A Rare Talent The Story of a Picture
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A Rare Talent
The Story of a Picture
From the Barwicker No.102
June 2011
Is this image of All Saints' Church
, Barwick-in-Elmet, a photograph or a drawing? Alan Senior, who has lived all his life in Scholes, challenged The Barwicker team to find out. Martin Tarpey took up the challenge and here is what he found.
The picture is owned by Alan Hobbah who also lives in Scholes. I contacted Alan who told me the following story.
"My twin brother John and I were married at Barwick church on 16th June 1989, John to Angela Harrison, and myself to Julie Ward. We were married by the Rector Terry Munro, who was excited at the prospect of not only having a double wedding, but a double wedding of twins!
Despite the 16th being a Friday, the wedding day was well attended by many from Scholes, I think the novelty value had drawn the crowds! At the time my younger sister Ann was with her first serious boy friend Mark Beckram, who was studying for his A levels, which included Art.
A week or so after the wedding, I asked Mark if he would be interested in doing a sketch of Barwick church as a memento of our wedding. Mark confirmed that he would, and I expected him to let me have a quick sketch on a sheet of A4. Some weeks later he produced this detailed pencil drawing which obviously delighted us. The level of detail has always amazed me, and from a few feet away looks like a photograph.
Mark used his artistic license to reposition the notice board to identify the church to the viewer- my only tongue in cheek comment to him was that he should have changed the time on the clock face to show the time of the wedding at 3.00pm.
Ann and Mark remained serious and were married 3 years later. Despite Mark's obvious talents, he completed his A levels, and then went on to University to study accountancy, becoming a certified accountant. His artistic talents have not resurfaced since!
Julie and I have been happily married and have two children Emma who is twenty and her brother Jack who is nine."
Mark produced a wonderful drawing which hung on their lounge wall for many years and always reminded Alan and his family of a very happy occasion. We are grateful to him for sharing this gift with us. Bart Hammond, one of the founding fathers of The Barwicker produced superb drawings of our area which were printed. The Editor is always delighted to receive similar work, photographs and eyewitness accounts of local interesting events.
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