CHASE, William Arthur, ARWA.

Born in Bristol on 17th May 1878, he received his early education at the Rev. Anthony Hudson`s Private School. Later he studied at the City and Guilds School in London where he won National Silver and Bronze Medals. Thence to the Regent Street Polytechnic Art School where he won a Silver Medal. He entered the Civil Service and became an Inland Revenue Officer but continued his painting and exhibited at the Royal Academy and several leading Galleries. When he came to Bristol in 1908 at the age of thirty, he was already a well known portrait painter and a specialist in flower paintings. In April of 1908 he was elected an Artist Member but in October of the same year. he wrote asking to resign owing to his inability to attend meetings. In October of 1909 however, he wrote again seeking re-election and was readmitted. For two years he was present at the Wigwam and the three Evening Sketches in the Tribe’s collection were carried out during 1909 and 1910. He then left Bristol and later spent much time painting in Northern Italy and South America. When he returned to England, he settled in Blewbury near Didcot in Berkshire where, on 29th September 1944, he died aged sixty-six. Seemingly, this was another transient member who entered the Tribe at the beginning of a successful career. His main official purchases were as follows: 1. Oil Painting entitled The Flower Jug bought for H. M. Queen Mary. 2. A Coloured Group of Sweet Peas and A Chintz Bunch. both purchased by H. M. Queen of Norway. But his principal work is considered to be The Rowley Inlaid Wood panels. (Cecil Broome)