www.albiestales.co.uk part two

THE VICTORIAN BUILDING, which housed the Norwich School of Art in St George’s Street, was originally built in 1899 at a cost of around £20,000. In Albie’s day, not only did it provide courses for aspiring artist like himself, but also for architects, fabric designers and photographers, as well as the woodworking, printing, and boot and shoe trades. It has to be said, with the latter, there was always much animosity between the ‘boot and shoe boys’ and the art students, which sometimes erupted into open ‘warfare’ between the two sides!

IN SEPTEMBER 1958, at the start of his second year at the Art School, Albie joined the Graphic Design course, with printmaking being part of the syllabus. Given the option of ‘lino cutting’ or ‘wood engraving’, he was, at first, undecided which medium to use!

On the other hand, his friend Geoffrey was in no such dilemma, having already decided that wood engraving, though more detailed and skilful, was for him as it took up less time with only one block being required for a single colour printing – and that was black!

“Lino cutting is too complicated,” Geoff told his friend, “with all them separate blocks – one for each colour – an’ then there’s all that messy ink goin’ everywhere. No, tha’s definitely not for me!”

However, Albie had other ideas and had made up his mind to produce a fine, detailed print, using all the colours of the rainbow.

“But, just think of all the lovely colours you can use,” he told Geoff, brimming over with enthusiasm, “an’ the textures, an’orl!”

Start as you mean to go on, Albie told himself, knowing that in a year or so he would have to face his nightmare, the Intermediate Examination, so he just had to become an expert lino-cutter by then!

“No, Geoff,” he told his fellow printmaker, exuding the utmost confidence, “I intend to produce the most aesthetically-pleasing print possible – an’ tha’s gotta be a colourful lino cut, not one o’ yer bland, boring ole black an’ white wood engravings!”

Soon, with the germ of a idea in his head, Albie began frantically hacking away at one piece of lino after another. Soon, after much frenetic activity, Albie breathed a sigh of relief – he had finished, and well ahead of Geoffrey!

“Ready to start printing now,” he told Geoff, brushing flakes of lino onto the floor. “You aren’t still cutting yours out, are you?”

Geoffrey, however, was far too busy to listen to his friend’s sarcastic remarks. Head down, deep in concentration, he was skilfully etching away minute slivers of cherry wood from his printing block. He had to admit wood engraving took much longer that he had realised, and began to wonder if he’d made the right choice after all!

Albie then gathered up his lino blocks – six in all – and began inking the first, in a subtle shade of ochre, for printing.

By the end of the day, with numerous shades and hue of printing ink covering his hands and arms, Albie displayed his very first lino print, and wholly pleased he was too!

Standing there, proudly showing off his work of art – a shimmering kaleidoscope of every possible colour under the sun – he decided he was born to be a lino-cutter! “What d’ya think of this, then?” he asked his friend Geoffrey.

“Hmm,” pondered Geoff, thoughtfully, “tha’s OK – but, wha’s it s’posed to be?”

Albie had to admit – he wasn’t quite sure!

UP TO HIS OLD ANTICS AGAIN!

The Graphic Design room, on the top floor of the Art School, was at the far end of the building, and, through the large windows, overlooking the River Wensum there were wonderful views of Elm Hill, with Norwich Cathedral in the distance.

Their tutor, Geoffrey Wales, was himself an accomplished Graphic Designer and printmaker, specialising in wood engraving, and was always close at hand to offer helpful advice and words of encouragement to Albie and the other students.

Unfortunately, Mr Wales had a rather unusual manner of speech. Whilst it wasn’t exactly an impediment, more of a case of him ‘speaking through his nose’, it did present certain individuals with an opportunity to indulge in the art of mimicry.

Invariably, Mr Wales would prefix each opening conversation with the sound: “Dahhh”!

Graphic Design is all about presenting a product – whether it be a carton, book, poster or any other printed matter – in the most effectual, aesthetically-pleasing way, to make the would-be consumer want to buy it.

In the Graphic Design room, examples of past students’ work were proudly displayed in a purpose-built cabinet, which was always kept well and truly locked, with the only key – a simple square-sectioned device with a ‘T’ handle, similar to those used for opening railway carriage doors – in the sole possession of Mr Wales for safe keeping.

But, someone else had a similar key – as they were all soon to discover!

One day, a humble packet of the ubiquitous weed, Woodbines, made its unannounced début amongst the other award-winning designs in the salubrious display case!

For a while, it seemed quite at home amongst its more exotic, well-designed companions, and almost went unnoticed!

However, Albie’s reputation for being ‘somewhat of a mischief-maker’ had preceded him on this occasion and, infuriated by the invasion of a ‘foreign body’ in his ostentatious display, a red-faced Mr Wales hurled the offending packet of ten across the room at Albie.

“Dahhh, cob on, Dalbie,” he shouted, grabbing the lad by the sleeve of his favourite lilac shirt, “I dow it’s you, so don’t deny it!”

THE ‘JAM’ SESSION

The lad from Sheringham had made many friends whilst at the Norwich School of Art, with his closest being Geoffrey from Eye in Suffolk and young ‘Nipper’ from the village of Aldborough, near Hanworth post office, and who was to remain a good friend of Albie’s for a great many years.

The trio all had one thing in common, their love of music – if you can call it that – and often played in the Graphic Design room when they should have been out sketching – much to the displeasure of the tutors.

Geoffrey was a talented guitarist, destined to rise to national fame with a local pop group in the years ahead, whilst Albie, having replaced his plastic guitar with a nicely-decorated, wood-veneered, Spanish guitar, concentrated on his vocals – singing in the style of Elvis Presley, but sounding more like Marty Wilde, or so he was told!

Nipper provided the percussion, hammering out the beat on a home-made drum set, which kept moving away from him every time he hit the bass-drum pedal – and what a din they made!

“Come on, man!” shouted Dav, bursting in from the Life Room next door. “Stop that racket will ya? We’re tryin’ to work next door!”

So, the impromptu performance by The Icenis – as they called themselves – was brought to a close by circumstances beyond their control! As for their audience? – well, they’d all gone out sketching at the opening bars of Don’t Be Cruel!

“What shall we do now?” asked Albie, putting his guitar back in its zip-up case. “I don’t feel much like sketchin’, do you?”

“Tha’s nearly eleven,” replied Nipper, packing his cymbals into the large, hollow cardboard tub that double as his bass drum, “how about we git a cuppa in the Canteen?”

“An’ I could do with some nosh, an’orl,” agreed Geoffrey, already halfway out of the door. “Last one in buys the coffee!”

Behind the Art School was a large, partially-paved quadrangle. On one side of this was the Garth, a medieval building once part of the Dominican Friars’ monastery, part of Blackfriars’ Hall, adjoining the Cloisters of St Andrew’s Hall.

Sculpture and pottery classes were held in the ground floor of the Garth, whilst upstairs were the Photographic studios and darkrooms, where Albie was to discover the mystique of developing and printing – amongst other things – but, more of that later!

Facing the Garth, on the opposite side of the quadrangle, was the Art School Canteen – nowadays popularly known as the Refectory. How Albie enjoyed his mid-morning visits for a warming mug of Nescafé and a tasty cheese roll, albeit sometimes rather mouldy!

“Mm-mmm,” he said, mug of coffee in one hand and half-eaten roll in the other, “this cheese roll’s tasty!”

“Not so tasty as that bit-o-stuff over there,” laughed Geoffrey, eyeing up a blonde in bright red stilettos. “She’s a cracker!”

Suddenly, a rather rough-looking youth in drain-pipe trousers and long jacket pushed through the crowd of other students.

“What ya gawpin’ at?” he snarled, grabbing Geoff by the throat. “She’s my bird – watta make suffin of it?”

Time to go, thought Albie, so the trio – The Icenis – hastily beat their retreat!

OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES

At that time, the building the housed the Norwich School of Art School was also home to the Boot & Shoemaking Department – as well as others – and a state of unrest always existed between the ‘boot and shoe boys’ and the more-superior art students!

“What did ya have look at that mawther for?” Albie asked Geoff, as they made their way towards the back door of the Art School. “You know what them boot an’ shoe boys are like – always spoilin’ for a fight!”

“She wuz a bit of all right though,” laughed Nipper.“I bet she’s a right little goer...”

“Fancy ya chance, did ya?” laughed Albie, giving his friend a nudge. “More’n you could handle, I shun’t wonder!”

Next to the back door was a rough paved area where the boot and shoe apprentices, boys and girls alike, congregated for a cigarette during breaktimes, and that day was no different as a dozen of them stood, backs to the wall, dragging on their roll-ups.

Without a further word, Albie and his two friends quietly passed the surly crowd, making their way indoors and upstairs to the safety of Art School.

High, on the top floor of the building, overlooking the quadrangle, were the boys’ toilets and, two floors down, directly below the open windows, stood the boot and shoe boys.

“I en’t havin’ no one talkin’ to me like that,” declared Geoff, taking a small paper bag out of his pocket and filling it with tapwater. “This’ll make ’em jump!” And he promptly dropped the water-bomb out of the window, rapidly descending onto the unsuspecting targets below.

Swish – bang – splosh, went the water-bomb – followed by a sudden outburst of unrepeatable expletives!

For a while, the hapless victims on the receiving end tolerated the continual aerial bombardment, just hurling back threats and promises of violent reprisals.

“This’ll shut ’em up,” laughed Albie, filling a large, brown paper carrier bag from the tap. “Give us a hand you two, tha’s hooly heavy!

With a loud whistle, the enormous water-bomb descended three floors and burst with an almighty bang on the flag-stones below, luckily without hitting anyone. as several the boot and shoe boys, and their ‘dolls’, had wised up and were already racing up the back stairs in an attempt to confront the perpetrators.

Albie and his mates, however – being one step ahead of retribution – had beaten a fast retreat.

Unfortunately, one of their fellow art students – now a renowned member of the modern school of Norfolk Painters, and who shall remain nameless – received a pasting instead and, it had to be said, was not best pleased!

Sporting a colourful eye, the innocent victim was not exactly filled with endearment for Albie and his cronies and insisted, with some degree of forcefulness, that they refrained forthwith from their unwelcome antics!

Due to that particular student’s assertive nature who, just by chance, was also somewhat larger than Albie, the Sheringham lad decided it was an opportune moment to put a stop to their water sports, and perrhaps – just perhaps – it was time to grow up, a little!

NEXT: Albie becomes an illustrator at Norwich Castle Museum!

SOME OF ALBIE’S FAVOURITE WEBSITES A Norfolk Entertainer A Moment in Time Enjoy North Norfolk Enjoy Norwich Flint Holiday Cottages Norfolk Churches Norfolk Dialect Norfolk Village Signs Norwich City Hall and the Lions Picture Norfolk Remember Norfolk Sculthorpe Spyplanes

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