10:20pm Thursday 2nd July 2009
By Clive White
For six weeks, artist and retired teacher, David Ingham stared into the face of the man who told him he would do nothing worthwhile in his life.
He was painting the portrait, from an old photograph, of Marcelus Forster, a former head teacher at Ermysted’s Grammar School, Skipton, who expelled him in 1955.
Mr Ingham, of Oakworth Road, Keighley, was commissioned by the school to create the portrait to join other paintings of former head teachers in its library.
It is one of two commissioned pieces he has completed, the second a painting of Tom Ashworth who was in charge until 2007.
Mr Ingham said: “It really has been an honour to work on the portraits and not too bad for a ‘bad boy’ of the school.
“It was a bit ironic working on a painting of Mr Forster but I bear no grudges – it was a long time ago. The last time we met he told me ‘Ingham, your behaviour leaves a lot to be desired. You are a waste of time and will do nothing worthwhile in life’.
“But I didn’t do so badly in the end, though I say it myself,” said Mr Ingham, who transferred to Keighley Grammar School after an inquiry into his expulsion by the Chief Education Officer for the West Riding. He later went on to gain a degree in fine art at Bradford College of Art shortly after Bradford-born artist David Hockney had left.
He taught art in mainstream schools for six years before entering the old approved school system, which catered for boys and girls with extreme behavioural and emotional problems and a history of persistent offending.
Until 1996, Mr Ingham was head of the former Tong Park School in Baildon, then a community home with education for wayward children.
In the mid-1980s he had the opportunity to take up the position of Head of Art at Ermysted’s, but reluctantly declined the offer because he was happy where he was.
Mr Ingham, who is completing a commission for the legendary Rugby League star Alex Murphy, has also exhibited regularly at Yorkshire exhibitions. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Artists.
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