WALTER FREDERICK READ

TO OPEN THE PICTURES ON THIS PAGE, SIMPLY LEFT-CLICK ON THEM

Artist WALTER FREDERICK READ lived at 7 Watergate Lane in Woolton. His work is

now much sought-after. He was a personal friend of my parents and produced two sketches for them in 1957. I still have them in the original "frames", if you can call them such. He placed the pictures between a sheet of glass and a piece of cardboard and applied tape round the edges.

WALTER FREDERICK READ wrote a brief description of each picture in the frame.

"The old house at the corner of Woolton St, Woolton was the Post Office about the year 1880 - WFR"

"The cottages in Woolton St, Woolton were demolished after the sketch was made, October 29th 1957 - WFR"

Many thanks to ANDREW KENRICK who has been in touch with me, and kindly sent me copies of the items below, which are in his possession, having been given to his grandfather by Walter Frederick Read.

Thanks are also due to DAVE PARR, chief projectionist at Woolton Picture House for sending this watercolour of the cinema, painted by Walter Frederick Read.

LEFT: A fragment of paper in which the two pictures were wrapped.

CENTRE: "The Angler" - only 3x4 inches in size, and apparently painted in household gloss.

RIGHT: "And the Sun Creeps In" - only 2 inches high. Signed by WFR and AAC.

If anyone out there knows who "AAC" could be, please CONTACT ME.

Walter Frederick Read produced pictures for several famous people including the late Queen Mother and Sir Winston Churchill. One of his pictures is in the Royal Collection, described as a "decorative panel comprising birds and flowers in a decorative border mounted on blue leather".

His nephew Ken Read, who passed away in 2005, was also a talented artist. An exhibition of his work, "KEN READ RETROSPECTIVE", took place at the Rainford Gallery in St Helens, in October 2006.

Does anybody out there have any more of WALTER FREDERICK READ'S work? If you do, please contact me.