Alan Boyson

Alan Boyson
RCA
Alan Boyson RCA
Born	1930
Died	19 August 2018 (aged 87–88)
Alma mater	Manchester Regional School of Art (1950–1954); Royal College of Art (1954–1957);
Occupations	Lecturer in art; muralist;
Employer	Wolverhampton College of Art (c. 1959–60)

Alan Boyson, RCA (1930^[1]^[2] – 19 August 2018)^[3] was an English muralist and sculptor, who worked chiefly in glass,^[4] ceramic and concrete.

Boyson studied at Manchester Regional School of Art from 1950–1954,^[5] and at the Royal College of Art from 1954–1957.^[5] He was subsequently a lecturer at the School of Ceramics in Wolverhampton College of Art,^[4] during which time he established his own studio and began taking commissions.^[5]

An Associate of the Royal College of Art, Boyson worked until c. 2004.^[5] As well as public works, he also made smaller pieces.^[6]

When his mural The Tree of Knowledge, at the former Cromwell Secondary School in Salford, was given statutory protection by English Heritage, they said:^[5]

It has a high level of aesthetic and artistic quality represented in a bold and striking composition

Works

Boyson's works include:

decorative features and font, The Church of the Epiphany and St John, Corby (1960–1961)^[7]^[8]
The Tree of Knowledge, Salford (1962; Grade II listed in 2009)^[9]
- a ceramic tiled wall for the entrance hall of the same building (since lost)^[1]
the Co-Op Mosaic in Kingston upon Hull (1963; now locally listed)^[4]^[10]
- a mural depicting a shoal of fish, inside the same building
concrete screens, City Arcade, Lichfield (1963; lost)^[11]
glass-tile mural, Parkfields Cedars Grammar School (now Price Charles Avenue campus of Derby College), Derby (1969; now hidden behind partition wall)^[12]
glass screen and decorative ceiling, Halifax Building Society headquarters, Halifax (1970s)^[5]
stainless steel sculpture, NatWest Tower, London (late 1970s)^[5]
abstract stained-glass window, St Ann's Church, central Manchester^[9] (church is Grade II listed^[5])
mural, Co-operative Insurance Society Building, Manchester^[9] (building is Grade II listed^[5])
ceramic memorial, Birmingham Oratory^[5] (restored 2010^[13])
pyramids, Concourse Shopping centre, Skelmersdale (lost)^[14]
mural, Queen's Hotel, Collyhurst^[15]
sculptured aluminium banking hall ceiling, Bank House (Bank of England), Leeds (since removed)^[16]
concrete frieze, Merseyway shopping centre, Stockport^[15]
fourteen ceramic Stations of the Cross and three holy water stoops, St Raphael's Church, Huddersfield Road, Millbrook, Stalybridge, Manchester (grade II listed; closed 2011)^[15]^[17]^[18]
tiles, George Cusick's greengrocery store (now in different ownership), Ashton Road, Denton, Manchester^[2]
concrete screen at Pendleton (now Salford) College^[19]
untitled mural, register office (former), Cygnet House, Gravesend, Kent^[20]
mosaic, unknown school, Gravesend (missing)^[21]
fibreglass sculpture, shopping centre Swinton, Greater Manchester (lost)^[22]
designs (unused) for reliefs at Spring Gardens Post Office, Manchester^[23]

References

^ ^a ^b "Salford Tree of Knowledge Saved". Salford Star. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
^ ^a ^b Carr, Sue (23 June 2011). "Hidden treasure: Artwork is discovered in Denton furniture store". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ Alan Boyson, Creator of Salford Tree of Knowledge, Passes Away
^ ^a ^b ^c "Alan Boyson, Three Ships, Italian glass mosaic, 1963". C20 Society Murals Campaign. 20th Century Society. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1393433)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ "Alan Boyson RCA, British mid-late 20th/early 21st century- Tree No 2; ceramic sculpture, signed, titled and dated 1977 on the underside". Roseberys. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1414359)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ "Epiphany, Corby". Locus Iste. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Salford's Tree of Knowledge saved". BBC Online. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ "Local buildings list" (PDF). Hull City Council. Retrieved 7 November 2016.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "City Arcade Becomes 50 Years Old". Lichfield Gazette. August 2013. p. 40. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ "Readers help solve mural site puzzle – but can it be saved?". Derby Telegraph. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2016.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "A Selection of Past and Recent Projects". The Jackfield Conservation Studio. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ "Alan Boyson – Sculptor of Skelmersdale New Town's Pyramid". Modernism North West. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Alan Boyson's work in Manchester". Modernism North West. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1419336)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1406451)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
^ Carr, Sue (13 July 2011). "Church closes doors as repair bill rockets". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
^ "Salford Tourists Kick in the Teeth". Salford Star. 12 June 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ "Alan Boyson, Untitled, Ceramin Tile". Twentieth Century Society. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ "Lost valuable ceramic prompts schools' hunt". Gravesend Reporter. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
^ Wyke, Terry; Cocks, Harry (2004). Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester. Liverpool University Press. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-85323-567-5.
^ Gallagher, Paul (12 January 2014). "Can you help Hayley solve riddle of the Spring Gardens Post Office murals?". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 November 2016.

Works

References

Further reading