TONY UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY ON THE 5TH. MAY 2021. THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT WAS WRITTEN BY TONY A FEW YEARS BEFORE HIS PASSING.

"My first introduction to the existence of Moseley School of Art was through a maths teacher at my Secondary Modern School. Mr Roberts was a Cornish man who was passionate about art, and use to run an after school art club where a dozen of us boys would take classes both indoors and outdoors.  It was he who approached my parents about taking the examination for Moseley School of Art.
 
"The examination for our part of the city was held at Sladefield Road School, the year 1958. This is where I first met Phil Westwood who I am still pleased to call my friend to this day.  My outstanding memory of the examination was the title of the free art test "Explorers".     Faced with a large blank white piece of paper I decided to attempt a painting of an artic explorer. 
 
"During my first days at the art school I remember meeting up with Lynford Peppal.  My academic attempts during the examination did not appear to impress the examination board.   I was demoted from an "A" steam at Secondary Modern School, to a "C" stream at Moseley.   This was my first meeting with the other members of my form, the "Crazy Gang". Life was never to be the same again.
 
"The Art School bought together from all over the midlands a group of "Zany" creative people who viewed life quite differently from the rest of the population, nothing was taken seriously apart from their art.  As well as the groups for academic studies, groups were sub-divided into groups for art lessons.  These groups were lettered from "A to E" if I remember correctly, I was assigned to group "A".
 
"The art and craft that these groups were taught was quite intensive, from historic architecture, brush lettering, free art, modelling, silversmith work, all the great artistic skills. This was three years of great enjoyment for me, and an experience I would carry with me for a lifetime.
 
"Little is spoken about the craft side of the school, but the schools full title was Moseley Secondary School of Arts & Crafts. Personally, I gained greatly from the tutorials in the crafts which carried me forward in the field of work I eventually chose to take up, which was die making. In my last year at the school I was despatched, along with the other members of the group to three external colleges.    The College of Art, Margaret Street, where we were taught printing methods, most of which are now consigned to the museum, but nevertheless a great experience.   The College of Painting & Decorating, in Deritend, where we were taught board painting, public house signs, the old fashion one's you use to see. Finally the College of Furniture Making, in Aston, where we were taught the craft of Cabinet Making, and I still have the coffee table I made to this day, from a wood called "Afrormosia". This seemed so exotic way back in 1960.
 
"I personally had a great three years of experiences at Moseley, and befriended some great characters who I am still in touch with to this day.  I feel I was extremely lucky to have passed through the institution known as "The Moseley School of Art".          

Tony is now retired and lives in Staffordshire. He is still as compulsive as ever about producing works of art and regularly enters works in the Annual Exhibition of the Moseley School of Art Association, held on the third Sunday in May each year.