Joe Titmuss
Joe was a prolific local artist working with acrylics and watercolours, as
well and ink. He produced full size paintings, miniatures and cartoons.
He was a constant source of pictures for the Pirton Pumpkin Club, and we don't
know what we will do without him! Sadly Joe died on Sunday 16th January
2006.
Joe Prints are available see
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A note from Jonty Wild:
I knew Joe from when I joined the Pumpkin Club Committee in 1992 and
considered him to be a good friend and hope that he felt the same. He was,
at least partly responsible getting involved in the Village and various
Village organisations - he has a lot to answer for!
I particularly remember receiving his artistic help with a highly decorated
waistcoat aimed at winning a bet at a wedding. He added graffiti with
relish and some of it was a little risqué – as a result I won the bet!
I was glad to support his art via the website and together we sold quite a
few prints over the years and these, I hope will still be available, only now
instead of any profit being split between us, it will be added up periodically
and go to the Alzheimer's Disease Society. This charity was very close to
Joe's heart having lost his wife Betty, to that terrible disease.
I admired much of his artwork and bought one of his paintings, “Ivy Cottage”,
he later gave me the painting of next door, “Red Lion Cottage” and I felt very
honoured when I discovered that these were in fact his first two paintings.
He told me that he had been ill, got bored and started painting. I believe
that the painting of Red Lion Cottage, was painted from the cover of the May
1967 addition of the Hertfordshire Countryside magazine
Together, via the Pumpkin Club, we collaborated on the Pirton Christmas cards
and although we did not produce them for 2005, having decided to give it a rest,
up to then we had raised over £2000, which was divided between the Alzheimer’s
disease Society, Hitchin Hospice and Pumpkin Club. The first two being in memory
of Betty and which I and the Pumpkin Club were very happy to help. I would
hope that we can continue with this fund raising using the collection of Joe’s
art that he provided to me for scanning and which I will keep safe.
Jonty Wild
Pirton