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All the graphic work I have produced in this Essex Village since 1975
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The Millrind Press2014
ILLUSTRATINGFORDHAM
JOHN KAY
R.Colne 1990
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ILLUSTRATING FORDHAM
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ILLUSTRATING FORDHAM
John Kay
Published and printed in Stempel Garamond by
The Millrind Press
22 Hall Road, Fordham, Colchester, Essex CO6 3NQ
All rights reservedNo part of this book may be reproduced or utilized inany form or by any means, electrical or mechanical,without express permission in writing from the author.
ISBN 978 1902194 13 4
Copyright © John Kay 2014
This publication has evolved from“Fordham In Watercolour”, designed by Jenny Kay.
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ILLUSTRATING FORDHAM
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Pen and Ink drawing from a photo taken in France
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ILLUSTRATINGFORDHAM
JOHN KAY
The Millrind Press
Being a nostalgic look at the time I have been drawing andpainting in and around this village.
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Schematic map of Fordham
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CONTENTSPREFACE....................................................................11
Introduction to Fordham in Watercolour.......................12Jenny Kay 2004.........................................................12
Introduction to Fordham from My Sketchbook.............15 Jenny Kay 2003........................................................15
Printing, Designing and Illustrating .............................17Jenny Kay.................................................................17
INTRODUCTION......................................................191. TO FORDHAM FROM ..........................................20
Fordham Heath..............................................................20River Colne.....................................................................24
2. MILL ROAD TO CHURCH END.........................29Mill Road........................................................................29Fordham Hall.................................................................31All Saints C. of E. Primary School..................................34All Saints Church............................................................36Church Festivals ............................................................43
Flowers and Paintings - Church Festivals..............44The Three Horse Shoes.................................................49
3. CHURCH ROAD TO PLUMMERS ROAD...........52Church Road..................................................................52Pavement Artist..............................................................56Fordham Fête.................................................................57Fordham Horticultural Society......................................63Fordham Village Hall.....................................................64The Vulcan Inn...............................................................71The Village Green..........................................................73The Village Sign.............................................................74
The Village Sign, Jenny Kay 15.1.1999 ....................74 Heraldry of the Landowners..................................76
Moat Road......................................................................79Plummers Road..............................................................83Wormingford Road.........................................................86
4. OPEN COUNTRYSIDE - WEST...........................88Ponders Road and Beyond.............................................88Chappel Road.................................................................91
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Suttons Farm..................................................................93Penlan Hall Lane...........................................................96
5. OPEN COUNTRYSIDE - EAST............................99Fossetts Lane.................................................................99Rams Farm Road..........................................................104
Fletchers Farm......................................................105Rams Farm............................................................107Fordham Place.......................................................111
6. FROM FORDHAM TO FORD STREET.............113Shoulder of Mutton.......................................................113River Colne....................................................................115Aldham Steam Fair and Rally.......................................117Ford Street....................................................................120
7. THE MILLRIND PRESS......................................122Printing and Publishing...............................................122List of ISBN Publications.............................................130
8. EXHIBITIONS......................................................1319. LOCAL PRESS COVERAGE................................136
Evening Gazette August 1977................................136Evening Gazette October 1977..............................137Evening Gazette 12. 7.1993.....................................138East Anglian Daily Times 30 June1998..................139Evening Gazette, Monday December 13,1999.......140Evening Gazette Monday, June 4, 2001.................143Essex Life & Countryside, October 2001............144
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................146INDEX.......................................................................147ADVERTISEMENT..................................................152
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PREFACESome time ago I decided to update my wife Jenny’s book of my
paintings, fordham in watercolour. It is true that many of the paint-ings were done a long time ago and more representative of history thanthe present, yet surely that is one of the great values of painting, itshistorical significance.
Continuing with this encouraging thought, my mind moved on tofordham from my sketchbook and I decided that was an even moreobvious instance of preserving history. (Jenny’s introductions to thesetwo books follow this preface, together with a write-up for a booklet onThe Millrind Press.)
Why not therefore combine the two publications under a commontitle, include some of the missing sketches and also my later paintings?
In recent years I have come to shift slightly to a previous direction Iwas once drawn to and that is one of greater abstraction. Having someearly experience with a firm which specialised in silk screen painting .
I was always very aware of the attraction of poster work from laterVictorian times starting with the Art and Craft movement , the litho work
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Introduction to Fordham in WatercolourJenny Kay 2004
In 1975 John and I decided to move to N.E. Essex, attracted by thescenery and the open skies. Our discovery of Fordham was serendipi-tous. On a tour of the villages between Halstead and Colchester wefound Fordham with its rolling farmland and views across the ColneValley. We moved into a semi-detached house in Hall Road among the“acres of deplorably unrural new housing” as described by NormanScarfe in his Shell Guide to Essex. The “unrural” bit suited the “townie”in John as he enjoys the proximity of neighbours.
Over the years John has found a continuous source of subjects forpaintings in and around the village. We have taken many wonderful walksaround Fordham with the camera, particularly in snowy weather. Oftenit has taken a few years before the photograph and the sketch have beenused for a painting.
of Toulouse Lautrec and continuing with the those lesser known butexcellent poster artists of the 20s and 30s.
Tamara de Lempicka, Tom Purvis, Freda Lingstrom, A.M.Cassandre,Ludwig Holwein and even today, producing some beautiful, succinctwork, the artist Peter McDermott. Not excluding the great influence ofPicasso, who it is impossible to ignore, these artists have had a salutaryinfluence upon me.
I haven’t drawn or painted the inside of my house much except for thepainting of Jenny and an abstract of our living room in Hall Road.
I have however found that our excellent small garden, lovingly de-signed and maintained by my wife has proved an ideal subject for a fewcolour sketches.
I have included a pretty exhaustive number of sketches leaving out onlythe most perfunctory of my drawings. This has required a great deal ofself-control because it is very easy to miss out those which are considerednot to do one justice. So here they are, the indifferent as well as the best.I leave you to make your own judgement.
John Kay
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Living room and Hall Rd abstract & Jenny in the garden
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Many of John’s paintings are privately owned. John has kept photo-graphs and copies have been made on cards and notelets.
John’s paintings are figurative, with a landscape/townscape bias. Hiswork is traditional, he carefully composes his paintings and uses water-colour techniques with craftsman like competence, interpreting the sub-ject in a personal way. He has been greatly influenced by Edward Seago,Rowland Hilder and Russell Flint and he much admires the abstractqualities of the modern painters, Frank Webb, Charles Sovek and Nor-man Battershill.
When John paints on location he often makes a preparatory tonalsketch before he starts painting and may take a photographs for laterreference to detail. Sometimes he paints from photographs but these arenot slavishly copied. He develops the design using sketches to ensure thatcompositional qualities and artistic realisation predominate.
Paintings in the garden at 22 Hall Road
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Introduction to Fordham from My Sketchbook Jenny Kay 2003
This is a somewhat nostalgic look at Fordham. The sketches date from1976, our first year in Fordham. Many of them were preliminary sketchesfor paintings, others were designs for business and greetings cards.
From 1978 to 1981 John produced drawings, design and layout for thefête programme. The final version was printed commercially, funded bythe advertisements. Carol Sycamore wrote in the Essex County Standard,9 June 1978.
Fordham Fete and carnival procession is almost worth visiting justfor the opportunity of buying a programme. ... On the front coveris a copy of the village’s own crest, designed by Mr Kay for lastyear’s jubilee celebrations. ... Inside the programme are the usualadvertisements by local people - but with a difference. Each adver-tiser has his or her own hand drawn sketch of their premisesincluded in the advertisement.
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Some of the drawings which John did in 1984 to illustrate Pat Lewis’Guide to All Saints Church are also included with finally a quick sketchwhich John produced as a colouring competition for the children at aschool fête.
This is what used tobe seen from thekitchen window al-though, as every-thing changes, thereis now a utilityroom built onto theback of the housewhich now hidesthis view.
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Printing, Designing and IllustratingJenny Kay
As a permanent art teacher John had the use of a hand press and typecabinets in his art room for printing tickets, programmes etc. for schoolevents. John wanted to continue with this in Fordham. One of our firstpurchases at 22 Hall Road was a workshop inthe garden and a hand press with all the ac-companying paraphernalia.
In 1978, he produced the catalogue for theArt Exhibition held in the church. and evenprinted agendas for the fête committee meet-ings. The Horticultural Shows were revivedin 1978 and held for many years under theleadership of John Marsh and Mary Cook.Using lino cuts he printed certificates andwrote the names of the winners in his calli-graphic hand.
Wood engravings of the church, and villagehall were printed on postcards to be sold atthe fêtes. A wood engraving of millstonesclearly depicting the millrind in the centre is afavourite of us both. John included it in the
Wood engraving,Millstones
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village sign to denote the Domesday millin Fordham.
From 1979 to 1982 John used hissketches and calligraphy to design theFête programme using the paste-upmethod. These were printed commercial-ly.
In 1990 he purchased his first computercapable of handling graphics. He hascontinued to update this to keep up withthe advances in desk top publishing tech-nology. In 1994 he took on the designand layout of Fordham News to which heenjoys adding the graphic features.
In 1997 he chose Millrind Press as the name under which he prints andpublishes.
Abstract watercolour including Hall Road and church beyond
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INTRODUCTIONA few lines to indicate how my thinking went when I started this book.
How to start took a little thought but the idea of taking various routesthrough the village and dealing with views as I would come across themseemed as good a way as any.
We have taken many wonderful walks around Fordham with thecamera, particularly in snowy weather. Sometimes it has taken a few yearsbefore the photograph and the sketch have been turned into the finalpainting. Recent demonstrations at art clubs have featured my Fordhamwatercolours.
The chapters. represent possible walks through the village and sur-rounding countryside
To summarise:
The First chapter starts with the approach from Eight Ash Green, viaWood Lane, Fiddlers Hill to the River Colne, then following Mill Roadto Church End and Church Road, at this point I’ve included the fêteposters. An explanation of the village sign is included before Moat Road,Plummers Road and finally Wormingford Road.
Starting again from Ponders Road the route goes to open countrysideto the west along Chappel Road and Penlan Hall Lane.
Crossing then to the east we look at Fossetts Lane, Rams Farm Roadand West Bergholt Road.
Lastly we reach the most southerly part of Fordham, The Shoulder ofMutton, crossing the River Colne and into Ford Street, Aldham.
The final three chapters give more details of my printing and publish-ing business ‘The Millrind Press’, my exhibitions and press coverage.
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1. TO FORDHAM FROMEIGHT ASH GREEN
Fordham Heath Leaving the A12 by way of the Halstead Road you pass through Eight
Ash Green. Fordham and Eight Ash Green have close links as FordhamHeath was part of Fordham Parish until 1949.
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After the first roundabout you pass a car showroom. This is on the siteof a previous garage that I drew for Fête Programs between 1978 and 1981It belonged to Robert Cannon. He and car mechanic and a fitter, NickCant gave sterling service to Fordham residents for many years.
A few hundred yards along and just before the first turning of the ‘S’bend and directly in front of us, we used to see the gradually disintegrat-ing remains of fairly large sheds. I am always attracted to the ‘ramshackle’and prefer it to the neat and tidy appearance of the sheds now.
To the right of the sketch in the background is the small filling stationthat used to be there called Aldford Garage before it was rebuilt into thelarge one it is today.
See the fête programme advertisement on the following page.
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Fête program advertisement
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Turning right into Wood Lane we pass Fiddlers Folly and then startdown Fiddlers Hill. To the right there used to be a view of Little Portersbefore the hedge grew as thick as it is today, I sketched it and painted awatercolour from it in 1990. (From an earlier photograph.)
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River Colne
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If we follow the path to the east towards West Bergholt we come tothese views by the river.
Below is a the preparatory sketch and on the next page, a colour sketchfollowed by a full watercolour, there is sometimes quite an intervalbetween the two stages, as in this case.
About the two examples below; a sketch from a photograph to start,but this time with a colour sketch intervening before a full sized paintingis attempted (see overleaf). Many adjustments have been made at eachstage. This is normally the usual way a painting is developed, just thatnormally you don’t see the complete process.
26River Colne 1990
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Crossing the bridge over the River Colne which forms the Fordhamparish boundary, we come to the footpath of the Essex Way.
To the west it leads alongside the river and an old photograph andpainting. Composition is balanced and shows some promise of the moreabstract qualities I prefer to see in my work today.
On the next page is a sketch and full sized watercolour painting of theview further along the footpath to Ford Street with a rather more austerestyle. It’s very stark as a result.
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Looking west 1980
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2. MILL ROAD TO CHURCH ENDMill Road
Past the entrance to Mill House on our left and negotiating a dangerousacute bend to the right is Snowdons on our right. the opposite sketch andpainting were the the result of a commission from a previous owner.
I first tried to draw a sketch from nearer the bend lower down butfearing for my safety from the traffic taking the bend far too speedily forsafety I resigned myself to peering through the hedge from the oppositefield. A task make more difficult as it had just been ploughed and wasankle deep in mud.
Photograph of Snowdons 1992
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Snowdons
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Fordham Hall and All Saints Church 1998
Fordham Hall
Further up the hill and passing some houses on the right we seeFordham Hall on our left with a shape of a large wooden barn andbehind it we first catch sight of the church tower of All Saints behind it.
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Fordham Hall was previously a working arable farm under John Jinksas its farm manager. In 2002 the house was sold privately. Most of theland known as Fordham Hall Estate has been leased to The WoodlandTrust for 99 years by an anonymous donor.
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Fordham Hall from the footpath behind Hall Road 1991
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Below are two early watercolours and a sketch of it which I used as apreparation for the later watercolour on the next page.
All Saints C. of E. Primary School
Fordham Schoolhouse 1990
All Saints Church and School 1991
A view of the schoolfrom across the field onthe south side of theoriginal building.
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I can never resist an interestingbuilding and this old schoolhousemust date from 1849 in early tictoriantimes.
Here is the fur-ther work with acolour sketch andthe final watercol-our painted muchlater in 2012.
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All Saints Church
Church Tower and Barn 1990
Line drawing used by the Fordham Local History Society as a logo
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Above is an earlysketch when thetrees were not aslarge as they are to-day and a wood en-graving made fromit.
These blockswere expresslymade to be printedusing the handpress but they weresubsequently soldas postcards in thelate 1970s.
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Above is a painting that the church requested to turn into a Christmascard, and below that is a much later painting from a slightly differentviewpoint in a very much more abstract style completed in June 2014.
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On the following pages are drawings from the publication by PatLewis of a guide to all saints church. This 28 page booklet, illustrat-ed by me, appeared in 1988.
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label stops
Line drawings from the guide to all saints church
mason’s mark
Metal chest in which thechurch registers are kept
41Font
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Lectern detail
North Door
Pat has taken an active interest in the history of Fordham for manyyears and this was the first of several books covering the history of theChurch, Chapel and School.
Full details of Pat’s books appear in Chapter 7, The Millrind Press.
Altar
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Flower Festival July1978
Church Festivals
Here, is a youngerme. I am looking afteran exhibition of localartists held in thechurch and paintingthe view of the nave atthe same time.
I have included Jen-ny’s write up of theexhibition and theFlower Festival.
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Flowers and Paintings - Church Festivals
Jenny Kay 1978
The first art exhibition which John organised and participated in washeld in Fordham Church on 8th and 9th July 1978. The festival wasentitled “A Poem of Praise” and the flower arrangements were designedto illustrate the poem written by the Rector, Hugh Barber. John hand-lettered the poem in italic writing for display in the church porch.
He sat with the exhibition throughout the festival. Breathing in theheady floral atmosphere, he worked on a watercolour of the decoratedinterior of the church looking down the aisle towards the altar. Thepainting was much admired by the rector and John donated it to thechurch. It has hung on the North wall since that time.
The Art Exhibition was reported in the Essex County Standard by RayRushton. (I have made some alterations to the original text where nameswere incorrectly recorded.)
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Once again a church has picked up its local talent in thevisual arts and placed it on exhibition as an important ad-junct to its annual flower show. Every group has its local artists and of course, Fordham isno exception and the interest of these shows is that they bringout those who are otherwise unheard of in this respect. One can only imagine what one of the prominent partici-pants in this show, Digger Kettle looks like. I particularlylike his oil Riverside. There was some good drawing in the watercolour MidlandPullman by W. Rockall-Smith and in the same artist’s Roseand Glass. There was the tonal sensitivity of watercolourlandscapes by John Kay, concern with light in The Gorge, anoil by Ron Parkinson, tone and composition in Still Life withApples by W.A.Smith, with texture and impasto in WelcomeHome by May Evans and in the caricature like effects of BarPolitics by Roger Pallant. Also taking part in this little show were Barbara Kettle,Peter Gardner, Nancy Cannon and Michael Howe. Also
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notable was the high standard of the calligraphy of versesincluded in the flower arrangements themselves.
John had not yet found time to paint Fordham, his paint-ings in the exhibition were from a previous holiday spent onthe Costa Brava in Spain with one local scene, a view ofBures.
In the following years as he began to spend less time with printing andgraphic work he found more time for painting.
At subsequent Flower Festivals the works of local artists includingJohns’ have been displayed in the barn at Fordham Hall where refresh-ments were served. In 1994 John took time out to paint the event, sittingprecariously at the roadside opposite.
Tea at the Barn, Flower Festival painted in 1994
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Held at the church in 1979
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A preparative colour sketch and a finished watercolour of the church-yard, not a painting of a subject that people rush to buy. 1992
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The Three Horse Shoes
Church Road, looking South 1992
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Yet another sketch from a Fordham Fête programme.
Four of John’s Fordham paintings were hung in the Three HorseShoes, two were sold, two were never retrieved. Fortunately the photo-graphs remain..
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3. CHURCH ROAD TO PLUMMERSROAD
Church Road
View from the opening of Fossetts Lane and the bus stop opposite theThree Horse Shoes.
Church Road looking north, 1992
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Looking North 2003
Early 1980s
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Church Road 1996 from an earlier photograph
A small sketch of the bus shelter, village sign and on the right thevillage hall, all on a very foggy day
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Opposite at the top Church Road in heavy snow looking southwards.
Above the only surviving drawing of Church Road Stores.
9 Church Road, built as a double-fronted shop, it was run for a whileby Roy and Pat Cope.
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Pavement ArtistOne Saturday, I noted that
outside Church Road Stores wasa very usable section of paving.
I found that this was, as I hadpredicted, suitable for me to ex-ercise my talents as a pavementartist and raise a little money forFordham Fête at the same time.Therefore under the admiringeyes of most of the village chil-dren I completed several pastelstudies. These two sections ofpavement were immortalised bythe able photographic talents ofRichard Gregory and also to-gether with a view acrossChurch Road.
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Fordham Fête
These Fête posters were silk screen printed at home.
My first and not-very-long-lasting job was with a small ticket-writingcompany in Fulham (G. Hayward Marsh & Co.) which took on bigcontracts for writing price tickets for the all the High Street KensingtonDepartment Stores (Pontings, Barkers, Derry & Toms) throughout the
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50s. And 60s. These were all hand-written by skilful yet underpaid artistsusing expensive “one-stroke”sable lettering brushes. A skill I eventuallylearned the hard way and it took me much longer, long into my teachingcareer, to master it to my own satisfaction.
What interested me greatly during my time there however was theother considerable amount of work they undertook in providing silk-
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screened posters for a very large number of firms but principally fordisplay in the London Underground Tube Carriages and stations. Eachcolour involved was painstakingly cut by hand from transparent shellaccoated paper which was then ironed carefully onto a silk screen. Eachcolour was then hand-screened onto each poster one at a time until thejob was completed.
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Sketch for a Children’s Colouring Competition, one Fordham Fête
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Fordham Horticultural SocietyMany Fordham Residents were keen to revive the Horticultural Socie-
ty which had once been very active in the village with the Gunary family.I was able to design a new Logo for them and subsequently help inproducing publicity and certificates for the Annual Show which ransuccessfully for many years. Their active and hardworking committeeincluded Dorothy Bradshaw, John Marsh, Chris and Anne Francis andMary Cook.
Hand lettered certificate 1977
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Fordham Village HallA drawing of the Village Hall as it used to be when it had glazed front
doors in the 1970s and below a wood engraving from the same time
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Post Office and Village Green in snow painted in 2004 from an earlier photo
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Over the years I have oftensketched the Village Stores, rep-resenting as it does the centreand main meeting point of thevillage.
I have included some of thebetter ones here though one isalways hopeful of improving onany previous attempt.
Also yet another inclusion ofa Fordham Fête Programmesketch from the late 1970s.
Note in all the views of thestores opposite, the post of theVillage Sign can be seen becauseit was erected beside the busshelter at that time. It wasmoved to the village green in1999.
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Fordham Village Stores 1992
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The view in the sketch above is unique in that it was drawn from theforecourt of “The Vulcan” public house, a view which would not bepossible today owing to the present houses built on that site.
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This view takes in the original cast-iron finger post and also shows theprevious site of the Village Sign, beside the bus shelter, outside the Village Hall
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Cover design for recipe book to raise village funds, recipes were supplied byFordham residents
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The Vulcan Inn
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Here are a fewphotographic re-minders of whatthe “Vulcan.”Used to look likeoriginally.
On the left, andbelow, a view fromthe 70s and at thebottom the mainbar with its newestextension, tablesand chairs outside.Do you rememberthe tables in the barmade from treadlesewing machines?
The landlordswere Denise andTony Rojo who ranthe place for manyyears after theHogarths left.
1978
2000
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Above is a current view of the Village Green with the new site for thevillage Sign., 1998
For many years the present green space was used for village eventsbetween the two world wars and afterwards. Due to the good offices ofthe developers of Moatfields this area is available once again for villagegatherings.
The Village Green
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The Village SignI must admit that I have always been in two minds about my fascina-
tion with Heraldry. On the one hand I am very attracted to the graphicpossibilities of it. The results of the application of the strict rules ofblazon, the predictability of the result obtained and the overall attractionof the complete heraldic achievement are all undeniably attractive. Thepreservation of old beliefs and superstitions in the narrative is also veryseductive. On the other hand its long association with rigid class division,overbearing heartless oppression and association with the concept ofpower for its own sake repulses the Quaker in me.
Here’s an account of how the project came about
The Village Sign, Jenny Kay 15.1.1999
In September 1976 a proposal was made to the parish council thatFordham should have its own village sign. It was to be erected to com-memorate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in June 1977. John’s attention wasdrawn to the invitation in that issue of Fordham News (Number 10)
We invite any artistic person to submit designs or sketches to thecouncil for consideration. Obviously we are looking for a villagesign which aptly identifies the village - possibly with the accent onthe past.
This immediately appealed to John’s knowledge of heraldry; he hadstudied the subject in detail and had worked for a short time paintingfamily coats of arms for a company which marketed them. With myinterest in local history we researched the land-owning families connect-ed with the parish, making some very interesting discoveries. John puttogether various designs for a sign and presented them to the parishcouncil where the final choice was made. The motto ‘Strength throughFellowship’ was provided by the Rev. Hugh Barber.
The Jubilee edition of Fordham News (Issue 12a) included an explana-tion of the design and in his editorial John Vincent paid tribute to John’swork. He wrote
“I feel it not inappropriate that our grateful thanks should beexpressed to Mr John Kay, who lives in Hall Road for the vastamount of research he has carried out in designing the coat of
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arms, and the midnight oil being expended in completing the signitself.”
The sign was unveiled on 7 June 1977 by J Marshall Forrest, Chairmanof the Parish Council and blessed by the Rector, in its position outsidethe village hall. The wrought iron surround, including the name Fordhamwas worked by Bill Snowling.
In 1977 John produced silk screen printed car-stickers of the signwhich were sold at village fêtes. At the time of writing this some are stillavailable but sticking them on your car is no longer recommended. Johnnow prints cards and notelets depicting the sign with an explanation ofthe design on the back, using the up to date computing facilities of theMillrind Press.
Interest in the sign has been revived recently since the parish councildecided to re-locate the sign on the new village green. The sign was takendown for refurbishment this year. John gave a talk to the Fordham Local
History Society on Herald-ry, the background to thevillage sign and his initialpresentation to the parishcouncil.
The sign has been refur-bished over the years. It wastaken down again in 1998for John to repaint beforeits relocation on the villagegreen planned for 1999.
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Heraldry of the Landowners
Hugh de Gurnai 1086, Ar a bendbetween two cottises az. three leopardsfaces gu. jessant de Lis or
Hugh de Gournai was a man of highmilitary renown. He married BasiliaFlatel, and was very likely at the bat-tle of Hastings since he was given
lands by William the Conqueror. Some of these landswere the manors of Liston, Fordham, and Ardley inEssex, all of which appear in the Domesday Survey. [Mo-rants's Essex, vol. ii p.31; Domesday, vol. ii. p. 89]. After-wards, considerable estates in England were either givento the Gourney family or were acquired by marriage.Hugh de Gournay became a monk at Bec before 1093.
Cecily, countess of Hereford 1191
William of Warren Chequey, or and azure.
William de Monchensy C1287 Or, three escutch-eons, barry of six vair and gu
Aymer (Adomar) of Valence, earlof Pembroke 1313, Adomar de Va-lence, Earl of Pembroke, Barry of 10Argent and azure, 10 martlets in orle3, 2, 2, 3 gules
John of Hastings 1376, or amaunch gules
John Argentine 1412 - 1537,gules, 3 covered cups argent
William de Beauchamp1400 -1411
gules crusily 3, 3 and a fesse or fordifference a crescent sable
Richard de Beauchamp, 1st Earl ofWorcester, whose father had inheritedthe castle and estate of Abergavenny, and
Warren
Beauchamp
De Gurnai
De ValenceHastings
Monchensy
Archentine
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was summoned in 1392 to parliamentas Lord Bergavenny. Edward Nevillwas summoned to parliament withthis title in 1450. His direct male de-scendants ended in 1387 in Henry
Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny, but acousin, Edward Nevill, 8th Baron Ber-
gavenny (d. 1622), was confirmed in the Barony in 1604.
Ralph Neville 1471, Azure a LionRampant or - sable a Lion Rampant
Argent guttée de sang Crest: demi lion rampant Argentguttée de sang holding Sword of the first hilt and pom-mel or
Thomas Culpepper 1537 Argent a bend engrailedgules, Crest: falcon with wings expanded Argent beakedlegged and belled or
John Abell 1542 Argent, a fesse purpure betweenthree boars heads couped close gules armed or Crest: anarm embowed in Armour holding in a hand proper aSword Argent hilt or enfiled on the arm with a wreathArgent and gules
Sparrow (Stanborn, Essex & Somersham Ipswich)Argent, three Roses gules, a chief of the last Crest: outof a neural coronet or a unicorn's head Argent manepurpure attired of the first (gold horn)
Sir Anthony Wingfield
Campbell gyronny of eight, or and sable
John Lucas, Thomas, John 1156- 1625.Argent a fesse between sixannulets gules.
Richard Grey, Earl of Kent, Vis-count Goodrich, 1702
Neville
Abell
Campbell
Lucas
De Grey
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Six designs were sub-mitted to the ParishCouncil and the abovewas chosen, below is thefull Coat of Arms with themantling, helm andCulpepper Crest.
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Moat Road
Views from Moat Hall
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Pond at Moat Hall 1998
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Moat Hall 2010
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Plummers RoadOn a sharp bend in Plummers Road is Chapel House, once the Coun-
tess of Huntingdon’s Connexion Chapel.
Chapel House
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Another view of Chapel House
Photograph taken in the 1960s just before the demolition of theSchoolmaster’s house and the schoolroom.
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A reconstruction sketch and watercolour from the previous originalphotograph of the Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion Chapel, schooland Headmaster’s House. Burial Ground shown in front.
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Columbine
Wormingford Road
Wormingford Airfield
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Wormingford Road in Snow
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4. OPEN COUNTRYSIDE - WESTPonders Road and Beyond
Ponders Road (above looking N. and below, looking S.)
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From Hall Road via Lucas Avenue we can approach the open valleyto the west and here from 1990 are two sketches of the Bull Field, socalled I understand because of its original purpose the lower a slightlydifferent view of the same field.
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Chappel Road
Cattles Barn
Earlier Sketches besideArchendines, a colour sketchOn the next page is a water-colour derived from thatand much later a more ab-stract watercolour datingfrom 2005.
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Archendines, Chappel Road 1991
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Suttons Farm
Here is a view looking back towards the main village from beside Sutton’sFarmhouse on Penlan Hall Road.
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Colour sketch of a view across the valley from some years ago
A recent watercolour of the pond at Sutton’s lookingacross the barns and outbuildings.
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Suttons Farm painted in 2002 from an earlier photograph
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Penlan Hall Lane
Old Timbers 1981
Old Timbers
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Looking back along Penlan Hall Lane which once led to an imposingVictorian Mansion, Hungry Hall. Later purchased in 1894 by W.GwynneEvans who renamed it Penlan Hall. It was requisitioned and used bytroops during the second World War, and later demolished.
A photograph complete withone of the servants from thereappears in fordham, essex, a
photograph album.The exist-ing house is all that remains ofthe original coach house.
View of Hungry House across thefields
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The former coach house of Hungry House
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Fossetts
5. OPEN COUNTRYSIDE - EASTFossetts Lane
This small sketch of Cobbs is in preparation for a wood engraving thatI didn’t get around to and therefore, for this purpose it consists largelyof lines. Above is a snow scene looking from the Three Horse Shoes.Below is the house called Fossetts that gives its name to the Lane.
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View of Chancers looking south.
Watercress Hall used to be a large egg farm but now the buildings havebeen converted to industrial units. This advert is again from a FordhamFête programme from the 1980s.
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Kings Farm from Fossetts Lane
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Two different sketches of Kings Farm on the previous page led to theabove watercolour painting. Below an early trial drawing for a paintingof Hill Cottage which can be seen opposite.
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Here is the Hill Cottage water-colour. The snow scene below is avery old painting.
Below, a few grazing sheep acrossthe field looking west as we comeup to the junction with Rams FarmRoad .
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Rams Farm RoadRams Farm Road, this has only been known by this name fairly
recently. Villagers had normally been used to referring to this as WestBergholt Road. To the puzzlement of the locals it appeared as a streetname in 1995 following a request from the Parish Council to replace thestolen cross-road warning signs, and we are still waiting for those.
Hoppits painted in 1992 , from an earlier photograph
Rams FarmBoxes
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Fletchers Farm
Tonal sketch of part of Fletchers Farm which is now occupied by ColchesterGarrison Saddle Club
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Discarded Machinery at Fletchers Farm
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Snow at Rams Farm
Rams Farm
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Binder at Rams Farm
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Seed Drill at Rams Farm 1991
Dated Technology at Rams Farm 1991
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ê
Snow East Fordham
There have been only four white Christmases in the last century: Snowscapeat East Fordham by John Kay — Essex Life and Countryside December 2001
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Fordham Place (Commission)Over the years at Fordham Place 1993 (Commission)
Fordham Place
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Fordham Place Cottage 2004
Off the West Bergholt Road
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6. FROM FORDHAM TO FORDSTREET
Shoulder of Mutton
Just before crossing the bridge into Aldham we see the Shoulder ofMutton on our left.
Another pencil sketch of this very old timber-framed public house.
Over the page another Fordham Fête program sketch.
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River Colne 1980, initial abstract sketch togetherwith its final form as a watercolour
River Colne
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R. Colne looking east from the Shoulder of Mutton Car Park
Another use of the sketch of the bridge at Ford Street
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Aldham Steam Fair and RallyA reminder that on the field opposite a Steam Fair and Rally was held
each year for many years before eventually moving to White Colne.
Halstead Road used to be called the A604 and that’s how we alwaysused to know it. Throughout history it was always known as the Cam-bridge Road, this was the road taken by the Parliamentary Army for theSiege of Colchester.
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Austin 10
Lagonda
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Fordson Major
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Ford Street, Aldham, looking South 1992
Ford Street
Lastly, we leave Fordham parish by carrying on along the HalsteadRoad until we cross into Alford and the hamlet of Ford Street.
There is a tale I tell which is usually greeted with some amusement.
I was installed, complete with all my watercolour equipment at theopening of the drive of Bridge House and busy painting the view south-wards from the bridge. Two young boys approached and watched mepaint for some time with interest. I never object to this sort of scrutinybeing a little of a show-off at heart. They eventually went on their waysouth and as they left and got a little way off, one turned to the other andsaid in a carrying voice, “Not bad for an ‘Amachooer’” (said with adefinite Essex accent).
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Ford Street, Aldham, looking North towards the bridge 1990
Even though it was widened as recently as 1963, the old bridge hasbeen replaced owing to it not being robust enough to bear heavier mod-ern traffic but its underpinnings have been utilised for the new one, thishas been narrowed for safety’s sake and traffic lights are now installed toallow traffic from one direction only at a time.
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Moving into my first job as an art teacher in Billericay in 1963 intro-duced me to the huge spread of experience and knowledge required tomaster the particular skills needed even before teaching was attempted.
Just a little daunting was the knowledge that I had to learn how to copewith a large floor mounted, treadle-activated printing press and a greatdeal of type and accompanying furniture, chases and accessories. With theassistance of my new head of Department I gradually acquired the neces-sary knowledge and in doing so vastly improved on my grasp of the needsof graphic design.
7. THE MILLRIND PRESSPrinting and Publishing
This shed was first used for my printing needs with a hand press and moveabletype, the old-fashioned way. Later on, my publishing efforts transferred tocomputers. So with the addition of two glazed doors, the shed was convertedinto a summer house.
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It took a great deal of practice just to set type properly and lock it intoa chase. Learning how to cope with designing a print job, inking up, andthe mechanics of setting out and finally printing.
I was absolutely amazed to find that it required as much thought anduse of metal to provide for the blank spaces on a document as wasrequired for the letters that were needed for the text. This gave the properimportance to the urgent need for composition in graphic design.
In the 1960s art teachers were required, as part of their remit, to act asa general adjunct and convenience to anything touching on presentationfor the rest of the school. This included providing scenery, costumes andproperties for any drama production. Posters and presentation materialsfor any school events including tickets and programmes where requiredand design work in general for any school department that needed it.
I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed this extension of my duties and veryrapidly became an expert, together with many bright and helpful pupils,in designing and providing sets, scenery tickets, programmes and cos-tumes for many school productions. These included “Murder in theCathedral”, “Don Quixote,” “Noyes Fludde” and “Joseph and hisAmazing Coloured Dream Coat.”
On moving to Fordham in the mid1970sI acquired a Chandler & Pricehand press with a useful 9" x 7" chaseand a large amount of type, leads andfurniture. Keeping my hand in withmy hand letterpress I was frequentlyable to produce tickets when requiredfor village events.
I was also experimenting with silk-screen printing and was able to pro-duce posters for the yearly FordhamFete. I also prepared the sketches forthe Fordham Fête programme that Iinclude in this book. In 1983 I printeda simple folded programme on thehand press.
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In the early 1980s mywife and myself were veryinvolved in the start ofhome computing. Ourfirst computer was a Com-modore 64 and we bothspent a great deal of timebusily involved in learningto program in Basic. Hap-pily, as an additional bene-fit, the concentrationrequired in the processhelped me eventually togive up smoking.
Fête programme printed onmy hand press 1983
Sketch and final Wood
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We stayed interested in computers, buying in turn BBC B, an Atari ST,and subsequently an Amstrad PC 1640. We had come across “Time-works”, a desktop publishing program with the Atari and the subsequentversion for the PC.
When we moved to the village Fordham News wasproduced by printer Ray Britton. He used a modern devel-opment of a Xerox litho printing machine which usedpolyester plates instead of zinc ones. I occasionallyproduced drawings and sketches which he was able toreproduce for the newsletter.
From February 1999 to March 2003 I became in-volved in producing the newsletter for the FordhamParish Council by doing the design and layout.
In the mid 1980s Jenny and I became regular attenders at ColchesterQuaker Meeting. It became almost inevitable that we both became veryinvolved with Friends’ affairs and due to my previous experience I soonwas helping to produce the Monthly Meeting Newsletter. This involveda very messy process involving wax skins typed upon with an old-fash-ioned typewriter, a great deal of printing ink and a Gestetner duplicator,it amazes me today with how much we were able to achieve with suchprimitive equipment.
An elderly Quaker Friend Hugh MacGregor Ross had previouslypublished a translation of one of the Synoptic Gospels "The Gospel ofThomas". Being much in demand at the time by Divinity Courses hadcompletely sold out. He was very interested in producing a new editionof that book and wondered if I would be interest-ed in doing so.
Due to the more extensive capabilities of Win-dows 98 and the latest version of Timeworks (ADesktop Publishing Program), I agreed to takethis on. In order to be a registered Publisher andtherefore able to issue an ISBN number I wentthrough the necessary procedure to become one.Thereafter I produced on demand an inkjet copyof the book. I bound it as a paperback, and sup-plied it to any booksellers who ordered it from
Logo - FordhamNews
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me. As the only edition still in print it provideda useful addition to my income.
Pat Lewis, who wrote the church guide, hadembarked on a further book, a big round
hand, Education in Fordham, Essex. I pub-lished this in two editions, first in 1993 thenrevised and enlarged in 1999.
At the same time Pat Lewis was working onthis barren land. This book is about an unu-sual development in the village. This describesthe growth and history of a chapel and school
of the grand title, “The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion”, this Ipublished with many illustrations in 1997.
In 1987 I came across a new Desktop Publishing Program calledPagePlus. It was rather like Aldus Pagemaker in feel and it was more thana little unreliable at first. Subsequent revisions improved the program, it
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became a lot more robust and it soon became my DTP of choice andsupplanted Timeworks as my favourite program.
Fresh from her two publications on education history Pat Lewis andJenny, after research into the genealogy of her father’s family combinedon a larger project of founding the Fordham Local History Society.
The most urgent business undertaken was to preserve the great numberof family photographs which they knew were held in the village beforethey were to disappear from sight. The aim was to put together a publica-tion. This took a great deal of energy and time,.
Using computer software I was able to help in the recovering of oldphotographs, some of which were hardly visible without a great deal ofdigital help. Finally I tweaked the publication so that there was littledifficulty in getting the desired results from the printers.
With the good offices of a loan from the Benham, Seaman Trust theywere able to publish fordham essex, a photograph album in 2000.This sold extremely well and the loan was repaid in record time. Later acompanion volume, with articles from villagers joined it in 2011 calledfordham essex, a miscellany.
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I was not only involved in publishing books for the Historical Societybut I also undertook to rescue several Quaker publications which hadeither been long out of print or new collections that were being tackledfor the first time. I include them for completion as they all represent timespent in publishing at Hall Road.
cos’ reminiscences by ColchesterPreparative Meeting,
sudbury quakers by Stanley H. Fitch
the doubledays of coggeshall by Valerie Graves
john bright by Bertram Pickard
what do you do in meeting for worship? & hearts and minds
prepared both by Newcastle Preparative Meeting
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In 2004, following a series of lectures called “The Eye of the Artist” Igave to local WEA braches I put together the books into composition
& sketches for composition. I have also published and printed severalfamily histories and latterly I have reproduced “out of print” bookswhich are out of copyright for my own purposes and, I may add, pleasure.
the bases of design by Walter Cranecomposition by Arthur Wesley Dowschool of art by W. Martin Johnsonmodern french painting by Sam Hunter
Many of my publications may be read free on line.
www. issuu.com/jayarkay/docs will take you there.
My contact details appear in the Advertisments section on the last page.
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List of ISBN Publications
ISBN Title Author978-1-902194-00-4 Tell-Tales
Selected PoemsKathleen Barratt
978-1-902194-01-1 Behind Dark Clouds theSun, A Selection of ShortPoems 1946-1996
Dorothy Hazel Lillico
978-1-902194-02-8 Gospel of Thomas Hugh MacGregor Ross
978-1-902194-03-5 What Do You Do inMeeting for Worship?
Newcastle PreparativeMeeting
978-1-902194-04-2 Hearts and MindsPrepared
Newcastle PreparativeMeeting
978-1-902194-05-9 Wisdom of the Heart, Se-lected Poems
John Callow
978-1-902194-06-6 Fordham, EssexA Photograph Album
Fordham LocalHistory Society
978-1-902194-07-3 Into Composition,A Painter's Guide
John Kay
978-1-902194-08-0 Letters from Gaza John Lewis
978-1-902194-09-7 Fordham fromMy Sketchbook
John Kay
978-1-902194-10-3 Sketches forComposition
John Kay
978-1-902194-11-0 Fordham inWatercolour
Jenny Kay
978-1-902194-12-7 Fordham, EssexA Miscellany
Fordham LocalHistory Society
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John has held three exhibitions in Fordham Village Hall. These provedto be most successful. He felt particularly privileged that his 1998exhibition was opened by David and Nancy Cannon, Mayor andMayoress of Colchester at the time. They paid tribute to John’s workand his contribution to village life.
8. EXHIBITIONS
John & Jenny Kay, Nancy & David Cannonat the opening of the exhibition in Fordham
Village Hall, November 1998
John’s paintings arewidely owned. Each one isphotographed on its com-pletion as a record. Thesephotographs are then usedfor reproductions of hiswork. He has spent a lot oftime in producing printsand cards and as a result hiswork is sold from time totime in Fordham VillageStores.
Since 1990 John has exhibited at home in Hall Road, in the Library andin the Quaker Meeting House in Colchester. Since 1998 John has heldsales of his paintings in the Village Hall, offering unframed works.
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9. LOCAL PRESS COVERAGE
Evening Gazette August 1977
Artistic Talent in Fordham
ART TEACHER John Kay ad-mits that he’s more likely to spendhis day at school chatting aboutmetalwork than old masters.
And just when you might expecthim to be doing some painting, it’snot uncommon to find him tacklinga spot of physics, P.E. or maths.
Now, that might sound as ifJohn’s artistic ability is going, so tospeak, by the blackboard — whichin fact couldn’t be further from thetruth.
For John, who lives in HallDrive, Fordham, reckons that sincehe’s given up art teaching full-timehe’s had actually more time forputting brush to canvas.
And that, in more ways than one,has turned out to be nothing butgood news for Fordham.
At present, John works as amember of Essex County Council’sunattached teaching staff, fillingtemporary staff vacancies at sec-ondary and comprehensive — andoccasionally primary — schoolsthroughout the county.
The job involves him teachingalmost every subject on the timeta-ble with, he admits, “varying de-grees of success!”
“Being an art teacher, you tendto pick up plenty of other things,”says John, who has most recentlybeen tackling metalwork classes.“I’ll teach anything.”
His career as an art teacher beganwith a three-year course, afterwhich he taught the subject foraround 11 years before joining theunattached staff.
“I never seemed to have any timefor anything when I was an artteacher,” he said. “It isn’t until youare away from it that you can getdown to doing something useful.”
When John moved into Fordhamtwo years ago he found that he hadgot more time to get down to paint-ing in watercolours — and he alsofound that he was in demand, turn-ing out portraits at the annual vil-lage fete.
And that, in a roundabout way,led to him being asked by the Ford-ham Parish Council to design a he-
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raldic crest to be displayed as thesign in the centre of the village.
John — something of an expertin the field of heraldry — had abouta fortnight’s research with his wifeJenny into the historical back-ground of the village and finallyproduce half a dozen designs forthe parish council to consider.
They settled on one that incor-porated the arms of four familiesthat had at one stage or anotherowned land in Fordham, and Johngot down to the task of producingthe actual sign, which was unveiledas part of the village Silver Jubileecelebrations.
Evening Gazette October 1977
Fordham’s Crest
AN ESSEX village has chosen anunusual way of marking the silverjubilee — by creating its own coatof arms.
The heraldic crest is the mainfeature of the new Fordham villagesign which will be unveiled at thestart of the village's jubilee celebra-tions on Tuesday.
Although it is an original coat ofarms, the crest - with the motto“strength through fellowship”—has been made up from authenticfamily coats of arms of previousowners of the parish.
It was designed and painted byteacher Mr John Kay, who liveswith his wife Jenny in Hall Road,Fordham.
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Evening Gazette 12. 7.1993
John's Brush with Art Societies
ARTIST John Kay has colours;will travel.
John, who lives in Hall Road,Fordham, will meet local art socie-ties on their home ground this au-tumn, demonstrating some of thetechniques he has been perfectingover 30 years.
He trained as a Fine Arts teacherat Goldsmiths’ College, London,specialising in painting, illustratingand typography.
He taught art in secondaryschools in Essex for over a decadetaking early retirement three yearsago to turn to full-time painting.
His work has been on display inprivate and public exhibitions, in-cluding Colchester Arts Societyshows, and gained a love of typog-
raphy “the dirty way,” he says.“With hand press, furniture andmetal type.”
His land, sea and townscapes -many of East Anglian scenes - areevocative and popular and John,recently appointed a demonstratorby art suppliers Winsor and New-ton, aims to teach aspects of hiscraft to adult enthusiasts in thecoming months.
“Many clubs are reluctant toavail themselves of the services of ademonstrator,” says John, availableon 0206 240929.
“They suspect it may be beyondtheir means - but that’s not so.”
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East Anglian Daily Times 30 June1998
Sign is in good hands
FORDHAM residents who areworried that their handsome villagesign has been whisked away bythieves can relax - it is in John Kay'sgarden shed.
John designed and painted thesign more than 20 years ago and itwas unveiled near the village hall aspart of the celebrations for theQueen's silver jubilee in 1977.
Now John has restored the signand it will soon be re-hung, thistime on the village green, which is
currently undergoing a landscapingproject.
The sign depicts a notional coatof arms for the village and compris-es details from the arms of fourhistoric owners of land in the par-ish, as well as a golden millrind (thecentre of a millstone) which repre-sents a mill at Fordham which wasmentioned in the Domesday Book.
A retired art teacher, John haslived in Fordham since 1976 withhis wife Jenny, who has served asparish clerk for the past six years.
COAT OF ARMS: John and Jenny Kay with the village sign
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Evening Gazette, Monday December 13,1999
The Monday Interview
Versatile John is a man of manyarts
Some people bring back post-cards or photographs to remembertheir travels by.
John Kay has a more direct re-minder - he gets out his paper andpaints to capture scenes for posteri-ty.
And the paintings cover the wallsof his home in Fordham as a perma-nent aide-memoire of places he hasvisited - the Lake District, theGreek islands, the Spanish coast....
But they don’t always make it tothe walls.
Only the other week John hadset up the easel to capture somestunning pine trees at Copford,near Colchester.
“A chap liked what I was doingand said: “Are you selling it?”, so Isaid: “If you are buying.”
A deal was done. Generally hiswork is sold through more conven-tional channels - through exhibi-tions.
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John, after all, makes his livingfrom art - but usually from teachingthe subject. He gives demon-strations - mainly to art clubs andthrough art shops - as a demon-strator for a supplier of arts mate-rials. But his teaching took himfurther afield this summer when hewas tutor on a painting course heldin the Italian village of Peralta.
He even managed to get somepainting done.
In fact he has been doing plentyof painting since he took early re-tirement - as an art teacher.
During his years as a teacher, herarely had the time to paint himself.He was too busy teaching othershow to paint.
In any case, he was learningalong the way himself - even in thefield of art.
“When a kid said: ‘ I’d like to dosculpture’, then you need to studyup on it and make sure you’re al-ways a couple of lessons ahead ofthem.
“You’re not just the art teacher.You’re the person anyone in theschool turned to for anything visual- from doing posters to printingand from metalwork to papiermaché.”
But John must have enjoyed itbecause after 13 years he widened
his scope even further. He became amember of the unattached teachingstaff for Essex County Council -filling in to cover any teaching post.Well, almost any.
He drew the line at one subject.“No way was I doing PE,” he de-clares emphatically.
But he has taken on virtually eve-rything else - physics, maths. Heeven taught himself design technol-ogy before teaching it to others.
Even so, he has always lookedvery much the art teacher - over theyears retaining the beard that hasgiven him the distinguished appear-ance of an artist. It is a face that willbe familiar to many children, asJohn has taught at a wide variety ofschools throughout Essex.
Better still, as his job covered thecounty, it meant he could be basedanywhere in Essex.
He and his wife, Jenny, settled onFordham more than 20 years ago. Itwas surrounded by the type of roll-ing landscapes, under wide skies,that John loved to paint.
It wasn’t long before his reputa-tion spread in the village. Soon hewas signed up to turn out portaitsat the annual village fete, leading tohim being commissioned to designthe village sign for Fordham tocommemorate the Queen’s silver
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One I prepared earlier – John Kay pictured with the village sign forFordham in 1977
jubilee. John researched heraldry tocome up with the arms of four an-cient Fordham families forthe signwhich still stands on the villagegreen.
John has been playing his partmore recently in preserving thepast. He has set up his own printingpress - the Millrind Press - whichpublishes small runs of books,tending to be of local history. Thepress makes use of his ability as aman of many mediums.
“I design the pages, do the artwork and layout and bind thebooks,” says John.
It is made possible through use ofthe computers which now play asimportant a part in John’s home asthe papers and paints.
But now he is more likely to wid-en his teaching experience than thesubjects he covers.
After his summer teaching an artcourse in Italy, he is preparing formore assignments overseas. Their
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Evening Gazette Monday, June 4, 2001
Fordham artist to exhibit hiswork
Fordham artist John Kay is hav-ing a one-man exhibition of recentworks in London. John, WorkersEducational Association tutor, vis-its art groups all over the Easterncounties giving demonstrations andadvising on technique. His land-scapes attracted many admirerswhen he exhibited earlier this yearat the Friends Meeting House inColchester.
His new exhibition at theFriends' House in Euston Roadruns until the end of June. Trainedat Goldsmiths’ College as an artteacher, John has been busy aftertaking early retirement to work as afull-time artist.
He has conducted a series ofcourses in Europe and, before run-ning more in France later this year,is leading one-day courses in Col-chester.
success can be judged by the newpupil he signed up.
She was already used to John’senthusiasm for his work; she wasalready accustomed to the works heproduces. But Jenny, also a retiredteacher, had never been a keen artistherself - until last summer in Peral-ta. After her usual stint of going outto see the sights while John worked,she sat in the back of the class - thenshe joined in. She hasn’t stopped
since and now has taken over partof their home as her own studio.
Soon her work too may be hang-ing in their home, bringing back thememories.
Colchester-based companyWordWrite Associates runs theTuscan Experience, art courses inPeralta. Next summer it will alsorun painting holidays based in achateau in the Loire Valley. Fordetails call 01206 506100.
Articles reproduced with the kind permission of the Daily Gazette,Colchester. Copyright retained
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Essex Life & Country-side, October 2001
A Truly EssexArtist
Almost every corner ofthe county has beenpainted by John Kay
Fordham artist JohnKay is one of the mostprolific painters of Essextowns and villages, havingpainted landscapes in vir-tually every part of thecounty.
He trained at the re-nowned Goldsmiths’College from 1960 - 1963before teaching art for 27years in Essex secondaryschools. Early retirementin 1990 then gave John thechance to work full timeas an artist, specialising inwatercolours. Most re-cent of his exhibitions wasone earlier this year at theQuaker Meeting Housein Colchester. John’swork has also been cho-sen by two Mayors ofColchester for Christmascards.
Visitors to Colchester’sTown Hall can see hiswork there. John wascommissioned by DavidCannon to paint the Col-chester Royal Grammar
School and the picturewas subsequently donat-ed to hang in the Mayor’sParlour. Design and ty-pography are other majorinterests. Through theMillrind Press, JohnPrince and publishesbooks, some with a reli-gious theme because he isa Quaker, with others onpoetry and local history.
One of the most visiblepieces of his work is theFordham Village Sign. Hedesigned and painted itfor the Queen’s Silver Ju-bilee in 1977, then re-stored it in 1998. Itdepicts a notional coat ofarms for the village withdetails from the arms offor historic owners ofland in the parish, togeth-er with a golden millrind(the centre of a millstone)to represent a mill at
Fordham which was men-tioned in the DomesdayBook. John still finds timeto pass on his knowledgeto others by lecturing forthe Workers EducationAssociation. ‘My lectur-ing is important to me,’ hesays.
He adds: ‘the higher as-pirations and good inten-tions of anyone learningto paint deserve to be sup-ported with informedteaching.’
‘Amateurs are easyprey to voracious com-mercial interests. Paintingis a fast-growing leisureactivity which the indus-try exploits fully.’
‘There are many expen-sive aids and “art madeeasy” books and videos.Beginners are often se-duced into believing thattechniques, managing ma-
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terials and slick so-lutions forsubstitute for hardwork and applica-tion.’
In addition he actsas the course tutor
on painting holidays in Tuscany and the Loire Valley.
It was while working onone of these holidays at Per-alta, a hamlet in the foothillsof the Appian Alps in Italy,that John was asked to puthis talent to an unexpecteduse. Someone had stolen thefront number plate of one ofthe British cars ... John gotout his acrylic white andpainted the index number onbare metal!
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSMany authors list many names among those whohave helped them to produce the book they have justwritten.
Firstly I’d like to thank the Essex Life & Countrysidefor a generous two page spread of my paintings, Col-chester Evening Gazette for permission to reproducefive of their generous newspaper articles and also theEast Anglian Daily Times for includiing me in their“Sign is in Good Hands.”
For permission to reproduce the two photographs ofmy Pavement Artist Phase on page 56 thank youRichard Gregory.
Locally my job is the harder because the illustrationsthat are the content of this book would not havebecome possible without the experience of being anactive part of a living, lively and caring village commu-nity for over forty years.
There are so many people living in this village, bothcurrently and in the past, who have supported andhelped Jenny and myself with encouragement andneighbourliness over these many years that it wouldbe wrong to single out a named few.
The kindness and the caring we have found here haveadded greatly to our happiness for so long we can onlysay thank you to everyone.
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INDEXAA Poem of Praise1st Fower Festival 44A.M.Cassandre 12Abell 77Adomar de Valence 76All Saints 31, 34, 36, 39Amachooer 120Appian Alps 145Archendines 91, 92Art Exhibition 17, 44art exhibition 44Arthur Wesley Dow 129Austin 10 118BBarbara Kettle 45Barkers 57Barn 31, 36, 46barn 46Benham, Seebohm Trust 127Bertram Pickard 128Bill Snowling 75Billericay 122Bridge House 120Bull Field 89Bures 46Burial Ground 85bus shelter 66CCambridge Road 117Campbell 77
Cattles Barn 91Chandler & Price 123Chapel 42, 85, 126Chapel House 83-84Chappel Road 91, 92Charles Sovek 14chase 123Christmas card 38Church Road 49, 54, 55Church Road Stores 55, 56churchyard 48COAT OF ARMS 139Coat of Arms 78coat of arms 75, 137, 139, 144Cobbs 99Colchester Arts Society 138Colchester Royal GrammarSchool 144ColchesterPreparative Meeting128Colne Valley 12Commodore 64 124composition 129Cope, Roy & Pat 55Costa Brava 46cos’ reminiscences 128Countess of Huntingdon’s Con-nexion 85, 126Crest 77-78, 137crest 15, 137Culpepper 77Dde Beauchamp 76
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de Gournai,Hugh 76De Gurnai 76de Gurnai,Hugh 76Denise and Tony Rojo 72Derry & Toms 57Desktop Publishing 125, 126desktop publishing 125Digger Kettle 45Domesday 76, 139Domesday Book 144Don Quixorte 123DTP 127EEdward Seago 14egg farm 100Eight Ash Green 20Eight Ash Green Garage 20ESSEX 137Essex 4, 12, 44, 76-77, 120, 130,136, 138, 141, 144Essex County Council 136, 141Essex County StandardCarol Sycamore 15Essex Life 110Essex Way 27FFiddlers Folly 23Fiddlers Hill 23Fletchers Farm 105, 106Flower Festival 43Ford Street 19, 27, 120-121fordham essex, a miscellany 127Fordham from My Sketchbook 15fordham from my sketchbook 11
Fordham Fête 123Fordham Hall 31-33, 46Fordham Hall Estate 32Fordham Heath 20Fordham In Watercolour 4Fordham in Watercolour 12fordham in watercolour 11Fordham News 18, 74, 125Fordham Place 111-112Fordham Village Hall 131fordham, essex, a photographalbum 97Fordson Major 119Fossetts 19, 52, 99Frank Webb 14Freda Lingstrom 12Fête 21, 51, 57, 62, 66, 100, 124fête 15GGestetner 125Goldsmiths' College 138, 143,144Gospel of Thomas 125, 130graphic design 123Grey 77Guide to All Saints Church 16, 39HHall Road 4, 12, 17, 33, 74, 89,131, 137, 138Halstead Road 19, 20, 120hand press 17, 37, 122-124, 138Headmaster’s House 85hearts and minds prepared 128Heraldry 74, 75heraldry 74, 137, 142
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Hill Cottage 102, 103Hogarths 72Hoppits 104Horticultural Society 63Hugh Barber 44, 74Hungry Hall 98IISBN 125, 130Italy 142, 145JJenny Kay 4, 12, 15, 17, 44, 74,130-131, 139John Argentine 76john bright 128John Jinks 32John of Hastings 76John Vincent 74Joseph and his Amazing Col-oured Dream Coat 123KKings Farm 102LLagonda 118lettering brushes 58lino cuts 17litho 125Little Porters 23Logo 63, 125Loire Valley 143, 145London Underground 59Lucas 77Lucas Avenue 89Ludwig Holwein 12M
MacGregor Ross, Hugh 125Marshall Forrest, J 75May Evans 45Mayor 131Mayor’s Parlour 144Michael Howe 45mill 18, 139, 144Mill Road 29Millrind 144millrind 17, 139, 144Millrind Press 1, 4, 7, 18, 75, 142,144, 154Moat Hall 79, 81, 82Moat Road 19, 79Moatfields 73Monchensy, William de 76Murder in the Cathedral 123NNancy Cannon 45Neville 77Newcastle Preparative Meeting128Nick Cant 21Norman Battershill 14Norman Scarfe 12Noyes Fludde 123Oone-stroke, brushes 58PPagePlus 126Parish Council 75, 78, 125, 136parish council 74-75, 137Parliamentary Army 117Pat Lewis 16, 39, 126, 127
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Penlan Hall Lane 19, 96, 97Penlan Hall Road 93Peralta 141, 143, 145Peter Gardner 45Peter McDermott 12Picasso 12Plummers Road 19, 83plummers road 52Pond 81pond 94Ponders Road 19, 88Pontings 57postcards 37printing presstreadle 122QQuaker 74, 125, 144Quaker Meeting House 144RR.J.Cannon 20Rams Farm 104, 107-109Rams Farm Road 103-104Ray Britton 125Ray RushtonArt Critic 44Rector 44, 75rector 44River Colne 24, 26, 115Robert Cannon 21Roger Pallant 45Ron Parkinson 45Rowland Hilder 14Russell Flint 14S
School 34, 42, 144school 16, 17, 34, 85, 123, 126,136, 141school of art 129Shell Guide to Essex 12Shoulder of Mutton 113Siege of Colchester 117silk screen 11, 59, 75Silver Jubilee 74, 144silver jubilee 137, 139, 142Snowdons 29, 30Stanley H. Fitch 128Steam Fair 117sudbury quakers 128Sutton’s 93, 94Synoptic Gospels 125TTamara de Lempicka 12the bases of design 129the doubledays of coggeshall 128The Millrind Press 11, 19this barren land 126Three Horse Shoes 49, 51, 52, 99timber-framed 113Timeworks 125, 127Tom Purvis 12Toulouse Lautrec 12Tuscan Experience 143Tuscany 145type 17, 122-123, 138, 141Uunrural new housing 12VValerie Graves 128
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Village Green 73village green 75, 139, 142Village Hall 64village hall 17, 75, 139Village Sign 66, 73-74, 144village sign 18, 74-75, 137, 139,141, 142Village Stores 66, 67Vulcan 68, 72WW. Martin Johnson 129W. Rockall-Smith 45W.A.Smith 45Walter Crane 129Warren 76Watercress Hall 100West Bergholt 25, 104West Bergholt Road 104, 112
what do you do in meeting forworship? 128White Colne 117Windows 98 125Wingfield 77Winsor and Newton 138wood engraving 37Wood engravings 17Wood Lane 19, 23Woodland Trust 32WordWrite Associates 143Workers Education Association144Wormingford 87Wormingford Road 19, 86, 87
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THE MILLRIND PRESS
PUBLISHING TICKETS DESKTOP PUBLISHING
If you would like a hard copy of any of my publications,including this one, or you would like a print of any of thepaintings or drawings in the book. Perhaps you have just com-pleted a family study and you would like just a few copies forthe family. Maybe you have produced a literary work of art andyou would like it in a fit state to pass on to a printer.
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The Millrind PressISBN 978 1902194 13 4
