KEGS Aston - Alec Pearson

Alec Pearson (1920 - 1988)

Alec Pearson in later life

Alec Pearson was Art master at Aston from 1949 until 1955. I cannot comment on his ability as an artist, though that was to become well established later. As one of his pupils I can testify to his skills as a teacher. He was able to enthuse even those with the most limited artistic ability - like me!

I remember he got me, and other similarly artistically challenged boys, involved in making hand puppets for the marionette theatre group which was based in the Art Room. Strangely, it was there, too, that I heard the news of the death of King George VI in February, 1952.

In 1954 he played the part of the Pirate King in the school's production of 'The Pirates of Penzance'. Although my memories of this are rather hazy, I seem to recall his singing and acting talents were somewhat less than his artistic ones!

Alec left us in 1955 to take up a post at Sheldon Heath Comprehensive School. He left teaching completely in 1974 to pursue his career as an artist. Eventually, this developed in the direction of tapestry weaving. Here is an example of his work, "Village in hills", which is now in a private collection:

Other, very large, examples of his work are to be found in some of Britain's most prestigious companies.

Alec - a devout Christian - died of cancer, comparatively young, in Cambridge in 1988.