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Biographies of Past Members

Cicely Mary Barker (1895 - 1973)
Joined The Croydon Art Society at the age of 16 and was made a life member.
World famous artist and painter of the ‘Flower Fairies’.
During the 1st World War she painted pictures of children at play in wartime activities.    Many of these paintings were published as postcards.     Writer and illustrator of childrens’ books published by Blackie.
Paintings in Norbury Methodist Church, St Georges Church, Waddon, St Edmunds Church, St Andrews Church and the Borough of Croydon’s Art Collection.
Vice President of the Society in 1961.
A blue plaque commemorating her life is on the wall of 23 The Waldrons, Croydon where she lived.

Godwyn Bennett
Set up artist and picture shop in Croydon.     Exhibitor at the Royal Academy.     Painted postcards for Salmonds.

Constance Mary Cooper, VPSWA, FRSA
President of The Croydon Art Society for 22 years.    Had her own business in London employing 23 girls designing and making lampshades for Royalty..    A keen supporter of the Scout movement , she was largely responsible for the Society raising and donating many thousands of pounds to many charities including the Scouts.

James Edwin Cooper
Printer with keen interest in local history.    Author of ‘Croydon History’.

William Eyre
Painting in oils and watercolours his work is often compared to Edward Seago.

Wilfred Fryer,RI, SMA, ROI, RE, Wapping Group
Worked in advertising producing posters and book covers.    Founder member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists.
Painting in the Millenary publication Croydon 1000 published in 1958.   Panoramic view of Croydon as centre spread.
Paintings in the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall.

Arthur Hacker, RA
Vice President of the Society in 1914.     Colleague of Stanhope Forbes.   They both founded the New English Art Club.     Exhibitor at the Royal Academy, his work can be found in many public collections including Manchester, the Tate Gallery, the Leeds City Art Collection and the Walker Art Gallery.

Reginald H Hill, SGFA
Earned his living going round the country drawing school children.   First exhibited work at the Royal Academy at the age of 18.     President of the Society 1995 - 2002.

Hesketh Hubbard,PRBA, ROI, RBC, ARWA (1892 - 1957)
Landscape and Architectural artist, etcher and furniture designer.    Painted posters for LMS, SR, and CWR railways.
President of the AGBI
President of ROI
Examiner in Art at Cambridge University
Paintings in British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Museum of Wales.

Joan Kinder, Hon. SGFA, MFPS
In the 1960s was considered avante garde.    Produced work mainly by monoprint.    Made a Life Member of the Society.

Myles Meehan
Formed the Croydon Arts Club in the 1950s.    Secretary of the Artists of Croydon Committee which staged exhibitions in London.   Organised the Artists of Croydon Exhibition in the Millenary year 1960.
There is the Myles Meehan Gallery in Darlington .

Jack Merriott, RI, ROI, PS, RSMA, Wapping Group
Landscape and portrait painter in watercolour and oils.     Poster designer and author of several books.     Studied at Croydon School of Art and St Martins School of Art..    Painted posters for LNER, LMR, 
S Region, Scottish Region and West Region..    Memorial harbour light erected in Polperro, Cornwall by his many pupils and friends.

Irving Montague
Post Crimean War Artist working for the Illustrated London News.    Author of the book ‘Wanderings of a War Artist’.

Claude Murrills, FBDS, FRSA
After moving to Hassocks in Sussex he founded one art society and was a leading member in two others.

Juliet Pannett, MBE,PS, FRSA, SGFA (1911 - 2005)
Trained at Brighton College of Art.
Painted Her Majesty the Queen twice, nine prime ministers and more than 1000 other portraits.    22 of her works are in the National Portrait Gallery.      Had a seat in the House of Commons from where she painted Britain’s political milestones including Churchill’s last appearance in 1964..     Was selected to represent the Illustrated London News as special artist on the inaugural flight around the world by Quantas Airlines.

Alfred Parsons, RA
Vice President of the Society in 1914.    Born in London he was very much involved in the close knit Broadway Group.     Landscape painter and Illustrator he illustrated for Harper’s New Monthly magazine.     President of the Society of Painters in Watercolours in 1905.     A keen gardener he illustrated Ellen Willmott’s book on roses.

Aubrey Sykes, PPPS, PPRI (1910 - 1995)
Joined The Croydon Art Society in 1949.     Member of the Wapping Group of Artists from 1963.

Harold Tamblyn-Watts
Worked in Fleet Street illustrating children’s comics.  Exhibitor at the Royal Watercolour Society.

Richard Walker, SGFA, UA, NDD, ATD
Painting,’Panorama of London’, bought by the Museum of London.    His name included in the USA publication, ‘Marquis’, ‘Who’s who in the world’.       Tutor at Croydon School of Art.

Frank Warren
Wrote and illustrated the ‘History of Addington Village’.

William Watkins, RI, PS, Wapping Group
Paintings in Croydon Council’s art collection.   One of the founders of the Wapping Group of Artists.    

Terrick Williams, RA, RI
Painter of Landscape and Marine subjects.    Senior Royal Acadamecian in 1936.    President of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours in 1933.

William Tatton Winter, RBA (1855 - 1928)
Studied at Manchester Academy of Fine Arts.    Exhibitor at the Royal Academy, Paris Salon and Munich.     Member of the London Sketch Club.    Studied under Verlat at the Antwerp Academy.

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