley. He lectured in many parts of the country - perhaps his last being on the making of stained glass windows which he gave to the Northern District I.I.B.D.&I.D. in Leeds.
He was awarded the I.I.B.D. Silver Medal for his out standing service to the Institute.

Dearden, James

James Dearden was a partner in the firm of Messrs. Brown & Thomas, Huddersfield, and was until his death a consultant to the firm.
He was a governor of the Huddersfield College of Technology. James Dearden joined the Institute of British Decorators in 1921. His rare qualities as an educationalist and administrator of exceptionally high calibre proved of particular value during his membership of the Institute's Board of Examiners. In 1946 he was elected President of the Institute of British Decorators and in 1948 became a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers, and was made a Freeman of the City of London. James Dearden was a former Commodore of the Scarborough Yacht Cub.

Denton, Kenneth Raymond

Kenneth Raymond Denton was born in Chatham in 1932. In 1946 he was apprenticed to Arthur Gull (1872 -1961) of the specialist decorating firm Gull Brothers, Rochester. Work included; signwriting, glass embossing, gilding, graining and marble painting, broken colour effects etc. Specialist wall hangings, heraldic painting and the cleaning and restoration of oil paintings.
He served two years National Service in R.E.M.E. working the entire time in his specialities - he decorated the Battalion Church which was then rededicated by the Bishop of Salisbury.
In 1954 Kenneth started his own business as a specialist decorator, writing, graining and marbling etc. to the trade and he built up a wide reputation in this work. His specialist work covered commissions in churches and Cathedrals as well as hotels, public houses and inn signs for major breweries. His work also included writer to the transport industry; main Ford and Bedford agencies etc., coaches and tankers for Berry Wiggins. He also carried out high class interior decoration in many medium and large residential properties.
At the end of 1967 Kenneth changed direction to establish a career as an artist in landscape and marine work, but continued to take on specialist commissions and teach for a transitional period until he moved to Norfolk in 1973.
Internationally recognised as a leading Marine Artist with 45 one-man exhibitions world wide and much of his work now in the collections of many prominent people He has made a number of radio and television appearances. Co-producer and part writer of 'Celebration of Marine Art' - 50 years of the Royal Society of Marine Artists. And author of 'One Man Show'.
After enforced retirement in 2003 he began a series of panels of Marble and Wood grains as an art form for Bolton Museum to complement their Kershaw Collection, thus re-establishing his reputation in this work.

Dobson, Ernest

Ernest Dobson was born in 1893, on leaving school he was trained in his father's painting and decorating business at Thornton, Bradford. He also attended as a part time day and evening student at the School of Art, Bradford under Mr. E. R. S. Andrews. He gained a City and Guilds first class final certificate at the age of 17 years. At the age of 20 years he was awarded a travelling scholarship by Bradford Education Committee to study Decorative Art. He studied in Brussels at the Principal School of Painting, and later found a teaching post in Monte Carlo. He spent some four years on the continent including a year in Germany. This experience enabled him to write a series of articles on continental graining and marbling for the 'Journal of Decorative Art'. He also wrote many other articles on graining and marbling for ' Painting and Decorating' and the 'National Master Painter' as well as other publications. Whilst he modestly never claimed to be an expert in these subjects it must be agreed that he was one of the finest exponents of these arts during his lifetime.
On returning to England he settled in Lancashire, taking up a post with Messrs. Kendal Milne & Co., Manchester where he remained until he joined the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, in the first world war. He was on active service in France and Belgium. In 1919 he was appointed Inspector of the painters' and decorators' scheme under which disabled men and others were trained by the Minister of Labour.
On the retirement of his father in 1927 he took over and developed the well established family business. Although trained to become a master painter, Ernest Dobson became a craft teacher. He joined the Association of Painting Craft Teachers in 1927 and after several teaching posts became Head of Department at Burnley. He retired in 1955.

Dowling, Henry G.

Henry Dowling was a native of Portsmouth, the son of a master decorator. In his youth he gained the Full Technological Certificate of the City and Guilds of London institute, being awarded bronze and silver medals, three King's prizes and a scholarship to the Royal College of Art. He became an art master at the Portsmouth and Bournemouth School of Art.
In 1932 he was a member of the Gorell Committee on Art and Industry, set up by the Government. He was President of the Institute of British Decorators from 1931 to 1936 . He was also awarded the Gold medal of the Institute.
Henry Dowling was an examiner for the City and Guilds of London Institute, and from 1956 chairman of the Colour Council and also of its Interior Decoration Division. He served many years as chairman of the Governors of Hammersmith College of Art and Building, and was a member of the Board of Governors of the Christopher Wren School and the Brighton and Portsmouth Schools of Art.
He had travelled abroad, visiting America in 1950, and becoming the first Englishman to be elected an Honorary Member of the American Institute of Decorators. He lectured in America and also broadcast from Pittsburgh.
In 1958 he retired, after thirty nine years with John Line & Sons, Limited, but he continued to give his valuable experience and knowledge to the various bodies he was connected with.

Drummond, Henry

Henry Drummond was the third son of Alexander Drummond, who began the family business in 1863.
When in his early twenties Henry Drummond spent three years in Australia, where he was in business on his own account. Original in outlook and thorough by temperament, he was a real devotee of the painting craft; he had acquired a great fund of craft lore, and was knowledgeable on every phase of decoration.
He was a pioneer of Amateur Photography, as well as one of the Institute’s early enthusiasts, and when Mr. John Sibthorpe organised the Institute’s Continental tours Henry Drummond was encouraged by Mr. J. D. Crace to take his camera with him to Italy and Germany. Henry Drummond had known the giants of the craft and he could recall many things concerning the grandfathers of that generation.
He was a man of many interests, a member of the Rotary Club of Dundee, and as an active member of the Dundee Art Society he frequently exhibited water-colours. Music, gardening and fishing were among his other interests. The apprentices and their training had a great hold on his affections, and he insisted that painting craft had its own reward and solace for those who gave it sincere allegiance.

Duthie, Ian Martin

Apprenticed to his fathers Painting and Decorating business he began his studies at Dundee Trades College where he gained his City and Guilds Intermediate Certificate.
In 1949 Ian left Forfar to join Huddersfield Town as a professional footballer (part time). He continued his studies at Huddersfield School of Art where he gained his City and Guilds Final Certificate and in 1953 was awarded his Full Technological Certificate.
After finishing his football career at Bradford City in 1955 Ian became a student at Huddersfield College of Education (Technical) where he gained his Certificate in Education. His first teaching post was at Northwich School of Art, followed by a similar position at Manchester Regional College of Art. Ian gained his National Diploma in Design whilst studying at Manchester.
In 1964 he took up the position of lecturer at Huddersfield College of Education (Technical) and was responsible for organising courses for Painting and Decorating students. During this time at Holly Bank he was involved in preparing courses and evaluating results for City and Guilds of London Institute for students in the U.K. and overseas. He also studied at Sheffield University and was awarded the degree Master of Education (MEd)
On taking early retirement from Holly Bank he joined the visiting lecturing staff at Parkwood College, Sheffield until his retirement in 1995.

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Edwards, Kenneth

Kenneth Edwards is a specialist in colour psychology and carried out a three year programme of research into colour responses. He has written articles for Irish Times, Interior Design and various commercial and medical magazines. He has had his own series on television featuring Interior Design for RTE television in Ireland and has published a book on the subject of Interior Design 'Interior Design with Ken Edwards'

Exley, Alan

Alan Exley served a seven year apprenticeship with a medium size firm of painters and decorators in Lancashire. After two years as a journeyman he started his own business which he continued for twenty eight years.
He took an active part in trade federation work at all levels for thirty six years.
He was a constant subscriber to the trade magazine
' Journal of Decorative Art' (and when the name changed to 'Painting and Decorating') covering all aspects which affected the decorator of the time.

Falcidia, Josette

Josette completed several years of formal specialist study and training. Her first year was as a student at York College of Art and Technology then on to further study at the Sheffield College. During this time she successfully gained City and Guilds Certification in Painting and Decorating and Wood finishing. At the Sheffield College she studied Interior Design gaining a Certificate in the subject and City and Guilds post craft Certificate in Colour in Building Work. She also gained Certification in the execution of Decorative Paint Techniques including Graining and Marbling. The Princes Youth Business Trust gave her their support in 1997 when Josette started her own business specialising in Interior Decoration, Furniture Decoration and restoration. Elected President of the Faculty of Decoration in 2008.

Ferril, Maurice

Maurice Ferril carried on a successful decorating and interior design business at Bradwell in the Derbyshire Peak District. He served in the army in the second world war attaining the rank of sergeant major. He was on the part time staff of the decorating department at the Sheffield
College of Art and the Shirecliffe College, Sheffield, for many years.

Fish, G. William

He is a director of William Fish Design Ltd. of Nottingham, carrying out commercial interior design projects in Europe and the United States of America. The work ranging from exhibition and furniture design to residential and hotel (resort interiors). In the United Kingdom work involves office and building design and renovation as well as projects on various interiors involving the design of custom specialist joinery.

Fleming, John

John Fleming was apprenticed with Blackburn Corporation.. He did National Service in the Royal Air Force carrying on the trade of aircraft painter. On demobilisation he returned to the Blackburn Corporation being responsible for signwriting and decorative painting. He progressed in the department to become Painting Inspector and subsequently to Superintendent of the Painting Department. He was a visiting lecturer at the Paint Research Association and also worked with the fraud squad in investigations on large and small painting contracts. He is a a member of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers and on numerous occasions has demonstrated his skills at the Association's Annual Craft Awareness workshops. John compiled, jointly with Terry Taylor, a book on 'The Life and Times of Ernest Dobson'.

Fulcher, Alf

Alf Fulcher was born and bred in Southend-on-Sea, a town in which he served an apprenticeship as a painter and decorator. These were the immediate post WW2 years, and on completion of his training he was conscripted into National Service with the RAF.
Alf worked for the paint manufacturers, Cellon, in Kingston-upon-Thames, as a Technical Representative. His job was not only trouble shooter, but also to demonstrate the application of their materials to prospective customers. The Cellon factory was opposite the aircraft manufacturers, Hawkers, who were one of their biggest customers. He also travelled all over the UK giving technical advice to businesses and sorting out problems with different finishes; aircraft, marine, industrial and decorative.
From Cellon he joined the Construction Industry Training Board as a training adviser. When the CITB was restructured he left the organisation to teach in the Further Education sector at Brixton School of Building , Twickenham College of Technology and Hammersmith College. Subsequently he rejoined the CITB involving himself entirely in the training aspects of the Board. He travelled all over the UK talking and negotiating with Employers Associations and Training Centres, to ensure that the best and most comprehensive training was available. He also travelled to EU countries to co-ordinate UK training with the required standards of Europe. A project that Alf was involved with at the time was liaising with City and Guilds, various employer bodies and Government departments to produce the National Vocational Qualification.
By the time Alf retired, in 1996 he held the post of Assistant Director of Training, Development and Policy. He had moved to Kings Lynn when the CITB moved to Bircham Newton Training Centre in Norfolk and remained there for the rest of his life. When he retired he devoted much of his time to the many charities with which he was very active, and to his hobby of water-colour painting.

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Garner, Harry

Harry Garner carried on a family business in Stockport. Possessing a great reputation he built up a fine business and for some thirty years he also acted as teacher and instructor to the young students in Stockport, Hyde, Ashton and Oldham, and there are many who benefited from his skill and craftsmanship. His business was carried on by his two sons, Mr Alfred and Mr. Frank Garner.

Gibbs, Jon

Jon Gibbs was born in 1936. He was educated at Tiffins Grammar School at Kingston on Thames. After working for several months at Chessington Zoo with Rozaire Bros Circus he started training as a painter with his father who was painting manager for Victor Pitman of Weybridge, Surrey.
During National service in the RAF 1955-56 he attended Ipswich School of Art with Jack Finlay where he passed the Intermediate CGLI 594 in P & D. In 1959, after studying with Les Bridges at Twickenham Tech, he gained a First Class Final Certificate 594. He worked as a foreman and supervisor for several large painting contractors in S.W. London before setting up his own business in 1969.
In 1960 he was invited by the Editor J. Butterworth to contribute a regular monthly article under the heading "The Young Idea" for the trade journal Painting & Decorating. This ran for seven years until 1967.
In 1974 he formed his own limited company, Themys Crafts Ltd that traded profitably until 1982 working mainly in the spec housing and redecoration markets.
Having studied calligraphy from 1968 until 1975 with Ann Hechle and several other internationally known craftsmen he acted as Treasurer for the Society of Scribes & Illuminators until 1983. In 1975 he started his teaching career at the Mayfield Institute in Putney SW15. In 1979 he took a full-time post as a lecturer at Hammersmith & West
London College teaching Painting and Signwork as stand in for Bill Stewart who was taking a sabbatical to write the text book for the newly validated CGLI Signwork 593. Whilst teaching the signwriting and glass decoration at HWLC he was awarded the Certificate of Practical Craftsmanship by the British Sign Association. He was also awarded a Distinction for 593 Signwork by the City & Guilds Institute. He served as a visiting Assessor for the CGLI for several years and was a member of the Examinations Monitoring Committee.
In 1982 he completed the CNAA Cert Ed (FE) at Garnett College an outreach college of London University. By then he had taken over the Signwork courses at HWLC when Bill Stewart was promoted to Head of Department.
In 1986 he moved to teach the BTEC National Diploma in Calligraphy, Lettering & Signwork at Reigate School of Art. From 1988-90 he was Course Director of the BTEC Signwork & Creative Lettering at Plymouth
College of Art & Design. In 1990 he returned to Reigate to teach on the Higher National Diploma for Architectural Lettering, Heraldry & Calligraphy. For several years he was part of the team teaching the Calligraphy and Lettering Summer School at West Dean College. Also taught as visiting lecturer on the BA Calligraphy degree course at
the Roehampton Institute of Surrey University.
In 1997 he was commissioned to write "Start Calligraphy" by Rightway Books that was published in 1999. He has written numerous articles on calligraphy, lettering, signwork, photography and decorating for a variety of specialist magazines including The EJF Journal (The Edward Johnston Foundation), The Edge (the journal of the Calligraphy and Letter Arts Society), The Scribe (Society of Scribes & Illuminators), The Artisan (APCT), and Forum (Letter Exchange). He has exhibited in a number of galleries in London and the provinces including the Princes Trust Gallery, Morley Gallery, Paperchase and Leighton House – all in London. Bicton College and Viewpoint Gallery in Devon. His lettering has been installed in both Bristol and St Edmundsbury Cathedrals, as well as several fine churches in Devon. His work has been published in a number of books, notably Letter carving in Stone, Modern Scribes & Lettering Artists and Calligraphy Today etc.
In 1984 he founded the short lived Signwork Teachers Society, and in 1988 he co-founded The Letter Exchange, a society for professional lettering artists, craftsmen and designers that is still functioning in this its 21st year. He acted as Treasurer and EC member for the first 12 years.
Now in retirement in Lincolnshire he is the last of three generations of coach painters, sign writers, house painters and decorators

Gibson, Henry

Henry Gibson carried on a decorating business in Dublin and was a signatory to the original I.B.D. Memorandum and Articles of Association 1899.

Goodier, James JP

James Goodier started his career in Stockport and trained Night School by Mr. Harry Garner. He became a manager with a large company of Industrial Painters in the North East (Latimers?). He entered the teaching profession and became Head of Department at Stoke College.
James wrote extensively for the trade magazine ' Painting and Decorating' and was the author of the books' Dictionary of Painting and Decorating Trade terms' and ' Paper hanging' and with Albert Hurst carried out a revision of 'Painting and Decorating'.
He was a Justice of the Peace and a lay reader for the Church of England.

Gray, Don

Don Gray was born in West Yorkshire and attended the Carlton Grammar School at Bradford. On leaving he was indentured to a local firm of decorators and sign writers. During his apprenticeship he attended evening classed at Bradford College of Art and was taught by Ernest Sanderson, a highly regarded craftsman, decorator and author. He gained City & Guilds of London Institute Certification and was awarded a medal by the Painter-Stainers Company.
On demobilisation Don practised as a decorator and signwriter in the north of England. Like many gifted and talented craftsmen in the oist war period he gravitated to teaching in Further Education, initially as a part time lecturer at Bradford College Of Art. His first full time teaching post, in 1950, was at Gluocester College of Art and Technology.
Later, in 1960, he moved to the south coast, where he became a Senior Lecturer at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design. Don taught A Level Art, and eventually became Chief Examiner in Art for the Associated Examination Board.
He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators & Interior Designers, and as a long time member of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers he was elected their President in 1984.
In 1996, along with a small contingent of British Craftsmen, along with Bill Holgate, Tom Valentine, John Flemming, Robert Woodland, Terry Taylor and Philip Waite, he was invited to the inaugral symposium of an international group of painters at Quimiac in France.Titled, Salon Forever, this was to become an annual event at various world wide locations. This was the start of Don Gray's international reputation as a superb artist and craftsman.

Gray, Don (Australia)

Don Gray was born in 1933 in the Midlands and served an apprenticeship with A. Seers and Sons a leading firm of decorators in Birmingham . He attended Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts where he gained his trade qualifications. He served two years National Service with the Royal Engineers obtaining the rank of Corporal.
In 1961 Don emigrated to Australia with his wife Joan and started a contracting business in the City of Sydney. He became a member of the Master Painters Australia Association, serving a term as President and later being awarded life membership of that association.
For ten years he acted as principal technical consultant and education director for the Master Painters Association.
He is an approved member of the New South Wales Vocational Training Tribunal and the Vocational Training Appeal Panel and is an assessor for licensing of painters and decorators for the New South Wales Government.
In 1993 he formulated a Group Training Company in Sydney for Apprentice painters and is Chairman of the company which is held in trust for the M.P.A.
Don was made a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers in 2004 and was elected a Fellow of the Faculty of Decoration in 2005.

Gray, Malcolm

He was apprenticed with J. Garbutt & Son
and subsequently took a management post with British Coal supervising all the building work involved with their property in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He studied for City & Guilds certification at Wakefield College and at Kitson College, Leeds. He was on the part time staff at Wakefield College for some 14 years before studying full time at Huddersfield Teacher Training College and then taking a full time lecturing post at the Sheffield College.

Gull, Arthur Charles

Arthur Charles Gull was born 28th August 1872. At the age of twelve years he was apprenticed to his father. At that time his father was in business as a painter of gentlemens' carriages and a high class decorator. Charles Dickens was a client of the firm. The father's brother was foreman wall-hanger to Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. Arthur's father was possessed of a wide range of decorative skills including gilding and heraldic painting, however he employed the services of a grainer and marbler to the trade - one Teddy Askew, a close contemporary to Thomas Kershaw and of the same ability. It was from Teddy Askew that Arthur developed these skills.
At the age of twenty four, as a specialist journeyman he worked in London . The owner of one firm for which he did a large amount of graining, marbling, writing and gilding was so impressed that he offered Arthur a partnership and the hand of his daughter in marriage in order to keep his services, but Arthur hated London and would not stay. He returned to Rochester where he spent the rest of his long life, eventually marring a professional cook.
For a period he worked for a large firm of builders, shop fitters and decorators - Austin & Sons. Whilst engaged on a graining job he stopped to light his pipe just as 'old man Austin' appeared and sacked him on the spot for smoking. Leaving the job carrying his tools another employer saw him and took him on straight away. For the whole of his life he was never out of work for more that an hour.
Among the work carried out by Arthur Gull was he interior decoration and gilding of the newly built Chatham Town Hall. In the early 1920s he and his brother George founded the firm of Gull Brothers, of Rochester.
Arthur Gull was a keen sailor; he built his own race winning yacht. He was also a wonderful dancer and for thirty years was an Old-Time dance M.C.

Kenneth Denton (q.v.) joined the firm of Gull Bros. in 1946, three weeks before Arthur's seventy sixth birthday. He was his last apprentice and in his own words " He was a wonderful man and he treated me as a son and I looked upon him as a second father" he had no children of his own "he was a thorough craftsman in the Victorian tradition in every aspect of decoration; he was the finest writer and gilder for miles but his graining is amongst the best I have ever seen" Kenneth Denton's book ' One Man Show' is dedicated to Arthur Gulls memory.

Gummerson, George Kenneth

George Kenneth Gummerson was born in Darlington and educated at Darlington Technical College & School of Art, and was apprenticed with Darlington Corporation in 1938. In the second world war, as an engineer, he served in Britain, India, Ceylon and Singapore with the Royal Air Force, Volunteer Reserve .
In 1948 he became self employed until 1950 when he was appointed teacher of Painting and Decorating at the Edinburgh School of Painting and Decorating. Here he developed City and Guilds examination courses for Intermediate, Final and Full Technological Certificates, and specialised courses in industrial painting, paint technology, graining and marbling and signwriting.
In 1964 he was appointed Lecturer at Napier College, Edinburgh and 1971 appointed Senior Lecturer at Telford College, Edinburgh until his retirement from teaching in 1982.
During this time George Gummerson was an examiner for City and Guilds Painters' and Decorators' Work, an examiner of the National Apprentice Decorator's Competitions and an Advisory Committee Member of the Education Committee, Scottish Painters Society, and education committees of City and Guilds of London Institute and Construction Industry Training Board. He was also a member of the Painting & Decorating National Co-ordinating Council.
George Gumerson founded the Scottish Association of Painting Craft Teachers, instituting the inaugural meeting at Central Halls, Glasgow, in January 1956. As secretary and Treasurer, built up exceptional liaison with schools, colleges, education authorities, examining bodies, employers organisations, trade union, paint industry and trade publications.
He produced and published Teaching schemes of work and syllabus for painters' and decorators' work, distributed to schools, colleges and training establishments throughout the world. Produced decorative , practical and theoretical papers for National Apprentice Competitions, first use of multiple choice questions nationally. Researched and contributed published work on toxic substances used in painting & decorating. Specialised and authoritative work with "Munsell System of Colour". Produced Programme Learning Textbook "Munsell System of Colour" . Monthly contributions to Painting and Decorating Magazine with SAPCT news and items of current interest.

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Hale, Joseph

Joseph Hale was keenly interested in the educational side of decoration and was a teacher of Painting and decoration at Maidstone Art School from 1924 - 1927, he also held teaching posts at the Schools of Art at Tunbridge wells, Ashford, Gravesend and the Medway Towns.. He was a keen student of Heraldry and 'Inn Signs' and a member of the Kent Archaeological Society. He was elected Chairman of the Maidstone Arts and Crafts Society in 1932 and held the office of Hon. Treasurer until his death. Joseph Hale was a member of the Board of Examiners of the Kent Education Committee for Painting and Decorating and was assistant Curator of the Maidstone Museum.

Hambling, William

Bill Hambling worked in the Painting and Decorating trade since leaving school. He had been trained by his father and this since the age of twelve. Bills ambition was always to enter into the field of training and after gaining City and Guilds qualifications at Craft and Advanced Craft level he undertook further college courses leading to certification in City and Guilds Advanced subjects including ' Colour and Design in Building' and 'Craft Supervision'. He was awarded the City and Guilds Silver Medal for achievement at this level. Other qualifications in Vocational Tutorship, Health and Safety and achieving Assessor Status enabled him to enter into the field of training delivering National Vocational Qualifications.

Hindley, Charles Albert

Charles Hindley was one of the founder members of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators and served on the Council for many years, where his interest in Institute work was real and active.
For many years he was adviser to the Museums Committee of the L.C.C. and took a special interest in arranging of the Geffrye Museum. He acted for some time as a special referee for the High Court of Justice and was a Master of the Worshipful Company of Painter Stayners. He also served for over thirty years on the Council of the London Association for the Blind.

Harris, Rendel

Rendel Harris was a partner with his father Mr. H. Vigurs Harris in the firm of Harris & Sons, one of the principal firms of Decoration in the West Country of England, established in 1770. His business was carried on by his widow, son and father, Vigurs Harris who at the time of Rendel Harris's death was in his 91st year.

Harris, Vigurs H.

Vigurs H. Harris was principal in the firm Harris & Sons of Plymouth, a firm having been established well over one hundred years by the time Vigurs Harris became President of the National Association.

Hobson, William

William Hobson was born in an industrial village in the south of the West Riding of Yorkshire. In 1910 the family moved to Sheffield when his father took a job with Joseph Rogers. William was apprenticed in Sheffield and studied at the Sheffield School of Art for his City and Guilds certification under the tutelage of Arthur Sheffield. He was an exceptionally good grainer, teaching this subject at the Chesterfield school of Art. Among his leisure activities was a love of gardening and classical music.

Holland, Peter Frederick

On leaving school in 1946 Peter served a seven year apprenticeship in the Painting and Decorating trade. He served two years' National Service in the Royal Air Force where he had the opportunity to spend several months on detachment carry out mural work and sign writing at the command headquarters. Peter returned to his former employer after National Service carrying out high class interior decorating.
In 1957 he started his own business employing some six men, including apprentices. He worked mostly in the private domestic field where he built up a substantial clientele on a reputation for carrying out high class decorative work. He carried on the business until his retirement in 1997.
Peter is an accomplished water colour artist and has exhibited his work at a number of venues.

Holmes, Lee

He worked from 1965 to 1975 for H. E. Berrisford & Son of Chesterfield, being involved in a very wide range of high quality domestic work as well as commercial, institutional and industrial projects. He studied for City & Guilds certification at Chesterfield College of Art and design. He became a full time lecturer at Trowbridge College, latter moving to Sheffield College. He holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Huddersfield University.

Houghton, S. C. OBE

As a young man he obtained a National Scholarship in the Applied Arts at the South Kensington School of Art. He later joined the firm of Collins & Locke and from there went to Waring & Gillow in Liverpool and, later, to their Manchester branch where he was joint manager. He was appointed Sales Director of Waring & Gillow and came to London for the opening of the new building in Oxford Street. In 1910 he resigned this position and started a business of his own as a decorator and furniture maker. He did much work for Henry Ford who became one of his valued friends.

Hudson, Harvey

Harvey Hudson was a prominent London Decorator. It was he who gilded the flame on the top of the memorial to the Great Fire of London.

Hughes, Marina Elsbeth

Marina Hughes was born in North Wales. She travelled extensively for ten years working in a variety of jobs, before taking a series of City and Guilds of London Institute diplomas to equip her for a career in decorative interior design. Marina set up her own business in London in 2004, providing a fully bespoke specialist decoration service, using modern and traditional methods and materials. Her work ranges across the private and commercial areas of decorative design and painting, including the refurbishment of listed and historic buildings.
Marina has studied at the workshops of Roger Seamark FFD. (QV). In 2008 she won the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust , endowed by the Royal Warrant Holders Association, enabling her to attend and study at the Michel Nadais Advanced School of Decorative Painting in the South of France. An institution renowned of high quality teaching in the finest tradition of European decorative painting.

Hurst, Albert

Albert Hurst commenced work as a fourteen year old apprentice with Mr. Arthur T. Wood, of 17 Carrington Road, Stockport. He remained a journeyman decorator until he gained a position in the Interior design Department of the Walpamur Company Limited, Darwin (now Crown Paints). He was the Head of the Department until his retirement in 1970. He had the honour of being presented to H. M. Queen Elizabeth when she visited the works in the early 1960s. He was always interested in education of apprentices and gave many lectures on his favourite subject of colour. He joined the Association of Painting craft Teachers in 1934 when he was teaching part-time at Blackburn School of Art. He was the author of 'Painting and Decorating' which was first Published in 1949.

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Ismay, Jack

Jack Ismay spent all of his working life connected to Painting and Decorating, except for service in the Royal Air Force during the second world war.
He was appointed lecturer in charge of Paining and decorating at Dewsbury and Batley Technical and Art College just after the war. A position he held as head of Painting and Decorating until his retirement in 1974.
Jack Ismay served on the Council of the IIBD& ID as a Northern District representative, and was the Institute librarian for ten years.

Jones, George Alfred

On leaving school George Jones served an apprenticeship in painting , decorating and sign writing, subsequently working for several high class decorating firms in Liverpool. He also worked for James Danson & Son, Birkenhead, with whom he specialised in ecclesiastical decoration carried out around Merseyside, Wirral and beyond.
He served in the Royal Air Force (1940 -1945), mainly in the Middle East. During this period he represented the RAF in Athletics (running and walking) and became Middle East Area mile champion. George was also a member of the station concert party.
Returning to civilian life he gained a managerial post with David Peers and also did some part time teaching, until appointed to a full time position at Liverpool College of Art in 1947.
Apart from George Jones's acknowledged craftsmanship and highly skilled achievement in the field of decoration and design he had a positive involvement with the educational and academic side of the decorating industry. He served a period as Chairman of the Northern District of the B.I.I.D. and was elected to represent the District on the B.I.I.D. Council in 1955, remaining a Council member for many years after being elected President of the B.I.I.D. in 1967. He also served as a Trustee to the various Scholarship Fund foundations. He served on many committees concerned with the education and training of young decorators, these included City and Guilds of London Institute Advisory & Moderating Committee for subject 85 Painters' & Decorators' work - Technical Sub Committee International Apprentice Competition - G.B. Technical Expert for Painting and Decorating I.A.C. Munich and Brussels - North West Regional Joint Educational Committee - Chief examiner in Theoretical and Practical Work for Union of Lancashire & Cheshire Institute and Yorkshire Council for Further Education. He became a member of the National Society of Painters in 1930 and subsequently served as Branch Chairman for five years. George was awarded the Union's Silver Star for over 50 years of continuous membership. He was also a member of the relevant Teaching Unions.
Amongst George's many talents and interests is water-colour painting and his work has been exhibited in various venues. His work is sold and at least one has ended up in America.

Jones, Norman William

Norman served a seven year apprenticeship from 1947. He did his National Service in the Royal Air Force in the trade of Aircraft Finisher attaining the rank of Senior Aircraftsman in Technical Training Command, serving in Germany, Holland. Belgium and France. In Holland he worked with the Dutch Decorati and Skiders (P&D) craftsmen
He worked for two local firms of decorators before taking the post of foreman at United Steels involved with decorating and industrial and commercial work. During this time he did part-time teaching at Sheffield and Rotherham. He became a full time lecturer at Chesterfield College of Art, Design & Technology in 1964 . He was an examiner for both City & Guilds of London Institute and East Midlands Examination Board in Decorative, Industrial and Vehicle subjects. He was also an examiner for British Airways Training School at Heathrow in surface coatings and substrate treatments.

Joyce, Norman

Norman Joyce started work in his father's Painting and Decorating business in 1946 and continued working with his father, with one interruption of two years National Service in the Royal Air Force, until he took up a full time post as Lecturer in Charge of Painting and Decorating at the Municipal School of Art at Oldham in 1965. Norman studied for his qualifications at Nottingham College of Art and Design where he also held a part-time teaching appointment for some ten years.
He was a script marker for the City and Guilds examination papers for the Full Technological Certificate and the Advanced Craft Certificate and was the Chief Regional Examiner in the North West for the City and Guilds. Norman also served as a member of the North West Regional Advisory Council (Union of Lancashire and Cheshire Institutes)

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Kershaw, Thomas

Thomas Kershaw has been referred to on more than one occasion as the prince of Grainers and Marblers, and this in an age - the 19th Century - which was remarkable for great craftsmen in this field.
Thomas Kershaw, son of a farmer, was born in April 1819, at Standish, a large village north of Wigan. In 1831 his father apprenticed him to John Platt of Oldham Street, Bolton, a well known painter and decorator.
His reputation as a grainer was soon widespread, and in 1840, as a journeyman, Kershaw moved to work first in Manchester, then to York and then Hull.
Kershaw's journeyman phase came to an end in about 1843 when he moved to London. where he was engaged by William Cubitt. Cubitt employed some eight grainers, but Kershaw soon established his superiority, and although he executed allegorical paintings graining became his exclusive speciality.
In 1850, Kershaw entered the London directory as "Grainer, 35 John Street, Fitzroy Square". He added marbling to his skills, working from natural models and decided to exhibit at the proposed Great Exhibition of 1851. His specimens described as "imitation of foreign and English marbles and woods, for house decoration: made of wood and slate". were prominently displayed and won a first prize medal.
In about 1857 Kershaw set up as "House Painter & Decorator" at 38 Baker Street, the address of his firm to the end of his life. In 1860 he became a livery man of the Painter-Stainers Company, but he continued to innovate , showing at the 1862 London Exhibition painted imitations of embossed leather and silk damasks.
In 1858 Kershaw marbled at Buckingham Palace, where Prince Albert praised his work. Other London works were the Oriental Courts of the South Kensinton, now Victoria & Albert Museum, and Fishmongers' Hall both designed by Owen Jones in the 1860s, and Philip Hardwick's coffee room in the Great Western Hotel, Paddington, of 1850-52. Outside London he worked at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, for Sir Anthony Rothschild: at Leighton Hall, Shropshire, a house designed by Pugin and decorated by J.G.Crace; and at Cloveley Hall, Shropshire, designed by Eden Nesfield.
After his death in 1898, kershaw's family and executors presented specimens of his work to Bolton Museum and to the Paint-Stainers Company; both groups are now on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the former since 1978, the latter, on a permanent basis, since 1983.

Lee, Walter

Walter Lee was Lecturer-in-Charge of the Painting and Decorating Classes Peel Park Technical College, Salford , an appointment he held for a considerable time. Commencing his craft training in 1925 he came under the tuition of Mr. Ernest Sanderson at the Bradford School of Art. He was a former President of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers, and for many years a member of their Executive Committee. Walter was elected a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators in 1945 and became chairman of the Northern District of that Institute in 1952. In 1953 , following James Dearden, he took on the dual responsibilities of Secretary and Treasurer of the Northern District IBD& ID, a position he held until his death in 1962.

Leeming, John

John Leeming was born in Burnley, Lancashire and moved at an early age with his parents to Poole in Dorset where his father founded a successful decorating business. At his father's suggestion, he left the Grammar School at 17 and went into the family business as an apprentice. He studied at the Poole School of Art for his City and Guilds of London Institute certification and John was later allowed to study one day a week for a full year for the Institute of British Decorators' Associate examination, which achieved at the age of 24. He was then taken into the business as a partner.
In the 1930s, the firm was noted for its high standard of decorative work on public building, cinemas, churches, hotels and domestic work. They offered architects and clients a considerable range of finishes: 'plastic paint'
(similar to Artex but more versatile), shaded glazes, imitation leather and stone, even the 'Berries Graining Process' of which John was a master.
During the second world war, the firm was engaged in painting camouflage on various installations on the south coast. John was in the Fire Service in Southampton and Portsmouth during the Blitz.
After the war, he taught at Bournemouth and Poole colleges and was appointed the full time lecturer when the two colleges amalgamated.

Lippiat, Ron Paul

Formerly from Leamington Spa where he was apprenticed to a local decorating firm. During his apprenticeship he won a scholarship with which he chose to have lessons from Zeph Carr. After some experience in teaching part time he secured a full time teaching post in 1950 at the College of Art in Coventry . Ron later moved with the Painting and Decorating Section when it was absorbed into the Construction Department of Coventry Technical College. During his career Ron played an active part in the APCT and became President in 1979.
When Ron retired as a senior lecturer in 1989, he set up a small business carrying out graining, marbling and specialist decorating for local forms.

Lipscombe, Melvin

Melvin completed his apprenticeship in the Painting and Decorating trade in 1980 after which he joined the Royal Marines. Following two years service he returned to the decorating trade and after working for several companies started his own business in 1987. He was a member of the British Decorators Association and has served on a number of the Association's committees.

Lloyd, Norman

Norman Lloyd was apprenticed with Watt-Smiths of Sheffield, working with the firm until the outbreak of the second world war. During the war Norman served in the Royal Air Force, attaining the rank of Flying Officer. After the war he took up a full time appointment in the Decorating department of the Sheffield College of Arts and Crafts, under the Head of the Department , Arthur Davis. He remained in teaching the craft until his retirement as a Principal Lecturer at Parkwood College, Sheffield. He was an active member of the British Institute of Interior Design and the Association of Painting Craft Teachers. He designed the APTC Past Presidents badge.

Lott, Edwin

Edwin Lott was widely known amongst Decorators both in London and in the Country, he held the office of Treasurer for the Institute for over twenty years, and was the Institute representative on the Consultative Committees of several of the London Polytechnics and Technical Schools. He was a member of the National Federation Executive for the London area, and also a member of the National Education Committee. He was a member of the Renaissance Lodge of Free Masons.
Edwin succeeded to the control of the old established firm of Lott & Son, Decorators of Alexander Square, Kensington London, retiring from active control only a few years before his death.

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Mackie, Stephen

Stephen Mackie was born on Glasgow in 1966. He achieved his City and Guilds award in 1985. Influenced by his long standing acquaintance with master craftsman Ian Brown (q.v.), he established Stephen Mackie Decorators in 2001 and is based in Strathclyde Business Centre, Glasgow.
The company specialises in recreating the traditional styles and designs of the profession including marbling, graining and the application of hand painted designs and effects such as tartans, woods and trompe-l'oeil.Stephen's work can be seen at the award winning Malmaison hotels in Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle.
Highly regarded by the Scottish entrepreneur Ken McCulloch, he has also completed work in the first of his new Columbus hotels in Monaco. Stephen's artistic talents can also be seen at the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club where he received considerable accolade for his creation of hand painted tartans.

Maes. Raymond

When Raymond left school he started work for the family Painting and Decorating business in Padiham, Lancashire. On completion of National Service he attended Bradford College of Art and Technology where he gained his qualifications.
In 1954 Raymond was offered a post as lecturer in the Painting and Decorating Department of Leicester College of Art and Technology, later named Southfield College. He continued in craft education becoming a Senior Lecturer and then Head of Department until his retirement in 1991.
Raymond Maes was a master craftsman in all the decorative techniques and in 1992 the British Decorators Association made him a Life Member.

McDonald, Stewart

Stewart McDonald was born in 1966 and was apprenticed to a local firm of decorators in 1983. He gained a City and Guilds certificate from the James Watt College and in 1985 achieved second place in the Crown Young Decorator of the Year awards. He left Scotland in 1985 to work in Berkshire, England where he carried out various high quality decorating contracts in and around Windsor Castle.
Stewart returned to Scotland in 1990 and stated his own decorating business. For a five year period, from 1995 to 2000, he studied at the Bill Holgate School of Graining and Marble Arts, in Lancashire. He became a member of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers in 2002 and has since carried out a number of teaching workshops at Reid Kerr College in Paisley, and various exhibitions and demonstrations around the country, including Telford College in Edinburgh. He was elected a Fellow of the Faculty of Decoration in 2005.

MacFarlane JP. , William Welsh 

William MacFarlane was a fine and respected decorator of the well known house of MacFarlane and Wallace of Edinburgh. He was elected to the Edinburgh Town Council in 1902, created a magistrate about seven years later and retired in 1920. Ex-Bailie MacFarlane was also a Deputy-Lieutenant of the County.
The decorative scheme for his treatment of the Old Edinburgh reproduction at the International Exhibition there in 1886, proved him to be an artist who drew from the recognised fountain of knowledge, Nature.
He was intimately associated with the establishment of the Edinburgh College of Art, and was always concerned in all matters that related to art and music.

Moxon, Charles

Charles Moxon was awarded a medal at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Juries Report: ‘The work is a tasteful specimen of decoration, and the imitation of woods and marbles by this gentleman are executed in a very superior manner, united with an ornamental character of a high class’

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Nicholson, John H.

John Nicholson Was an artist who made a living, together with his brother, running a decorating business in Douglas, Isle of Man.
John Line & Sons, the wallpaper manufacturer, held an exhibition of his work in their Manchester showrooms in 1953. When the Isle of man Treasury produced their own currency he was commissioned to design the new notes and coinage. He also designed a new set of postage stamps for the Manx Post Office. John always supported the exhibitions of the Northern District of the Institute of British Decorators and Interior Designers member’s work by sending two or three of his water colours over... His delightful scenes of the Isle of Man were admired by all and when the new terminal for the Isle of Man was constructed he was the person they chose to paint several murals in the waiting area.

Nott, H. S.

H. S. Nott came of a family three generations of which were engaged in a painting business in Devonshire. He came to London in 1902 and attended classes at the 'Trades Training School' in Tichfield Street - which was established under the patronage of the Painter Stainer's Company- where he was awarded the Company's Medal and the Freedom of the City of London was conferred to him. He remained in London until 1907 when he sailed for New Zealand, returning to England in 1911 and commencing business. He took a great interest in the technical and craft side of painting and decorating, and for many years was a teacher of painting classes in London. He took the post of works manager for Messrs. Dixon's White Limited in 1919.

Osborne, F. B.

The firm of F. B. Osborne was well known , not only in the West End of London, but throughout the country where the firm carried out extensive decorative works to many large houses and mansions.

Parry, John P.

John Parry had been teaching at Darwin and Bolton for the past sixteen years when he was appointed to the full time post at the Brixton School of Building in 1937, following Mr. Alfred Garner. His art school training was received at Darwin, Bolton and Manchester. In 1923 he established a decorating department for the Darwin Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd., and in that year was Vice-President of the Darwin Branch of the National Federation of Master Painters. He was one of the earliest winners 

Parton, Ray

Ray Parton trained at Southfield College of Further Education, Leicester where Bill Saul was Head of Painting and Decorating. He worked for some time co-ordinating interior design projects involving hotel chains, breweries, railway stations and other high value commercial projects. Ray taught part-time at Southfields College of F.E. before taking up a Full-time lecturing post in 1993 at Chichester College where he was subsequently promoted to Section Manager in 2000.

Paul, James

The firm of James Paul and Sons, of which James was the Principal at the time of his death, was established in Glasgow in 1834. He was elected to the Institute of British Decorators in 1917. He served as Chairman of the Scottish Branch of that Institute and as President of the National Federation of Master Painters in Scotland. He was an able craftsman and displayed a keen interest in the art and craft of decoration.

Peters, Thomas

Thomas Peters carried on a successful and high class business in Sheffield , having a showroom in the district of Sharrow. On his retirement he sold his business to Harry C. Utley.
In 1921, the year he was chairman of the I.I.B.D. Northern Branch, Thomas Peters presented a Silver-Gilt and enamelled medallion to the Branch as regalia for the Branch Chairman. This chain of Office subsequently came into the possession of the Faculty of Decoration, and, after incorporating the name of the Faculty it is used with much pride as the Faculty of Decoration's Presidents Badge of Office.
Thomas Peters was an accomplished painter of landscapes and had pictures hung in the Royal Academy.

Petrie. John

John Petrie was from Dundee and was a partner with his brother in the old established firm of Petrie Brothers who were well known decorators enjoying a valuable connection in Dundee and the County of Angus.

Preston, Thomas

Thomas Preston carried on a decorating business in Burnley, Lancashire, and was a signatory to the original Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators.

Pryor, Michael M.

Michael M. Prior served his five year apprenticeship 1949 -54 with J. C. Rolland Ltd. A large painting and decorating company based in Edinburgh and Fife, Scotland.
During his apprenticeship he attended one day and five evenings per week at classes at Edinburgh School of painting and decorating and Edinburgh College of Art. During this period The national Federation of Master Painters in Scotland awarded him numerous prizes for his work in graining, marbling, lettering, stencilling, drawing, heraldry and painted ornament.
On completion of his apprenticeship he served two years National Service in the Royal Engineers as Regimental Painter, 1954 - 1956.
On completion of his National Service he continued working with the same company that he served his apprenticeship with, but was released two days and three evenings per week to teach painting and decorating at Edinburgh School of Painting and Decorating, which was later to become annexed to the Building Department of Napier College. In 1965 he accepted the full time post of full time teacher of Painting and Decorating at Bathgate Technical College. In 1972 he accepted the post of Senior Lecturer in Painting and Decorating at Telford College, Edinburgh.
He left full time teaching in 1975 to accept the position as Chief Painting Inspector with the local authorities. He still continued teaching graining, marbling, lettering and airbrush techniques at the local colleges in the evenings.
He taught evening classes until 1988, a total of 32 years, but ceased when he was offered a contract to grain woodwork in The Capital House, Lansing, Michigan, USA.
He has executed work for such clients as Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland. Majoring in restoration projects. Examples of his work can be found in Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Dumbarton Castle, Kincardine Castle - Auchterarder, Lee Castle - Lanark. Paxton House - Berwick-upon-Tweed and many other prestigious buildings.
Specific examples of his work can be found in:
marbling of Fireplaces in King James's dining room in Edinburgh castle.
Restoration of graining of 16th century staircase in Argyll's lodging, Stirling Castle.
Restoration of Bonner & Carfrae's decorative work which included graining, marbling and stencil at Paxton House - Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Restoration of painted ceiling executed by Thomas Kershaw Bonnar in 19th century in Riddles Court, High Street, Edinburgh.
Other examples can be found in Lee Castle - Lanark, Kincardine Castle - Auchterarder and the National Museum of Scotland.

Puttrell, James

James Puttrell was born at Whittlesea, near Peterborough, in 1840. He began work as a farm labourer at the age of 10 years. Twelve months later his family moved to Sheffield where he was apprenticed to Mr. Richard Guest of Devonshire Street.
At the age of 21 he commenced business on his own account. A sound craftsman he laid the foundation of a fine family business. Always a strong Association man, he was elected President of the N.A.M.H.P. in 1909, the year in which the Association met in Sheffield. His year of office was marked by a visit of delegates from the Netherlands and he received the distinction of honorary membership of the Netherlands Painters' Guild from the Dutch visitors.
James Puttrell was a keen religious worker. He was particularly interested in the Sunday School movement, and filled many offices in this connection. In 1915, he became chairman of the Sheffield Congregational Association. He was a fine walker and knew the Lake District very well.

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Redman, Brian Francis

Brian Redman was born in Australia in 1933. In 1950 he began a five year apprenticeship which culminated in the award of the Best 5th year Apprentice. In 1950 he set up his own business in Melbourne, and also stared teaching part time at the Melbourne College. In the following year he completed the post apprentice course and was accepted as a member of the Master Painters, Decorators and Signwriters Association. In 1997 he was awarded the Craftsman and Foremanship Certificate from the Royal Melbourne College of Decoration. Brian became a Member and later a Fellow
of the British Institute of Interior Design (Australian Branch) serving as Treasurer for a number of years.
Brian and Veronica came to England in 1986 and 1995, attending various Institute functions and meeting up with friends John and Ella Burton.

Richardson, Councillor R. J.

Councillor R. J. Richardson was a well known personality in the business and civic life of Newcastle. He served for many years on the executive of the National Federation of Master Painters and was President in 1930-31
Elected a member in 1922 of the Board of Guardians, he became a member of the City Council in 1926 and a
J. P. in 1933, was deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle in 1936-37 and was elected Sheriff of the City in 1939. He served throughout the World War in the Northumberland Fusiliers and was invalided out of the service in 1919 with the rank of Captain.

Richardson, Patrick Noel.

Having completed a one year junior building course at the York Technical College in 1959, Patrick was appren- ticed as a Painter and Decorator to the York based building firm of F. Shepherd and Son, later to become Shepherd Construction. Employed on a variety of contracts he gained valuable experience in all aspects of decorating and construction.
He attended York School of Art which was at that time housed in the 15th C Kings Manor. Under the guidance of Ron Plumpton he gained City and Guilds qualifications at Craft level (1962) and Advanced Craft level (1964). When the School of Art moved to a new campus on the outskirts of York he continued his studies and was awarded a Full Technological Certificate in Painting & Decorating (1968).
Moving across to the Construction Department at the York College he continued his studies attending evening classes and was awarded a Full Technological Certificate in Building Construction, he also passed the Institute of Clerk of Works Intermediate examination and became a student member of that organisation. During his time with Shepherd Construction Patrick on some of the companies most prestigious undertakings; this was reflected by the reference given by his Construction Manager, Mr. Ken Stephens, when Patrick applied to become a full member of the Institute of Clerk of Works,
"Patrick Richardson has clearly established himself as a first class tradesman, fully experienced in the broadest sense, capable, responsible, keen and co-operative, he has always given of his best and indeed has been entrusted with some of the more major undertakings of this companies activities in the field of decorating"
From 1969 to 1974 he was involved with the major restoration to York Minster. This involved cleaning the exterior and interior stonework, stripping and repainting the ceilings in the nave, transepts, choir and central tower, including re-gilding to all the roof bosses. His last major undertaking, which in the main he carried out on his own over an eight month period in 1973/4, was the cleaning , painting and gilding of the Choir Stalls and the Stone Choir Screen which contains the statues of the Kings of England from William the Conqueror to Henry VI.
In 1974 Patrick attended Holly Bank Teacher Training College at Huddersfield and gained the University of Leeds Certificate in Education. He began his teaching career at Shirecliffe College, Sheffield in 1975 under the guidance of Arthur Davis, Norman Lloyd and Fred Ashton. He returned to York College in 1979 as Course Tutor for the new Standard Scheme of Training. Again taking up his studies in 1980 he gained five T.E.C. units in Building construction and in 1981 passed the Institute of Clerk of Works Final part II examination. During this time he was involved with the development of course programmes for all aspects of painting and decorating from City & Guilds, the CITB Standard Scheme of Training to the present National Vocational Qualification system. In partnership with David Wallace (CITB) and COTAC he was responsible in developing NVQ units for Restoration and Conservation.
Patrick took early retirement from teaching in 1997 and set up his own Decorating Consultancy. He has been an active member of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers since 1975, holding the post of regional secretary for Yorkshire and the North East on a number of occasions and in 1966 he was elected President of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers. He was chairman of the organising committee for the 'Skills 2000' event held at the NEC Birmingham and he organises the Association's annual Craft Awareness Weekends. He is a former member of the York Guild of Building and in 2003 became the National Secretary of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers.

Rhodes, Brian

Brian served his apprenticeship with a West End of London decorating company and completed his City and Guilds training at Willesden College under the direction of Frank Chalmers. In the early 1970's to take up a position at the North Devon College in Barnstaple. Before leaving London he had attended Garnet College, an Education Department of London University, where he obtained a Diploma in Education.
He was one of a five man team known as the 'Padim Technical Authors' and was involved in writing the 'Painting and Decorating Information Manual' and 'Building Craft Science'. Later while in Devon he prepared a book of illustrations for P&D teachers, which Padim published and marketed. Eventually he returned to London and took control of the P&D department of Hammersmith and West London College.

Rhodes Née Hopkins, Kathleen (Kate)  

Kate Rhodes was born in Castleford, Yorkshire. She was educated at Darton School for Girls. At the age of fourteen she passed the entrance examination for a place on the two year Foundation Course at the Wakefield Art College where she studied for G..S..E.s with an Arts and Crafts bias.
After leaving Wakefield she studied for three years at Batley School of Art and Design where she obtained her Yorkshire Council for Further Education Certificates and the National Diploma in Design.
Leaving college in 1966 Kate went to work in the studio of Waddingtons, near Leeds until 1970 when she went to London and then abroad to widen her experience. Returning to England in 1971 she worked in Sheffield for Taylor and Son Signwriters, at that time the largest sign company in Sheffield. She left this company in 1974 to start her family.
In 1977 Kate started her own business as a Sign Artist
carrying out commissions of traditional sign writing, Murals ( specialising in Trompe L'oiel) and decorative treatments. She is an accomplished artist and undertakes commissions for portraits as part of her business. Her design work, decorative painting and mural work has taken Kate all over the country.
As well as being a moderator for the Northern Open College she is a part-time Lecturer in signwork and decorative painting at Sheffield College she is also on the part-time lecturing staff Lectures at Chesterfield College. She has written articles for various magazines and has broadcast on local radio.

Riley, Henry

Henry Riley became an apprentice in 1900 with H & T Gladwell of Rochdale. In 1912 he was working in Hamburg. In 1916 he was teaching evening classes in Darwin. After serving in the Durham Light Infantry in the Great War he reopened classes at Darwin in 1919. He became head of Painting and Decorating at Rochdale in 1921. He started his own business in 1935 and he also taught at Bolton in 1941 -1945.

Roberts, Norman

Norman started work at Easter 1924 and he became an indentured apprentice after a trial period of about one year with the company Smiths of Armley, Leeds. He was exceptional craftsman decorator producing work to a very high standard. He was also a first class signwriter, sign artist and an excellent gilder of glasswork as well as a man of many decorative skills.
Norman was a part time lecturer at both Bradford College and Dewsbury and Batley College. In 1958 he was appointed as a Painting Inspector at the Leeds City Council Works Department , subsequently becoming manager of the department until his retirement.

Robb, Alexander M.M.

Alexander Robb was connected with craft education for many years and he was a founder member of the Scottish Association of Painting Craft Teachers. His teaching career in the Glasgow area included service at the Decorative Trades Institute and, as Head of Department, at the Stow College of Building, prior to the setting up of the new Glasgow College of Building.

Robinson, E.

Of Preston was a painter and artist. Painted murals at the Victoria Hotel, Morecambe. He was a very accomplished portrait painter, Tom Finney the England footballer was a subject of his painting.

Rowden, T. S.

For twenty five years he was a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators and for most of that period he was a member of the Council and succeeded Mr. Edwin Lott in 1944 as Hon. Treasurer. For over forty years he was connected with the well known London decorators, Messrs. Rawlings Brothers, of South Kensington and was a director of the firm. He was a member of the London Association of Master Decorators from its foundation in 1908 and was a President and for many years Hon. Treasuer of the Association.

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Sanderson, Ernest

Ernest Sanderson was apprenticed to Mr. Fred Tuck of Burnley. He studied at the Mechanics Institute and later at the new College of Art where he gained his awards.
He joined the army in the Great War, seeing action at passchendaele Ridge. After the war he joined Messrs Thomas foster and Sons of Burnley and became their decorating manager. In 1921 he took up a full-time teaching post at Burnley.
He took the post of Head of the Decorating Department at the Regional College of Art in Bradford in 1925. During his years as Head of Department a great many of his students went on to become teachers and others to gain high office in the field of decoration. Arthur Davis, who became Head of Department at Sheffield, was just one of his successful students. He specialised in lettering and calligraphy contributing many 'odes' to the Painting and Decorating magazine in his retirement. He constructed the ' points system' of Roman lettering which was used by many Schools of Decorating.

Seamark, Roger Frederick

Roger Seamark was born in Walthamstow and trained as a commercial artist at the London School of Printing and Graphic Art. He worked as a house painter for Walthamstow Borough Council as a chargehand and then as a house painter and decorative artist for George Jackson & Sons of Rathbone Place, London.
Roger moved to Stockholm, Sweden in 1972 where he worked as a conservator for the Royal household. He established his own workshop (Gamla Sverige Fine Arts) in 1975. He runs seminars and studio workshops on the execution of decorative techniques including, monochrome painted ornament, Trompe l'oiel, neo classical decoration, ageing and distressing techniques as well as graining and marbling.
Roger teachers further education courses of painting and decorating in Sweden, and holds summer workshops at Reading College of Art and Design in England. Roger was presented with a lifetime of outstanding achievement award in the field of decoration, at Painter-stainers Hall, by the Salon 2000 committee.
In 2005 he was elected President of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers

Seeley-Jones, David

David Seeley-Jones served a five year apprenticeship with Messrs. Daly & Sons of Coventry during which time he attended Coventry College of Art where he gained the National Building Craft Certificate and represented the Midlands in the Apprentice of the Year Competition 1963. He was a Student Member of the Institute of British Decorators and Interior Designers and gained his City and Guilds Advanced Craft Certificate in !965.
From 1961 he worked as a Freelance Designer and Decorator. In 1970 he was a member of H..M. Forces - The Queen Own Hussars. From 1973 to 1977 he was Area Display Manager for Hardy's Furnishes - Birmingham. He was responsible for instore and window displays and corporate image presentation for 18 regional high street stores. At this time he was also special projects designer and co-ordinator for show homes and exhibitions. In 1977 he moved to Rackhams ( House of Fraser) at Royal Leamington Spar as Area Display Manager, a position he held until 1980 when he went into partnership -
K.S. & D. Seeley-Jones, Decorating & Interior Design Contractors. Part of the partnerships work was as model makers for Blackpool Model Village.
In 1983 David left the partnership to become Interior Design and Projects Manager for Julia Harris Interiors Ltd. Blackpool. In this capacity he had initiation and control of all Interior Design contracts, specialising in refurbishment of leisure industry property. This involved production of plans and detailed drawings together with presentation of proposed schemes, preparation of detailed specifications, project costing, budget control and purchasing, direct control of sub- contract labour and control of all on site project management.
David moved, in 1990, to DT Signs Limited Blackpool as Design and Graphics Manager. Here he was head of Design and Vinyl Graphics production and application being responsible sign design and visual presentation of proposed schemes. In 1993 he started his own business - Seeley-Jones Designs, Interior Design and Project Management Services.
He continued with this business until 1966 when he was appointed a lecturer in Decorating and Interior design at Blackpool and The Fylde College where he is course tutor for H.N.C. in Architecture and Interior Design. promoted to head of department in 2001.

Sexton, James H.

James Sexten entered the craft at Bingley, Yorkshire, where he became apprenticed with a local decorator and attended Bingley School of Art. He later transferred to the Bradford School of Arts and Crafts where he was awarded a West Riding Grant and a scholarship to the Royal College of Art gaining a diploma in Decoration.; he attached himself as a student to the Northern Polytechnic and was one of the first candidates to sit for the newly established Institute examination and was awarded the Silver Medal.
He became interested in mediaeval painting and carried out extensive research for which he was awarded an Owen Jones Travelling Scholarship, choosing to study in Italy.
In later life he exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy. He worked as a free lance designer and carried out important church decoration, and interior decoration in most of the fashionable London hotels and restaurants.
James Sexten went to Canada in the employ of Thornton Smith & Company; as manager of their decorating department he was responsible for the decoration of many churches and public buildings of impotence. In 1931 he was appointed Art Master to the Northern Vocational School, Toronto. In 1934 he returned to England working on his own account and teaching.

Sharp, C. P.

C. P. Sharp, known to most as Pat, started his training on a 3 year L.C.C. Scholarship course at the Northern Polytechnic, Holloway, London. In 1920 the Senior School of Architecture, Surveying and Building was started and after competing his third year Pat Sharp stayed on with another third year student L. F. J. Tubb to become two of the first members of the Northern Polytechnic School of Interior Design. He left in 1925 to gain considerable experience in Church Decoration with Cambell Smith & Company. In 1928 he became Manager of the very old established firm, W. Lott & Sons where he remained until 1940 when he left to manage the Decorating Department of G. B. Kalee Ltd., until 1945 when he left to set up his own specialist business. He earned himself a considerable reputation with the many firms for whom he acted as a specialist, working in practically all the Royal Palaces and Historic Buildings in and around London and the Home Counties. He ran a successful class for specialist Painters at the Hornsey School of Art. He was on the City and Guilds of London Institute Panel of Judges for practical painting work and was also an examiner for one of the subject s for the Full Technological Certificate

Shone, William

Interior Decorator , of Pontefract, was an architectural representative with Messrs. Goodlass Wall Limited. He exhibited water colours at the R.I. and at the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators & Interior Designers Spring Exhibition at Cartwright Hall, Bradford

Sibthorpe, Arthur C.

Arthur Sibthorpe was born in 1881, the son of John Sibthorpe and entered the family business in 1897. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators in 1902. In 1940 he became Managing Director of his firm on his father's death, and was President of the Institute in 1947-48. He was Honorary Treasurer of the Irish Branch of the Institute and was honoured by the Institute in 1965
with the award of Honorary membership.
He was a sportsman and a lover of outdoor activities and was a member of the Landsdowne Rugby Football Club from 1897 until his death, playing until he was forty. He was a keen yachtsman as was his father.

Sibthorpe, John

John Sibthorpe was a signatory to the original Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators. As a founder member of that august body he was elected President in 1921 and was a member of the Council to the end..
He was Managing Director of H. Sibthorpe and Son Ltd., Decorators of Dublin, a firm founded in 1747. He was steeped in the tradition of the Decorative Arts and was particularly interested in Italian Decoration which he had closely studied and many time inspected although he was by no means limited to this particular field, for his knowledge of and appreciation for Art in colour and design was extensive.
The many high positions he held in public life included being Chairman of the Celtic Insurance Co., Member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, President of the National Association of Master Painters of Ireland, Chairman of Rathmines Urban District Council, Governor of the Merchant Taylors Endowment Fund and Joint Honorary Secretary of the Sunday School Society for Ireland. He also attained the highest possible degrees in the Irish Masonry.
John took a keen interest in sport and played Rugby football in his younger days and maintained his membership to the last of the Landsdown Football Club. In his early days he was a notable yachtsman and with his eldest son Dr. J. A. Sibthorpe, he raced the almost invincible yacht 'Marjorie' in the Dublin Bay Sailing Club races.

Sides, Frank Bateson

Frank started work as an apprentice painter and decorator in Bradford at the age of fourteen, working a 5 ½ day week for ten shillings (50p a week) He attended night school classes at the regional College of Art when Mr. Earnest Sanderson was Head of Department and gained a first class Intermediate CGLI certificate before joining the army at 17 ½, serving with the 12th Royal Lancers and latter being seconded to the Army Educational Corps as an instructor. After demob he returned to painting and decorating with a local decorating firm, a Mr. R. Sugden of Bradford Moor. He later started his own business and ran it fairly successfully for about seven years before going to work for E. D. Williams & Sons Ltd., of Runcorn. Eventually he decided that he should obtain the necessary qualifications to be accepted on a Teacher Training course at Huddersfield Teacher Training College. In order to do this Frank had to take a job as a maintenance painter in a local factory so that after work he could get home, get changed, cycle two miles to the railway station in order to travel the fifteen miles into Liverpool and walk the mile up to the Liverpool College of Art to be there for 7 p.m.
Mr. George A. Jones, Head of the Department, together with Mr. Norman Moore, senior lecturer, guided him towards his final examinations and Full Technological Certificate. At this time he received the G. W. Sutherland Scholarship Award and with this money and a lot of' 'sting pulling' by Mr. G.A. Jones he was able to attend full days on the Interior Design course at the Liverpool College of Art, which enabled him to pass the Associate examinations of the I.I.B.D.&I.D. The report of the W. G. Sutherland award in the trade magazine 'painting & Decorating came to the attention of Frank's former employer, E. D. Williams & sons Ltd., who came to see him with an offer of employment which was so attractive that he was to consider taking the place he had been offered on the teacher training course; after several years of putting his studies before that of his young family the prospect of having to leave them whilst the teacher training course was completed finally decided him to accept the position offered by Mr. Williams. Although it was intended that he should manage the interior decorating side he was eventually to be involved in the very large contracting side of the business becoming involved with the major manufacturing and construction companies of the country and eventually being promoted to the Board of Directors where he remained until his retirement.
Frank was nominated a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International for work within the community.

Smith, John

John Smith carried on a successful Family business in Sheffield.

Stokes, Donald Charles

Donald Charles Stokes runs the family business which was formed in 1920 and he became managing Director of the business in 1952. The company is noted in South Wales area for carrying out high quality work. The business has decorated many hotels throughout the country and has been responsible for the restoration of Llandaff Cathedral and many other churches. They also were involved in the restoration of Hensol Castle and Cyfartha Castle, the latter being entered by the client for an award in the N.F.M.P. decoration competition.

Sutherland, W. G. (Jnr.)

William's training as a decorator and designer, travel, continental study, and personal contact with all the outstanding decorators of his time, enabled him to give authority to the many informative articles published in the 'Journal of Decorative Art' a publication founded by his father, also W. G. Sutherland.
Held in high regard by makers of decorative materials he was able to relate decoration, education and manufacture to their mutual benefit.
Elected to the Institute of British Decorators in 1916 he served as a member of the General Council for many years, holding the office of President in 1936 when important changes in the educational approach to institute qualifications were part of the progress of the time. He was for some time secretary to the National Federation of Master Painters, a duty he carried on from his father.

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Taylor, John

John Taylor was a Scotchman by birth, Glasgow being his native city. He was a man of pronounced character even when a youth, and retained his individuality to the end of his life. Mr. Taylor owed his eminence in the craft to his own initiative and resolve to conquer the difficulties that beset his path.
His career as an apprentice was common to boys of that time. Like Thomas Kershaw, he had a great deal of drawing (handcarts) , grinding colour, mixing paints, lime washing, &c. ; but of the higher branches of the trade he had to pick that up outside the routine of the shop. A strong artistic bent, coupled with his indomitable will, overcame all these difficulties in time.
Like most men of talent of his day, he gravitated to London, and rapidly gained a recognised position as a grainer to the trade, doing most of Mr. J. G. Crace's work of character.
In Birmingham, where he settled in the early eighteen sixties, for many years held the premier position as a master decorator, and built up a big business and a name.
John Taylor was a capable pictorial artist in oils, and was a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.

Taylor, Terry

Terry Taylor served an apprenticeship in the decorating trade gaining qualifications including City and Guilds Advanced Certificate. Terry worked on all types of painting and decorating projects and for a number of years carried out work as a master painter running his own business.
In the mid 70s he studied full time for a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Politics. He also gained a Certificate in Education and subsequently joined the full time staff at Blackburn College. During his time at the college he designed and implemented week long courses for craft teachers in Further Education, as well as other externally validated and assessed courses
Terry ran courses, in the techniques of graining and marbling taught to students from all parts of the United Kingdom and from abroad. He exhibited his work widely, including at Painter Stainers Hall in London and demonstrated these skills at the Craft Awareness Weekends organised by the Association of Painting Craft teachers.

Tetlow, James

James Tetlow did much good work for the decorating craft, especially on the educational side, in which he took the keenest interest. In 1901 he put down a sum of money for the funding of the International Travelling Scholarship, which in its day gave an opportunity to many young decorators. James Tetlow was active, too, in the establishment of the School of Decorative Painting in Manchester, a year or two later
Even in the days of his retirement he retained his keen interest in the youth of the craft, and in 1933 presented an Honors’ Board to the painter’s class at Huddersfield Technical College.

Topham, George E.

George Topham was well known in the North of England and as a decorator he had an extensive business centred in Harrogate, Yorkshire. His firm carried out the complete redecoration of the Leeds Town Hall. He was a President of the National Federation of Master Painters and for some years a member of the Yorkshire Federation. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators in 1921.
He was very keenly interested in Music and was for some time Secretary of the successful Harrogate Male Voice Choir. He was also a prolific writer of poetry.

Topley, Frank

A former senior lecturer in Further Education,
Frank Topley works as a Education and Training Consultant within the construct and sign industry as Construction Verification Manager, a post he took up in September 2001, he became responsible for Quality Assurance within the National Vocational Qualification Awarding Body. Prior to this he held the post of lead Verifier for construction N.V.Qs. for the North of England.
Treacy, Richard P.

He represented the Republic of Ireland in Painting and Decorating International Competitions gaining Junior and Senior Trade Certificates and has addressed international meetings on the trade.

Treacy, Richard P.

Managing Director in his own business. He represented the Republic of Ireland in Painting and Decorating International Competitions gaining Junior and Senior Trade Certificates and has addressed international meetings on the trade.

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Utley, Harry Charlton

Harry Charlton Utley was apprenticed to a Rotherham firm of decorators that did work for Earl Fitzwilliam at his castle at Wentworth Woodhouse, a very richly decorated house where the young Harry got plenty of experience in the use of colour, decoration and in the skill of gilding. He gained a full time scholarship to the Sheffield School of Art taking Bronze, Silver and Gold medals in successive years in the City and Guilds of London Institute examinations and was awarded a travelling scholarship which took him to Italy to further his studies. In Italy he teamed up with Ernest Sanderson and Jack Deady - also travelling scholars and later to make their mark as outstanding teachers (Bradford and Manchester)
In World War 1 Harry served in the R.A.S.C. In France. After the war he set up his business again, in Hoyland, Yorkshire, where he notably decorated a church in the Italian Style. A father of a friend of his student days, Thomas Peters of Sheffield, himself an outstanding decorator, was ready to sell his business in order to retire to paint in Italy. Harry raised the purchase price and moved to Sheffield and a business with an established reputation and clientele. From being almost a one-band-man Harry was now directing a labour force of painters numbering fifty at one time. An outstanding commission was the complete redecoration of St. George's Church. Harry's son Peter had reason to remember this, as at about the age of 10 his father took him up to the nave roof . Scaffolding in those days was wooden poles and rope ties and he had to walk on a single plank - no guardrails or toe boards then.
When he had the business in hand Harry became a part time teacher at the Sheffield School of Art ( a fellow member of staff was Zeph Carr) Harry decided that teaching was his métier and successfully applied for headship of the Painting and Decorating Department at Leicester College of Art, and so surrendered a successful business to a relative for a successful career in teaching, passing on his undoubted skills to his young charges. The principal Master Decorator in Leicester at that time was Roland Barker (also a previous travelling scholar) Harry together with Roland Baker founded the Midland District of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators. In 1949 Harry Charlton Utley was elected President of the Association of Painting Craft Teachers.
Special processes in Decoration were always Harry's main interest. He delivered many lectures on the subject and early introduced the spray gun as a decorative tool, using it ingeniously in a variety of interiors from theatres to private houses.

Utley, Peter

Peter worked two years in Painting and Decorating as an apprentice, leaving to take up a scholarship. He was a full time student at Leicester College of Art and Crafts for five years achieving some of the highest qualifications on offer. Peter served six years in the Army being commissioned into the Reconnaissance Corps and seeing action from Normandy to Hamburg.
Peter worked in the Education field for some thirty-three years in which time many students had the benefit of his considerable knowledge and expertise in the field of Interior Design and Decoration.
He is an accomplished artist working in water colour and oils and had held a number of exhibitions of his work.

Vaugan, James C. M.

James Vaugan carried on a business in Hereford and was a signatory to the original Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Incorporated Institute of British Decorators.

Walcot, Philip Harvey

On leaving school Philip was apprenticed with Gaskell & Hulme of Ducinfield, a respectable firm of high class decorators. His apprenticeship was curtailed due to the war in which he served as a Leading Seaman in the Royal Navy.
Demobilised in 1947 he attended Stockport College under the tutelage of Alfred Garner, a most excellent teacher and craftsman. It was here Philip gained his City and Guilds certification.
After a spell as a journeyman he obtained a post with North British Chemical Company (Paint Manufacturers) of Droylsden Manchester on their Technical Services Staff, mainly producing colour schemes and specifications. A position he held from 1953 until 1958 when a post became vacant for a Painting Inspector with Leeds City Council. From an interviewed list of 15 applicants Philip was offered the post. He remained with Leeds City Council until his retirement through ill health in 1981. During his time with the Council he progressed from Painting Inspector to Painting Superintendent mainly looking after direct labour tradesmen (some 180 - 200) and then to become Painting Manager following the retirement of colleague Norman Roberts. During all of this time Philip was part-time teaching, from 1953 to 1958 at the Royal Technical College, Salford teaching graining , marbling and sign work. Walter Lee FIBD. was head of department there. He taught craft theory to City and Guilds students at Dewsbury and Batley College where Jack Ismay FIBD. was in charge. He also taught graining, marbling and sign work at the Jacob Kramer College at Leeds under Maurice Fray FIBD.
In 1979/80 Philip was very much involved with the restoration of the Victoria Hall (originally opened in 1858) of the Leeds Town Hall. Apart from the work being carried out under his supervision as Painting Manager at Leeds City Council Philip was responsible for doing all the necessary research, designing and producing working drawings. Much of the research was carried out at the Victoria and Albert Museum where the cartoons for the original scheme by John Dibble Crace are held. His practical skills were used in the execution of much of the decoration; cutting the various stencils required, producing the heraldic panels
which indicated the smaller Councils taken over by Leeds in the reorganisation of local authorities in bygone times, graining the main doors in feathered Mahogany, marbling to the pilasters, dado and plinths and much gilding to enrich the various features.
(a description of this work was published in the Autumn 1990 issue of the Faculty Spectrum)

Walmsley, Bernard

On leaving teaching Bernard Wamsley went to work for Messrs Smith and Waltons Paints Ltd. at Haltwhistle, Northumberland, as Head of the companies Colour and Design Department. He travelled the country in the late 1940s and early 1950s lecturing and helping to launch one of the early successful emulsion paints, Smith and Waltons 'Synflat'
He was a Papal Knight of the catholic Church.

Walters, Peter Eric

Peter Walters started work in 1946 serving a seven years apprenticeship with T. B. & W. Cockayne Ltd. of Sheffield. - a firm of some repute with departments of interior decorating, cabinet making, joinery, polishing, upholstery, soft furnishing workrooms, floor coverings and furniture showrooms. He continued the study of decoration on a part time basis at the Sheffield College of Art under a number of eminent instructors, including the legendary Zeph Car who was teaching evening classes at the college. The head of Painting and Decorating at the time was Arthur Davis. Through his apprenticeship with Cockaynes he gained wide experience in all types of decorative work including domestic, ecclesiastical and commercial, working with, and gaining experience from, the many fine craftsmen employed by the firm. At the age of 21 he went into the Royal Air Force, serving at home and in Germany as a photographer, returning to Cockaynes after his spell of National Service.
In 1965 Peter joined the John Lewis Partnership ( Cole Brother in Sheffield) as assistant manager responsible for the Painting and Decorating team and general maintenance within the store.
Two years later he moved to the Sheffield College of Art as a Craft Technician which involved support for students and staff in all areas of the decorating craft. At this time Peter was also teaching part time at the College of Art.
In 1971 the department was moved into a new College of Building and Peter became a Senior Technician in the new Construction Department. As the college developed and expanded he was appointed Principal Technician being responsible for all the support and technical services across the whole college .A position he held until his retirement.

Warwick, Keith

Keith was an accomplished craftsman in the decorative arts. He was born in Southport Lancashire on the 6th of December 1950. At the age of 18 he joined the RAF and trained as a Biochemistry Laboratory Technician. Eventually his love of the decorative arts took over and after moving to Bristol in the early 1980s he set up his own studio to run courses in Decorative Paint Techniques.
Many decorators were familiar with Keith in his capacity with the marketing of Polyvine, the company he joined in 1993. As a director of Polyvine he promoted the water based products by his enthusiastic lectures and demonstrations throughout the country. Keith was with Polyvine for six years and in this time produced a number of videos on Decorative Paint work. Keith was elected a Fellow of the Faculty of Decoration in 1999. Keith was a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers.
He was an active member of the 'Salon' series of craft exhibitions, the most recent of which was the 'Salon 2000' held in London at the Painter Stainers Hall. In September of 1999 Keith went to America to set up a studio of Decorative Arts in Chicago.

Williams, Thomas

Prior to Thomas (Tom) Williams commencing part time teaching at Liverpool in 1930 he held several responsible positions in the craft and whilst teaching was employed by Harold E. Cubley, of Liverpool for many years. In 1945 he was appointed full time instructor, and as the attendance of classes developed, he was delighted to be able to gather around him a staff composed of his former students.
For many years Tom Williams was co-examiner in practical work for various bodies, including the City and Guilds of London Institute and being responsible for the theoretical examination paper of that body for a number of years.
He was a keen trade unionist and in 1956 he received the Silver Star of the National Society of Painters to commemorate 50 years of continuous membership of the Society.
In 1930 Tom Williams joined the Association of Painting Craft Teachers and was awarded Honorary membership in his latter Years.

Whitmore - Jeffery, J.

In his youth J. Whitmore Jeffery became interested in his father's business of furniture, fabrics and decorating, which brought him into contact with many of the great families of the day, thus maintaining the business at a very high level. He well deserved promotion to the Managing Directorship of the business in Northampton, a position he held till he was eighty years of age. As a churchwarden he devoted much time to the well being of his church and it is not surprising that some of his greatest works are to be found in many village churches.
Included among the many offices held by Mr. Whitmore Jeffery during his career were, Membership of the Northampton Chamber of Trade and Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Warehousemen and Removers; President of the Northampton Y.M.C.A.; Honorary President of the Boys' Brigade; Churchwarden of Broughton Parish Church.

Whiteoak, Cyril

Trained under Mr. Ernest Sanderson.. Worked in design studio of the Walpamur Company Ltd. In 1956 he went to New Zealand as a colour adviser for Smith & Smith of Auckland

Whitticker, Randal

Randal Whittaker was a craftsman of considerable gifts, and a father of the movement to teach painting and decorating under school conditions. With Will Cantrill and Charles Eaton he worked out a syllabus for trade apprentices, and in 1022 was assigned to Birmingham School of Art to commence a trial class for six months; this was a great success, and later he was joined by J.J. Pollard on a full time basis. Under his dynamic direction the classes expanded rapidly. At the time of his death he had been a Fellow of the Institute of British Decorators for some sixty years. He was one of three founders of the Association of Painting Craft teachers in 1921 and was always most interested in the raising of education standards in the craft.

Willis, Bryan

Bryan was an interior decorator serving an apprenticeship in Sheffield. He studied his subject at the Sheffield College of Arts and Crafts, and gained City and Guilds Certification intermediate and final level.
After National Service in the Army, where he served in Egypt, he started his own business in Sheffield. He gained the Certificate in Education from Leeds University and eventually took a lecturing post at Shirecliffe College of Further Education teaching Painting and Decorating. Bryan was a Fellow of the Faculty of Decoration.
He was a keen footballer and coached a number of youth teams over many years.

Woodland, Robert

Robert woodland was apprenticed to the craft at Charles S. Foster & Sons Ltd. of Loughton, Essex, Church and Public House builders. He eventually took control of the family business which was founded in the mid 19th Century. In 1961 and 1962 Robert competed in the apprentice competitions at Olympia in London.
He carried out many commissions at various Livery Halls , Museums, Hotels and Stately Homes. He carried out work at the Houses of Parliament
Robert held exhibitions at Birmingham (N.E.C.) Alexandra Palace, Earls Court , Olympia and in Paris, Virginia and Texas (USA) .
He was awarded a Salon Group 'Lifetime of Outstanding Achievement' in the field of decorative painting

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