1915          Born Bingley, West Yorkshire, only son of George Henry Lee and Alice Isobel Wood.

 

1918          Father killed at third battle of Ypres; brought up by mother and three elder sisters.

 

1927-32     Bingley  Grammar School

 

1932-37     Bradford College of Art, taking examinations in industrial design, drawing and pictorial   
                 design; awarded place at Royal College of Art, drawing instruction from Henry Butler and
                 design with John F Greenwood. Encouraged in study of the modern movement, Cezanne and
                 the Post-impressionists, Braque, Klee and the Surrealists became influences before going to
                 London.

 

1937-40     Royal College of Art. Graphic design, book illustration, lithography and wood engraving.   
                 Tutored  by John Nash and Edward Bawden. Life drawing studies with Vivien Pitchforth and 
                 Percy Horton. Visiting tutors, Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious. Flat in Adelaide Road, Swiss
                 Cottage (‘38/39) next to Stanley Spencer’s temporary studio;  able to see development of
                 Spencer’s works and procedures.

 

1940          Called into the Royal Artillery Signals, training in North Wales and Somerset.

 

1941          April, sailed in convoy for Egypt via Cape Town; five months in Cyprus, June- November;
                 re-equipped Palestine, November.

 

1942          January, Western Desert campaign, North Africa. Taken prisoner in Gazala Line, June;
                 transferred to Italy, P.O.W. camp at Altamura and Fermo July’42 - October ’43.

 

1943          After capitulation of Italy, transferred to Germany, Stalag IV B, then to Freital, suburb of
                 Dresden; working camp.

 

1944          Experienced Bombing of Freital, detailed to bury dead.

 

1945          February, witnessed the Allied destruction of Dresden. April, marched into Czechoslovakia
                 with international column of P.O.W.’s by retreating Wehrmacht to sound of Russian guns.
                 Liberated by Soviet troops and flown by U.S. Air Force and R.A.F. to Horsham Sussex.
                 Married Thelma Barthel. Three daughters Vanessa, Joanna and Saskia.

 

1946          Demobilised. Returned to Royal College of Art on fourth year scholarship awarded in  1940.

 

1947          Taught part-time at Hammersmith College of Art. Returned to Yorkshire on appointment as
                 art master at Heckmondwike Grammar School.

 

1949          Batley School of Art – later Dewsbury and Batley Technical and Art College. Lecturer in
                 drawing, graphic design, print making and history of art and design.

 

1957          Appointed Deputy Head of School.

 

1969-79     Bingley College of Education, Principal lecturer in Visual Arts Area – teaching painting,
                 drawing, graphic design, print making and history of art and design. Examiner, National
                 College of Art, Dublin (’72 – ’73).

                                                                                                                                                        1980-83     Part time visiting lecturer at Huddersfield Polytechnic, Bretton College and Bradford and
                 Ilkley College.

 

1980-2005  Principally involved in equipping and developing personal studio workshop, and  exhibiting as
                  an artist craftsman.

 

2007           Died in a local nursing home aged 91 years.