There is J Lawrence Isherwood exhibition of works at Wigan Town Hall, Opened by the State Minister for Works and Pensions Mr Ian Mc Cartney MP.
Friday 15th Nov. 2002 by invite
Sat 16 Nov 10.30-4.00 open viewing
There are works for sale.
The entrance is in Hewlett Street.
This is how this web page started!
Can you help?
I've had a question I can't answer. I've tried the search engines and I got knowhere, it reads .... " I read somewhere that Lowry was a big fan of James Lawrence Isherwood. I have a large self portrait of Isherwood and I was wondering where I could find further information about him"
Replies... thanks
Dear Anthony
Like your correspondent, I too was after information about Lawrence
Isherwood, because I have a small Lowry-esque seaside painting by Isherwood
and I'm trying to find out more about him.
I was a reporter for BBC radio in Manchester in the mid-80s and I went to
visit Isherwood, who I'd never heard of, after a fire at his home destroyed
a number of his paintings. He was an eccentric bachelor of about 60, still
living in one or two rooms in this very badly damaged house which reeked of
smoke and water damage, and which he had made no attempt to fix. His
paintings were strewn everywhere, he appeared to have no regard for them,
and he gave me the picture I still have as a present at the end of our
interview. I can't remember where the house was but it was somewhere quite
suburban - maybe Middleton or Prestwich or somewhere similar.
Isherwood
told me that L S Lowry had regarded him as his natural successor. Can this
be substantiated?
Incidentally I was at the new Lowry arts center in Salford last week. I now
live in Bristol and don't get up to Manchester very often but I have a
friend who works at the Lowry. I think it's quite spectacular.
Anyway, any information will be gratefully received.
Best wishes
Tony Coll
I found your web site most interesting and came across it looking through a vast number of sites.
I've studied Lowry for 25 years now and he remains my obsession passion. The man is an interesting as his work.
You mention J Lawrence Isherwood. He died in 1989 but his work is in great demand - and in areas further afield than his Wigan hometown.
There are references to him under his name on the web. I did a piece on his years ago. I'm a journalist.
The Independent is planning to do a big piece on him in one of the colour sections.
Lowry bought an inquest painting - woman with black cat - in the early 60's and it remained on his wall in his workroom until his death in February 1976.
I've been looking round The Lowry at Salford and will be at the first show. It looks excellent but is not meant to be a tribute to L S Lowry. I met him just once.
With all good wishes
Geoffrey Shryhane
Simon Spence
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 11:38 PM
Subject: Lawrence Isherwood
Subject: Isherwood
I'm in the process of writing an article about Isherwood for the IoS.
He's
dead but his sister in law, Molly Isherwood, is alive and handling his
estate.
I think he was better than Lowry, who stole his dogs. They were
pals
but Lowry got a London agent, while Isherwood was too balmy to deal. I was
going to search the engines for more info but if you've done that already and
drawn a blank, thanks for saving me the time.
If you have an more info,
like
quotes from Lowry about Isherwood, it'd be a real help.
Simon Spence
Tony.....~~...
. I am told that Lowry bought one of his paintings, saying, "I only buy pictures I like and I bought an Isherwood years ago". I also understand that Prince Charles also bought one of Isherwood paintings when he was a student a Trinity College. Any information about the man would be much appreciated I think his art is superb. Ruth
part2
Tony,
Thanks for your message,
Yes I would like you to pass on my e-mail to the group of people who
follow Lawrence Isherwood's work.
I am trying to get some photos, books etc together at the moment and I
will pass these onto you in the near future.
Speak to you soon.
Thanks very much for your help.
Ruth G
Tony Coll says that Isherwood (who lived throughout his life in Wigan) was a bachelor. This is not true.
He married but that marriage ended in divorce. In the late 70's or early 80's, Isherwood said he had married an admirer. The marriage did not take place although they lived together for a while.
There are many similarities between Isherwood and Lowry. But Isherwood, unlike Lowry, devoted his whole live to his painting. Lowry had a full time job until he retired on full pension in 1952.
Isherwood went through bad times, some of his own making. But he did have great regard for his paintings. He did give them away - sometimes. Or sell them for next to nothing. Another sign of a great artist. He wanted people to love his works - and those he dedicated to his mother (and there were thousands) he always refused to sell - even for good prices. These paintings are marked with an "L" on the reverse for "Lily." Geoffrey Shryhane
web cuttings
Wiganers queue for
eccentric's paintings(people from the town of Wigan)
David Ward
Monday November 15,
1999
He wore sandals
without socks, which
was a daring thing to
do in Wigan at the
time.
He also sported a
cape, goatee beard and
long hair, and he
painted hundreds of
canvasses (including
a portrait of Mary
Whitehouse with five
breasts) in an
eccentric artistic
life dominated by twin
passions: alcohol and
his mother.
Almost 300 of the
paintings of James
Lawrence Isherwood,
some wild and
brilliant, others
dark and sombre, went on
sale at the weekend
in the function suite
of Wigan town hall,
with prices ranging
from £75 to £1,200.
Many depicted local
mills, streets and
canals; others showed
scenes from
Spain, Malta, London;
rows of bottles
(empty); racehorses;
clowns; nudes; and
his mother. All had
been rescued from the
vaults of two banks
where they had been
gathering dust for 10
years.
Isherwood was born in
Wigan, the
Lancashire town
famous for its pier, rugby
league team and
mintballs, in 1917 and
died there of cancer
in 1989. But he would
probably have been
happier cutting a dash
in fin de siècle
Paris and knocking round
the bars with
Toulouse Lautrec and the
rest.
"Painting drives me
mad but I have to do
it," he told friends.
"It's the only thing I
know."
He was so prolific
that he held more than
200 one-man shows in
galleries across
the country and also
set up shop under
Boadicea's statue on
Westminster Bridge
in London and in a
lay by on the East
Lancs road, a busy
dual carriageway near
his home.
The Prince of Wales
bought one of his
pictures, as did LS
Lowry.
Isherwood also
achieved some critical
recognition: the
Daily Herald found him
"compassionate,
gifted and dedicated" in
1962 and the Guardian
called him "a great
and uncompromising
artist" in 1975.
"He really thought he
was good," said his
sister-in-law, Molly
Isherwood, who
organised the sale.
"He had this
conviction that he
was a true artist - and
he certainly had the
temperament. He
could be very kind
and charm the birds off
the trees. But he
could also be absolutely
awful, vitriolic."
He married and took
his bride to live with
his mother, Lily, in
the family's semi
detached home in
Wigan Lane.
But the new Mrs
Isherwood, intimidated
by her mother-in-law,
ran away within a
year.
Mother (who liked her
gin) and son (who
preferred Scotch)
lived together in
unrepentant squalor.
"They wouldn't get up
until mid-afternoon,"
recalled Geoffrey
Shryhane, a Wigan
journalist who knew
Isherwood well and
has 70 of his
pictures.
"He wouldn't answer
the door so if I was
going to see him I
used to send a
telegram to say when
I would arrive."
Lily was Isherwood's
inspiration and he
painted her many
times, often as a
Lancashire madonna.
"If she liked a
picture, he would put
an 'L' on the back
and never sell it,"
said Mr Shryhane.
"When Lily died in
1973, he was really
stressed," added Mrs
Isherwood. "He
seemed to go a bit
wild because she had
kept a very tight
rein on him."
In the late 1970s, he
left Wigan and for a
time relished the
brilliant light of the
Mediterranean,
spending time in Malta
and Torremolinos in
Spain. But he came
home to open a
gallery in his own house,
which was wrecked by
a fire in 1983.
"The prices of the
pictures are very
reasonable," said Mrs
Isherwood. "His
wish was that the
people of Wigan should
buy them and
appreciate them ... He
wanted people to know
there had been a
genius in their
town."
On Saturday Wiganers
queued round the
block as they waited
for the sale to begin.
All but 30 of the
paintings were sold.
Why not buy the book and read the many stories relating to Wigan people.
All
documented by Geoffrey from his 40 years as a local newspaper reporter.
The Long Silence.
Yes, but what was he really like?" The reporter from the Daily Mail had
rung to get some comments about J. Lawrence Isherwood, the Wigan artist
because a dozen of
his oil paintings were for sale at an auction house in Chester.
Jim Isherwood was a true if eccentric painter. I had met him in 1963 and
had been impressed by his limited fame. I didn't realise I would become his
agent in 1974. I
didn't realise he would, under my inexperienced guidance, find fame. I
didn't know the hurt he would cause. Looking for a new venture, I suggested
to Ishy that I and
another Wigan businessman should hold an exhibition of his paintings at
premises on Library Street. "O.K. but you won't sell any. I've tried for
years. It's difficult", he
said in the turpentine smelling chaos of his house at 151 Wigan Lane.
He had been painting and drinking whisky for years. He was living like a
true artist - and had never forgotten a quote by Stephen Dixon in the Arts
Guardian... "He is a
man living in the wrong age, living in the Paris 1900 style but yet in
Wigan in 1974". That quote impressed Ishy. He had it printed on his pink
note paper, along with the
fact that he was listed in Who's Who in Art.
"They say I'm Lowry's true heir", he said, the morning I took him for
admission to Billinge Hospital for treatment. His nerves were shot at. He
had been drinking too
much. He needed help. "Show the paintings", he said, as they gave him
sponge pudding on, arrival at Billinge. "You won't sell them". He was wrong.
We did sell. In fact
during a three day exhibition in the little room in the center of Wigan,
we sold out and had to ask for more. The reason was simple. I'd taken some
of the oils over to
Granada T.V. in Manchester and they'd been shown in a 'What's On in the
North" bulletin. The customers flocked in. We sold 25 at a preview before
the official
opening. The folks from Wigan and Preston and Blackburn had been
influenced by telly publicity.
Isherwood was delighted. He made us his agents. But there was a feeling of
unease. He had agreed the commission. But then he was suspicious. "I'm the
painter. I
should get the lot". He didn't say it. But that's what he thought.
He remained in Billinge Hospital. We gave his share of the cash to his
brother. "I can't handle money", he said, more contented (on the surface)
with teaching other
patients to paint.
We had another show in Wigan. And one in Chorley. We had a limited edition
print. 'The Lancashire Mine'. Joe Gormley, President of the Mine workers
Union signed a
few. Out of 750, we sold 14.
Then Isherwood found it all too much. One night he exploded. "I can handle
my own success", he ranted. A telephone call from an evening newspaper
brought the news
that he had sacked us. We were no longer his agents. It was typical.
Others had suffered similar problems with the highly original and volatile
artist.
It was, in my estimation, a blow below the belt. Jim Isherwood went to
live at a Southport hotel. Then the papers said he had married. Time proved
he hadn't. He rang
me at the office. "Ishy here" he said, in that soft, persuasive voice. I
was having none of it. He had let me down and I couldn't forgive him. I
never spoke to Jim Isherwood
again. To this day his pictures remain in our attic.
He died in the summer of 1989. His nephew Clive arrived at our house the
next day. 'You knew him. Will you write his obituary. I did. It pulled no
punches. Although we
hadn't spoken for 15 years - he had let me down so badly I couldn't find
it in my heart to forgive him - I decided to go to his funeral on that warm
sunny day. I was early
and sat on the wall outside the Parish Church.
It was a time for personal reflection about this very colourful, yet
controversial artist. I met him in the early 60s. Even then he looked older
than his and walked with a
shuffle. People said Jim Isherwood had dubbed a true artist not through
his paintings but because he wore sandals without socks back in the post war
years.
It was easy for me, a young raw cub reporter, to be impressed Lawrence
Isherwood, F.R.S.A., F.IA.L. Isherwood with his longhair, winning smile and
his name not only
in the papers but on the television. Around 1962 he appeared on the box in
a news programme painting by holding the brush between his toes. He was a
master of the
news gimmick. A gift to reporters. And he enjoyed his celebrity. He loved
dropping names. During his exhibitions in big cities - he loved both Oxford
and Cambridge -
he met the rich and the famous, who bought his paintings.
But Wiganers - at least most of them - didn't really understand the art of
Isherwood. "Just daubs" they laughed when they saw his works in Wigan Lane
Post Office or
Lowe's cafe. Even then, it was obvious to me that Isherwood was a talented
artist. Throughout his career some works were far better than others. He
himself once said
a few would be better burned.
My passion for paintings was developing in the early 70s. And there were
many visits to the house on Wigan Lane. The house with the little note on
the door asking
callers to keep away until the afternoon. Isherwood's habit was to paint
long, long into the night. Go to bed around four a.m. and stay there until
the afternoon.
A knock on the front door brought shuffling and the usual "who is it"
question. He seemed almost afraid of strange voices. He never really coped
all that well with
people, except his mother, Lily, who was his absolute inspiration.
And so there was entry into the painting palace. That palace of special
and total artistic chaos. No telephone then. In the dark hall, paintings
stacked in every corner.
And in the front room. Everywhere, inches of dust. The window cleaner
didn't call. Those marked "Lily" on the reverse meant they were mother
Lily's and therefore not
for sale. It wasn't a ploy. Try though I did, I couldn't buy a "Lily"
work.
So through to the dining room where Isherwood painted. Here the smell of
oil paints and turpentine was strongest. And in those days, .Mother Lily was
there, always
glad you'd gone, always generous with the measures of whisky. Always
"going on" at Jim. Mother and son often owed. But it meant nothing. She
accompanied him to
exhibitions. She saw to the business side while Isherwood talked about
painting and life and about himself and his art. They always went to the
pictures on Thursday.
'I've sold one to Prince Charles", he said, delighted after returning m
the University city in the old red van which couldn't go more than miles
without breaking down.
The problem was that Jim Isherwood never knew how much to get for one of
his paintings. All about were works showing the London scene, the Wigan
views, the rainy
paintings. Scenes abroad. Horses racing. Portraits of people, mostly
famous. Portrait of Mother Lily in straw hat. Portrait of Mother Lily in
Oxford. Portrait of Mother Lily
as the Lancashire Madonna in her shawl.
"How much" I'd ask. And the artist, his hands smeared with green or red or
blue oils would chunter on. "I'm not bothered. Have it. Keep it. It's a
present for that story in
the 'the Observer'. Look, give me a flyer - well perhaps a tenner. No,
take it home and see if you like it next week. If you do come and pay me".
It was always the same. But any painting given for whatever reason always
backfired. Isherwood would say: "Yes, and so and so still owes me for three
paintings".
Isherwood - man with two faces as I was later to discover to my utter
disappointment.
My collection grew. The first painting I ever bought was Boy in Wigan with
Ball. It was pink and blue, and was the subject of much mirth. 'That art.
It's a joke". Then
there was a Scottish scene. A long picture of A Wigan Bus Queue in the
Rain which to this day I can't find. But Isherwood's paintings had that
certain something. An
excitement. A flair. A freedom. And other serious collectors knew that
even if he never became commercially famous, they had the work of a true
original.
And Isherwood was a true original. See his works from 50 paces and you
know they are his. The signature is almost superfluous. One day I asked him
why he marked
the reverse of each oil painting with the price - always in guineas - and
a cross. What did the cross represent? The answer was obvious. "It meant
'God help me'!" he
said, and then realised he had given away a secret.
After the bust up in 1975 my Isherwoods were put away. I never intended to
part with one. There was one exception. A woman living in Orrell pestered me
to buy
Guardsman in the Rain. I relented and let her have it for £50. And like
Isherwood, I told her that if she didn't like it she could return it. Two
days later she did just that.
That oil painting had originally belonged to a member of the Rathbone
bread family. I'd bought it because I liked it and the moment I parted with
it, I missed it. I was
always thankful the big oil painting came back to me, the "rightful"
owner.
In the spring of 1989 1 was unaware that Jim Isherwood was ill. And my
interest in his paintings was still so intense, I advertised to buy his
work. No-one replied
because Wiganers were hanging on knowing that they may, one day, be worth
big cash. And that day, it seems, is almost here. Within months of his
death, one sold
at a Chester auction for £600. Isherwood would have been gratified. He
wanted to live on through his work.
On that funeral day, the cortege arrived on the dot. The Rector, Canon
Malcolm Forrest, waited. There were few mourners. And, that was a shame
because Isherwood
had touched the lives of so many Wiganers. The woman he said was his
second wife was there holding a rose. Gordon Isherwood, brother, who is his
double, nodded
to me as I waited to follow the official mourners.
The address by the Rector was ever eloquent and he mentioned the tribute
I'd written in the Wigan Observer. "A man as colourful as his canvases", I
recall he said. It
was true. Within the hour J. Lawrence Isherwood was buried alongside his
Mother Lily in Wigan Cemetery.
He left a legacy of fiery and energetic paintings which will live on in
thousands of homes here and abroad. And it was only after Ishy died that
many Wiganers admitted
they'd always meant to buy a painting but never quite got round to it. Ah,
isn't that the story of art?
POSTSCRIPT
In September 1990 31 lots of Isherwood's paintings were auctioned by
Philips at Chester, bringing £6,000. A new auction record of £l,150.00 was
set for one painting.
Geoffrey Shryhane
http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3930443,00.html
The following article appeared in the Manchester Evening News on Friday
16 June.
I thought it would be of interest to you.
Quote ...
CALLS FOR LOWRY TO SHOWCASE UNSUNG GENIUS
A woman who believes her brother in law was as talented as L S Lowry is
battling to have his works hung in Salford's new £100m art center.
Molly Isherwood has already written to bosses at the Lowry asking for a
collection of J Lawrence Isherwood's paintings to be put on permanent
display.
Lowry was a keen supporter of struggling artists throughout his life.
She is hoping Lowry's backing for Isherwood will strengthen her case.
After his death, one of Isherwood's paintings was found hanging in his
Mottram in Longdendale home.
Molly, who has been championing her brother in law's case since his
death 11 years ago, believes that one day his impressionistic paintings
will be as prized as Salford artist Lowry's matchstick men.
And she offered to loan a selection of his best canvasses to The Lowry.
"Jim Isherwood really admired Lowry and was often is his company," said
Molly, who lives in Appley Bridge, near Wigan.
"Lowry acquired one of his paintings, Woman with Black Cat, in the early
sixties, which he hung in the studio-workroom at his home.
"He never took it down and it was there when Lowry died in 1976. Lowry
always bought pictures by struggling artists, remembering the day he too
struggled."
Molly's enthusiasm for her brother in law's works is shared by BBC
weather presenter Diane Oxbury and former Euro MP Lord Harrision of
Chester.
"I have been amazed by the range and quality of Jim's work", said Ms
Oxbury, who recently acquired an Isherwood.
"There's no doubt he should be seen by a wider audience."
A spokesman for The Lowry said an exhibition by
Isherwood would be considered.
Unquote
I think Molly Isherwood is doing a great job and deserves our support.
Bye for now
Ruth.
PHOTOS BY GEOFFREY SHRYHANE : geoffrey.shryhane-wigan@virgin.net .
I am very interested in your site. It actually was my mother who stood by his grave with a red rose. I have some fascinating photographs and correspondence from between them. Even I didn't know whether they were married or not. My mother certainly called herself Pat Isherwood and she told me that they were married. Anyway if anyone wishes to ask me any questions I'd be happy to get in touch.
I can be contacted at scotiamills@aol.com
Fraser White
I have just had a very interesting phone call with Molly Isherwood.
I sent her a copy of the web page so that we could confirm that the
information was generally true. Molly was very pleased at the Interest in
Jim.
Molly is organising an exhibition of Jim's work at The Mill House Gallery,
Parbold near Southport on 18th November 2000.(also exhibition planned for nov 2002)
Molly confirmed the friendship between Jim & Lowry. They met "on & off."
They had a joint exhibition where Lowry bought "Woman with cat" which he
hung over the kitchen mantle piece.
Jim was photographed with Lowry and Jim sketched Lowry. Molly's family still
have the photo.
Molly has lots of Jim's paintings and would be very pleased to let them go
exhibitions.
Jim also collected rents in his time (like Lowry)
Lowry's Mother did not like Lowry's work and even turned them around so that
they were facing the wall!
Molly was able to confirm that Jim always claimed that Prince Charles bought
one of his paintings at university. reasonably,
this was also confirmed when some one at an exhibition said that they had
seen Prince Charles's Isherwood painting. New contacts spring 2001
I am very interested in your site. It actually was my mother who stood by his grave with a red rose. I have some fascinating photographs and correspondence from between them. Even I didn't know whether they were married or not. My mother certainly called herself Pat Isherwood and she told me that they were married. anyway if anyone wishes to ask me any questions I'd be happy to get in touch. I can be contacted at scotiamills@aol.com
fraser white
I visited an art shop in Wigan last Thursday and was told by the proprietor that he had a visit from a gentleman who was writing a book about Lawrence Isherwood. Does anyone know anything about it?
Please let me know if you have any information. Best wishes
RuthI tried to reply to the page of posts where i found this but couldn't manage
it!
I have an isherwood too, and met him as a schoolgirl, as he lived near us
and mum knew him. She told him I was a gifted artist and he offered to teach
me privately, but what with him being odd it never happened sadly. i would
like to include my painting in any future exhibitions but don't know how to
go about it. i am interested in any news you have re Isherwood, Catherine
Keep in touch
I've only just come across the Isherwood page, which I find fascinating.
When I was at Cambridge University in the late 60s, Isherwood used to come
about twice a year to show his paintings and sell them to the
undergraduates. He used the rooms of different undergraduates as his gallery
and dealt from there. He used my room once or twice, and always paid his
gallery owner in paintings. I thus have half a dozen oil on board paintings
by him, mostly with his prices "50 gns" or whatever he fancied, written on
the back. I was always less impressed by his 'Wigan Man' style (of which i
have one) than his more impressionistic landscapes and seascapes.
He was indeed a strange man to deal with, but always very friendly and
entirely opposed to the art establishment, who he felt were ripping off the
poor artists and the poor customers. As a poor customer, I could only agree!
And by the way, it was at one such exhibition (not in my rooms) that the
Prince of Wales bought an Isherwood. I remember Isherwood telling me that he
now had royal patronage.
I only wish I had known of the exhibition in Southport in November. I would
have liked to have seen a major collection of his work, and also to get an
idea of the current value of my 'dealer's fee' 30+ years ago. Jonathan R
Hi,
I was a photographer with the Southport visiter back through the 70's and then
later with a freelance agency and had on many occasions been sent to take pix of
Lawrence or "Jim" as he preferred to be known.
On one occasion in his rooms, at the Scarisbrick Hotel, he showed me a
photograph of his mother and told me how he was worried that the photo was
deteriorating. I offered to copy it and did so and later in the week took a
print of the copy to him at the hotel.
He was thrilled with the print and - as was usual for Jim - offered me any
painting I wanted off his wall but this time he wouldn't take no for an answer.
I eventually plumped for a small acrylic on hardboard titled - "Beryl at
Birkenhead docks".
He signed it in felt tip on the back with a message "To Tony with thanks" and
then grumbled that it was only one of a handful of paintings he had done using
acrylic paints as he didn't like them and what's more pointed out that it was
one of the pieces he laughingly called his "blue period".
Nevertheless when I offered to leave it with him he insisted that I took it
saying if I didn't like it I could bring it back and pick another.
It languished in the attic until quite recently when I "rediscovered" it
virtually being used as a "lid" on a small crate holding some old photographic
equipment.
It's quite a strange "impasto" picture and looks like it was done with a palette
knife rather than a brush and I've no idea who "beryl" was or is.
I still haven't framed it. Somehow it looks like it shouldn't be framed.
Anyway, I thought you might like this anecdote of Lawrence Isherwood's non
materialistic way of life and his easy generosity.
Yours,
Tony Hall
HI,
I read your web page re J.L. Isherwood and thought i'd reply to you.
I bought Isherwood's house in 1991 and have since that time collected
several of his
paintings and also have one sketch. It is reported that Lowry described
Isherwood
as his successor but I cannot corroborate this. I do not think it is in
doubt that they were
friends and I recently purchased a portrait of Lowry by isherwood.
Isherwood drew upon a number of sources for his inspiration and often
painted portraits
from post-cards, pictures in magazines etc.
However, he also painted live subjects and would ask people off the street
if they would
pose for him.
I am presently trying to classify the stylistic changes which occurred
through his work
which covered several decades. Some of his later poprtraits, parrticularly
his portraits
are very disturbing to look at.
I have built up a large catalogue of stories from people who knew him
personally,
including a neighbour in his nineties who knew him all his life. Most of the
stories
are anecdotal and very interesting.
I now tend to take most stories put around from his family with a large
pinch of salt
as they bear little relationship to the profile of the person that I have
built up from talking
to grass roots people who knew him.
Anyway, I could write all night on this subject if I got carried away.
Yours faithfully,
Nic Shallicker
I have quite a few recollections of jim isherwood.
One vivid one when i was a young boy.I used to go to St Mary's school in Standishgate Wigan and went to my grandmothers for my dinner each day in Scholes,
One day I was returning to school walking down Greenough St where his mother had a shop.
As I was walking by, Jim asked me to stop and admire a portrait of Tommy Steele (with two heads) ,and the next day the picture appeared in the Daily Mirror with the caption "Artist unveils portrait of pop sensation Tommy Steele ,young admirer amazed"
Years later I was working for a local Bookmaker Joe Kennedy in The Wiend,and Isherwood was a regular visitor to the office,which in those days before betting shops was a credit office.
He liked a bet on the horses and more often than not when it came time to settle up he invariably paid his debts by way of a painting . I dread to think of how many of his works ended up being a nice comfy resting place for Joe's two Siamese cats.
A couple of years ago I came across a signed copy of Sir Gerald Nabarro's autobiography dedicated to Jim and Lily ,and guess what was inside....a couple of sketches and a photograph of one of his paintings in Venice I think.
Hope this is of interest Bernard Dowdall
36 NEW PICTURES FOR THE SITE
Thanks to Molly Isherwood.
Molly found an unknown set of water colours whilst sorting through old papers. Molly is now trying to organise an exhibition to be held in November. details will be here soon.
All the best Tony Seaton