Frank and Mavis Cadwallader

The Artist

Frank Cadwallader was born in Aston, Birmingham, to Arthur and Daisy, and was the second of three, all boys, to the family. The eldest son, Douglas became a chief architect at Dunlop's estates office, Frank became Managing Director of a Birmingham Shopfitting company, and Harold, the youngest, retired as Headmaster of a large Comprehensive School in Ipswich.

Frank's father was a Scoutmaster at Perry Barr Methodist Church in Birmingham, and while a Scout, Frank was awarded The Royal Humane Society's Medal of Galantry for saving the life of a lad who had fallen into the river Tame while it was in flood in Perry Barr Park. As a Rover Scout, he met his wife to be, Mavis, who was a Ranger Guide at the time, and they were married during the war and had two sons, Tony and Peter, and daughter Jennifer.

He always wanted to be a painter, and when he won a scholarship to the Birmingham School of Art, it seemed like a dream come true. Trouble came when he found that the oils, and the pigments of oxides and white lead got under his fingernails, and the chemicals that he breathed in while mixing the paints got into his system and made him ill. Under doctor's orders, he switched to technical drawing instead, and went into business designing and constructing high quality furniture and furnishings for banks, museums and shops including Birmingham Airport.

Lichfield Cathedral

During the war, he was called to serve as the only signalman aboard a Hull Trawler escorting East Coast convoys along 'E-Boat Alley' between Hull and the English Channel. No time for painting then, he recalled, We had a 1917 four inch gun, the same age as me, some five machine guns and loads of depth charges, and there was plenty of action what with convoy duty and mine sweeping.

Frank retired in 1982 and moved from the Midlands to Devon, and at last fulfilled his ambition of painting, but now in watercolour. He became one of Torbay's best know artists and was a prolific worker, finishing on average, one painting per week. His paintings were in much demand and many commissions were gained from people all over the area and from abroad, and his miniature cards, which are available on this website, were sold all over the County in National Trust shops and many other outlets. All profits from the sale of his paintings were donated to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, and he gained a number of 'Dog' awards for services to them.

He was chairman of the Brixham Art Society for many years with a 180 strong membership, and exhibited at their annual exhibitions as well as at Totnes, Stoke Gabriel, and hung in a number of galleries in the area. As a member of the British Watercolour Society, he also exhibited at their Ilkley exhibitions at least once a year in Yorkshire.

His Dartmoor scenes hang as happy reminders of holidays past, in homes as far apart as America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and two were commissioned by troops serving in the Falklands and hung in the Officer's Mess out there. His wife, Mavis, passed away peacefully in July 1997 at the age of 80, and after 56 years of happy marriage, Frank found his art work a wonderful therapy following his loss.

End of the day

Cooking was not one of his stronger points, and his family were greatly amused at his efforts. He rang up one day to declare that he had finally cracked how to make semolina pudding. He said that he had enjoyed it so much, that he cut himself another slice for seconds. Frank passed away on February 17th, 2003 at his house in Churston Ferrers, just outside Brixham, where he had lived since his retirement. Like his wife, he had hardly ever had any illness during his life, and didn't suffer any illness at the end. He just - 'finished'.

We invite you to share some of the joy that he expressed in his painting, and this website is devoted to his work, and makes available 8" x 5½" reproductions taken from some of the original paintings.

On the catalogue pages, you will find thumbnail size views that you can click through to get an enlarged image as seen on this page.