FELGATE, Tom

1920 - 2002

Thomas Charles Felgate was born in a fisherman's cottage at Aldeburgh, Suffolk on 21 December 1920, only son of the two children of house painter, fisherman, lifeboatman and yacht skipper, Charles William Felgate (30 January 1882-1943) and his wife Jane née Norman (7 June 1882-1958), who married at Aldeburgh in 1905. His father had been a sailor and served as a merchant seaman during the First World War and in 1939 they were living at 94 High Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk when Tom was a fitter & engineer. Tom, as he was known, well remembered the East Coast sailing, steam drifters, pulling and sailing lifeboats and longshore fishing boats, which were among his favourite art subjects in his early years. During the 1939-45 war he served in the R.A.F. after which he married at Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk in 1946 Ethel Eva née Butt (3 October 1925-21 December 2004). He maintained his interest and studies of art and subsequently worked as an art gallery manager and, living in East Anglia was involved full-time in art, and in the creation of original work. From his early days Tom had always been interested in sketching, painting, and valued his pictures of the pre-war era, when he used to sketch for a hobby and in his later years worked in pen and water colour and produced interesting and worthwhile work. Tom Felgate became known in relation to his personal artwork and his originals are in many private collections in the United Kingdom and abroad. Of special note are pictures of East Anglian scenes, and his pictures of the East Coast towns with their life and transport. He exhibited around Suffolk including his solo shows in his native town of Aldeburgh during the Festival. Thomas Charles Felgate died at Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk in 2002.

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Works by This Artist