PETER THE PAINTER’S CONWAY ON DISPLAY!

25th October 2019

The Conway

By

Peter ‘The Painter’ Blundell (1920-87)

ROMHM:2019.44
Donated by Martin Garwood
Peter in his usual spot outside the library c1977.
Photo courtesy Martin Garwood

The painting is that of a merchant ship called Conway, but so far we have been unable to find out any information about the original ship, if indeed any such ship existed.This is one of the many paintings by Peter ‘The Painter’ Blundell who was a frequent sight in Romford Market where he displayed his paintings outside the library. There is a picture of Peter by S. J. Hitchen and more about his life on the portrait wall in the Havering Museum.

Posted in Collections, Havering Museum, Painting

5 Comments

  1. JACQUELINE BARTLETT on 10th December 2019 at 13:05

    As a school girl waiting for the 248 bus to Sacred Heart Girls School in Upminster, I remember Peter ‘The Painter’. He singled me out one morning in the mid 1980’s while I was waiting at the Library bus stop with friends to go to school and he handed me a small packet of crayons. I went on to study at Art College in the 1990’s and teach Art in Secondary schools. He saw something in me that even I wasn’t aware of at the time.

    Reply
  2. Martin Garwood on 16th July 2020 at 19:15

    I met Peter when I was in Romford and got talking to him about his paintings. I was working for my father in law then selling printing supplies and had been to a printers in the town. I don’t remember much about our conversation but I asked if I could buy one of the paintings and chose the Conway. I always carried a camera then and asked if I could take a photo. He happily agreed. The picture was much loved in our family and spent many years on my son’s bedroom wall – we admired the bright colours and the way he used gloss paints and old cardboard sheets. I am delighted that Conway is now in the museum and can be enjoyed by many more people. Thank you Peter

    Reply
    • Pete Johnson on 17th July 2020 at 04:44

      Thanks for the kind donation of the picture of the Conway, it does get a lot of notice and Peter was a character that many of our visitors still remember seeing in Romford.

      Reply
  3. miss v c Rogers on 13th March 2021 at 09:33

    How amazing that his work is in the museum. Remember him as I went to Romford Tech behind the library

    Reply
  4. Simon on 15th March 2021 at 11:32

    I’ve done a piece about Peter, and included the 1970 television feature about him: https://dreamsgatheringdust.com/2021/03/15/wealth-i-seek-not-hope-nor-love-remembering-peter-the-painter/

    Reply

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