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Eric Ravilious - great 20th Century artist born on the Churchfield Road

... well I'll be blowed.Apparently Eric Ravilious was born - possibly at number 90 - Churchfield Road.For those who don't know him, Ravilious was one of the great British artists of the 20th century. He was famous for his often bleak paintings  of the English countryside, illustrated a beautiful and now very valuable book about the English High Street, became a war artist and then was killed in 1942 when the search and rescue plane he was on crashed into the sea off Iceland.See more here : http://www.ericravilious.co.uk/He was also one of the original Great Bardfield artists and a close friend and collaborator of Edward Bawden. And if you can afford one of his paintings you are a much, much richer person than me.Does anyone know anymore?

Richard Grange ● 5203d9 Comments

Eric Ravilious was born in Acton in 1903. The Ravilious family owned a number of shops selling household linen and drapery. There were shops in Churchfield Road, and later in Acton High Street, and Church Road. The last Shop with the Ravilious name was in Church Road, which closed some 20 years ago.MacDonald's in the High Street wasne of the family's shops.

Amanda Knights ● 5203d

Just to add to my previous post, his branch of the family moved down to Eastbourne when he was a small child, so his time in Acton was very short.He returned to the area in 1931, and lived at 48 Upper Mall, Hammersmith until 1935. There is a Blue Plaque on the building.

Amanda Knights ● 5203d

For more affordable items, look at some of the Wedgwood designs.  One of his designs was used for a mug for the 1953 coronation, and also for the 2003 anniversary of this.  Several other things - Boat race bowl, gardening mugs, all nice clean simple designs.  The Royal Academy also does a books about him.

Nina Battleday ● 5203d

Nicola Howard ● 5203d

I am very interested to hear about the fact that he had Acton  shopkeepers in the familyOne of his best-known works were illustrations for a book called "The Story of the High Street". A first edition will now cost you many thousands of pounds.The book - which I covet! - consists of illustrations of different types of shops - butchers / book shops etc.Perhaps part of the inspiration for this is explained by the fact that he grew up around shopkeepers who had their shops in Acton???? (One can speculate)

Richard Grange ● 5202d

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49428126@N00/6868391588/"Smartsetpix" has posted this informative picture on Flickrand look out for the historical information below the image.Very interesting topic!

Jim Lawes ● 5200d

Jim That is an excellent web-page. And really interesting. It confirms there was not just one Ravilious shopkeeper but lots of them. And the signage survived until quite recently.Look at web-link below to see a range of Ravilious pictures from "The High Street". One can theorise that when he created them he may have drawn on his experience of growing up as part of a family of Acton small shopkeepers. It would be fascinating to find out.https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=813&q=eric+ravilious+high+street&gbv=2&oq=ravilious+high&aq=0m&aqi=g-m1g-S2&aql=&gs_l=img.1.0.0i5j0i24l2.3363.5239.0.7883.14.14.0.0.0.0.145.1056.9j5.14.0.ekh..0.0.MKTse2TiJT8

Richard Grange ● 5199d

Thanks for pointing this out, I've updated the Churchfield Road Wikipedia page.

David Scott ● 5198d

Eric RaviliousThanks for that link to Google Images and that array of his fine paintings.

Jim Lawes ● 5197d