STUART WEBSTER (Autobiography 11)

J. S. WEBSTER

Stuart Webster –or J. S. W., as he signed his watercolours,  or Beaver as he was known to us, his pupils – was my Art Master for the whole of my time at Gresham’s School, from when I arrived in short trousers until I was nearly nineteen. No other teacher accompanied me throughout my school career. The Chaplain also remained it is true, but the regular lessons in Divinty (as we called R.E.) ceased to be required during the Sixth Form. P.E. (physical education) also stopped after ‘O’ levels, but Art increased in importance for me, as it was one of my ‘A’ level subjects. Also, while my other ‘A’ level subjects of English and History required a lot of reading alone in my study, Art needed my presence in the Art Room. The result was that I got very well acquainted with Stuart Webster, and became quite friendly with him too.

His great affection was for landscape painting in watercolour. He took his subjects very largely from the North Norfolk he knew and loved. He married late in life, when he was almost 60. This was after I had left the school; he was the one teacher I remained in contact with and so I got to know his wife as well. I remember afternoons spent with him at his marital home, a cottage in Hunworth, a pretty village a few miles south of Holt.

Here is a brief note from my diary of July 1st 1972 (five years after I had left school): ‘… drove off to Sheringham where I wasted two pennies on the amusement machines – they both got stuck in the mechanism – so I did not get my fun. Then to Holt and looked round the town, then to Hunworth and had sherry with Mr Webster. He liked my pictures, and the Daf in which I took them [i.e. Stuart Webster and his wife] for a drive. Then to the OG party… ‘ After many years of dwelling in a flat in Holt he was very taken with actually owning a lawn mower! I remember him telling me it was called a Lawnderette!

JAMES DYSON 

He had been trained in Industrial Design at the Art College in Liverpool, and as such he should have been the ideal teacher for his pupil (Sir) James Dyson. After all, it was through designing for industry that he got into vacuum cleaners. Sadly, the industrial side of things got no attention in Beaver’s teaching; he had abandoned that years before. Yet I think he should get some credit for developing Dyson’s artistic talent, which was the foundation of his success. Like me in this respect (though in no others), James Dyson had been an art student throughout his schooldays. He went on to art college in London before his talent for engineering .

The young student James Dyson’s art was exhibited at Speech Day at Gresham’s, and was favourably noted by my father at the time. Dyson is a couple of years older than me. I suppose it was quite something to have taught a boy who later became a billionaire through his abilities; unfortunately Beaver knew nothing about the Dyson vacuum cleaners, having died at a relatively young age in 1976 (he had been retired only four years, and would not have been over 65). He had a generous obituary in the Eastern Daily Press, written by Malcolm Freeguard, the BBC producer and a former Gresham’s teacher, who knew him well.

Stuart Webster is mentioned in James Dyson’s autobiography Against the Odds. He states that he was a charming man and a great watercolourist (which is true) but says he was an alcoholic. Beaver certainly liked his pint (or even two) it is true, but the impression of his being permanently inebriated is a vile slander. I blame Dyson’s ghost-writer (Giles Coren) who never knew J. S. Webster personally, but Dyson himself must take ultimate responsibility for his book. It is a very unfair comment and portrays Beaver in a poor light which he does not deserve.

JIMMY DODD

J. S. W.’s leisure time was largely taken up in playing golf. His golfing partner was ‘Jimmy’ Dodd (by Christian name another Stuart). He was my French teacher who lived in The Grove (a spacious house on the Cromer Road) with his aged mother. When I was a schoolboy he, like Stuart Webster, was unmarried, but unlike his friend he remained so.  The nearest Golf Course is the one at Sheringham, but there was also that at Cromer and the Links at West Runton.

Stuart Webster was short and stout, with a manner that could appear pompous, but was redeemed by abundant good humour. When I was a young prep school boy in shorts he would appear at Crossways (my boarding  house) and play the piano while reciting STANLEY HOLLOWAY’S Albert and the Lion; we loved Beaver’s performances enormously.

Stuart Webster did not drive, so moving out to Hunworth meant he was dependent on his wife to take him home. Before his marriage in 1969 he had lived in a flat in Holt and was driven around when necessary by friends such as Mr Dodd. For his day-to-day movements he had an ancient old green bicycle, on which he would proceed in a very upright posture.

Following his death I visited his widow at their cottage in Hunworth with my friend Bill Wragge. We purchased some of his watercolours . The picture illustrated is one of these; it is of the Dun Cow at Salthouse. Apparently he would not sign this picture because he did not rate it of sufficient quality, although I think it is perfectly acceptable. By this stage in his life his style had evolved to a looser and more atmospheric one, represented by another picture in my collection. This one he did sign.

THE DUN COW AT SALTHOUSE, NORTH NORFOLK COAST, BY J.S.W.

JOSEPH MASON

THE BLOG FOR MEMORIES OF EAST ANGLIAN LIFE

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