COOKE, Kenneth*

Born in Bristol in 1924. His Art training began in 1935 at the East Bristol Central School where he came under the instruction of the art master B/S Frank Mole. In 1939 he took an apprenticeship at the studio of Mardon, Son and Hall, where he met other Savage artists such as Frank Duffield and John Keenan. He continued to work at Mardon`s until he was called up and was sent to the Royal Engineer`s Field Survey section which utilised his artistic abilities in the drawing and production of maps. During this period he kept in touch with his old Art Master Frank Mole. In 1947 he was de-mobbed and returned to Mardon`s studio, and Frank Mole invited him to join the Bristol Savages and in that same year he was elected to Artist Membership. In the early sixties Ken took up the post of Assistant Studio Manager at Ford`s of Bristol. The studio manager was Dennis Lewis who later became an Artist Member in 1964. In 1966, when his old friend and art master Frank Mole was still Honorary Secretary, Ken became President. Unfortunately for us, his work at Ford`s took him to the London Office in 1964 and he moved to Newbury. He exhibited regularly at the Annual Exhibition from 1948 until the early 70s. We have 20 of his evening sketches in the archives. He was made an Honorary Member in 1996. (R.S.B)