ALFRED RANDAL CATHERALL,

1926 – 2013

LOCAL ARTIST, FINE ART AND ANTIQUE DEALER Alf’s biggest commission and the largest single surviving collection of his paintings can be seen at St George’s Hotel in Llandudno. Alf was commissioned by then owner, Michael Forte, to paint thirty three large scale panels which are still on display there. It took Alf two years to complete this task. 1979-1980 Alf was born on 22nd October 1926 in and passed away peacefully at the Countess of Chester hospital aged 86 on 11th March 2013. Alf spent a large part of his life living at Tudor House in Lower Bridge Street, Chester thought to be the oldest house in Chester having been built in 1603. He bought Tudor House from his father, Peter Catherall who had been a cabinet maker, picture restorer and antique dealer with his own antique shop in Watergate Street. Alf was an artist who painted watercolours of local scenes in Chester and the surrounding areas as well as further afield. He was a prolific painter and sold many of his paintings from his antiques and fine art shop - Catheralls of Chester - which occupied the ground floor of Tudor House (now a café and delicatessen). In May 1961 Alf hosted a large art exhibition in Tudor House for local artists and sculptors and this was promoted by L S Lowry who loaned two of his own paintings for display at the event. These were a drawing of a boy’s head and an oil painting titled ‘Man Holding Forth’. TUDOR HOUSE, AN ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT LISTED BUILDING, WAS – FROM 1956 - THE FAMILY HOME FOR ALF AND HIS FIRST WIFE JOYCE AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN JOANNA AND JONATHAN AS WELL AS THE BASE FOR THE FAMILY FINE ART AND ANTIQUE BUSINESS. ALF AND JOYCE IMPLEMENTED THE RESTORATION OF THIS HISTORIC HOUSE AND, IN 1964, THE FIRST MAJOR BUILDING REPAIR PROJECT OF TUDOR HOUSE COMMENCED. THE NORTH WALL OF TUDOR HOUSE WAS IN AN UNSAFE, DILAPIDATED CONDITION. ALF AND JOYCE APPLIED FOR A REPAIRS GRANT FROM THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS COUNCIL AND WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GAINING SOME FINANCIAL SUPPORT. IN 1967 ADDITIONAL NECESSARY, COMPLEX STRUCTURAL REPAIRS TO OTHER SECTIONS OF THE BUILDING WERE COMPLETED BY BUILDING CONTRACTORS HALLIWELL’S OF CHESTER. THE WHOLE BUILDING WAS THEN IN A SAFE, STABLE CONDITION AND “SAVED FROM COLLAPSE”.

A view of Tudor House and the ‘Bentley’ Alf had several exhibitions in the 1970s and 1980s in Paris, Germany and The Netherlands. In 1977 Alf sold Tudor House and pursued his painting career. He had recently married his second wife Carol and they initially moved to live with friends in a called Burg Diesdonk in Germany. With the same friends they helped run an art gallery in Dusseldorf where Alf had several successful exhibitions. Alf and Carol returned to Chester in 1979 and in 1980 Peter was born, followed by Amy in 1982. 1, LLYN ARM - SNOWDON 1980

Located- Corridor by the Terrace Bar / Lounge Area). 2, GREAT ORME – LLANDUDNO LOOKING TOWARDS PENMAENMAWR

SILHOUETTE PORTRAIT OF THE FORTE’S CHILDREN. 1979

Located- By the Terrace Bar near the stain glass window of George & the Dragon. 3, WAVERLY PADDLE STEAMER DOCKED BY LLANDUDNO PIER – LLANDUDNO 1980

Located- The Snug, Lounge Area. 4, LOOKING FROM CONWY TO WEST SHORE LLANDUDNO VIA CONWY ESTUARY - DEGANWY NORTH 1979

Located Conwy Suite above the air conditioning unit close to the Bar sliding doors. 5, SUNSET OVER CAERNARFON CASTLE

GWYNEDD NORTH WALES 1980

Located Conwy Suite Main Back wall of the room. 6, WEST SHORE SAILING CLUB – WEST SHORE LLANDUDNO 1980

*FACT about this painting – it was once used to board up a window down in our basement area. Once it was taken off the window we had it sent off to be restored so it could be rehung with pride in our collection.

Located in the Conwy Suite alcove by main doors into the room 7, MOEL FAMAU HILL SUNSET MOLD NORTH WALES 1979

*FACT this area was on of Catherall’s favourite locations in winter time.

Located1st floor Lloyd wing outside of room 100. 8, SCOTLAND SOMEWHERE? WE THINK FORT WILLIAM SCOTLAND 1979/1980

IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHERE PLEASE LET THE CONCIERGE KNOW, THANK YOU.

Located 1st floor Lloyd wing outside of room 110). 9, CHIRK CASTLE SET IN OPEN FIELDS.

CHRK, WREXHAM NORTH WALES 1980

Located1st floor Lloyd wing outside of Room 109. 10, VIEW OF LIVERPOOL FROM EASTHAM FERRY PORT

(RADIO CITY TOWER IN THE BACKGROUND)

EASTHAM WIRRAL MERSEYSIDE, LIVERPOOL. 1980

Located 1st floor Lloyd wing outside of Room 103. 11, MR BILLY GOAT WITH THE RUINS OF CASTELL DINAS BRAN

LLANGOLLEN, NORTH WALES 1979

*FACT about this painting- The presently visible castle was probably built in the 1260s by Gruffydd Maelor II, a Prince of , on the site of several earlier structures, including an Iron Age , I don’t think me Billy goat was around at that time.

Location1st floor Lloyd wing outside of room 107. 12, SINGLE TREE

SET IN A FRENCH CONTINENTAL FARM YARD

FRANCE 1979

Located1st floor sea view wing outside of room 122. 13, NORTH SHORE BEACH & LITTLE ORME WITH SAIL BOAT’S

*YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE WHY THE LITTLE ORME IS ALSO CALLED THE BABY ELEPHANT DRINKING WATER? LLANDUDNO NORTH WALES 1980 Located1st floor sea view wing outside of room 112 14, VIEW OF THE RIVER SEINE

PARIS - FRANCE 1980

Located 1st floor sea view wing outside of room 112 15, ST ASAPH MARBLE CHURCH ST ASAPH, NORTH WALES 1979

*FACT about this painting - if you are traveling home by car via the A55 you will see this church from the road by St Asaph about 15-minute drive time.

Located 1st floor sea view wing outside of room 121 16, VIEW OF CONWY ESTUARY FROM DEGANWY

DEGANWY NORTH WALES 1980

Located1st floor sea view wing outside of room 114 17, MARSH LAND, WITH VIEW OF RAILWAY BRIDGE TAL Y CAFN NORTH WALES

Located 2nd floor sea view wing outside of room 214. 18, WATER’S EDGE EILEAN DONAN CASTLE DORNIE

SCOTLAND 1979

FACT- This castle was one of Alfred Randal Catherall favourite places to paint.

Located 2nd floor sea view wing outside of room 220 WATER’S EDGE EILEAN DONAN CASTLE DORNIE SCOTLAND 1979 19, WEST SHORE DEGANWY SAILING CLUB ON THE SEA WEST SHORE/ DEGANWY NORTH WALES 1980

Located 2nd floor sea view wing outside of room 212 20, GREENWAY STREET CHESTER

WITH AN UNFINISHED ST MARY’S CHURCH CHESTER 1980

2nd floor sea view wing outside of room 211 21, THE HUNT IS ON,

CHESHIRE 1979

2nd floor sea view wing outside of room 221 22, DERELICT DUTCH WINDMILL WITH HORSES GRAZING IN THE FIELD

HOLLAND 1980

2nd floor Lloyd wing outside of room 201 23, SAIL BOAT RACE

WITH PUFFIN ISLAND IN THE BACKGROUND

PENMAENMAWR NORTH WALES 1980

2nd floor Lloyd wing outside of room 210 24, THE RIVER SEINE

CHILDREN FISHING

PARIS FRANCE 1980

2nd floor Lloyd wing outside of room 207 25, DINAS BRAN RUINS

NEAR TO HOME OF MR BILLY GOAT IN SLIDE 11

LLANGOLLEN, NORTH WALES 1979

2nd floor Lloyd wing outside of room 202 26, SCOT PINE TREES

BY THE CONWY ESTUARY TAL Y CAFN -CLOSE TO LLANRWST NORTH WALES 1979

3rd floor Lloyd wing outside of room 303 27, WINTER IN WALES

MOEL FFAMMAU

MOLD NORTH WALES 1980

3rdfloor Lloyd wing outside of room 304 28, SUNSET OVER HARLECH CASTLE

HARLECH WEST WALES 1980

(3rd floor Lloyd wing outside of room 309 29, TELFORD BRIDGE

TELFORD SHROPSHIRE 1980

*FACT – THOMAS TELFORD ALSO DESIGNED CONWY SUSPENSION BRIDGE AND MENAI BRIDGE IN 1826

3rdfloor Lloyd wing outside of room 301 30, TINTAGEL CASTLE

LOCATED ON THE PENINSULA OF TINTAGEL ISLAND

TINTAGEL NORTH CORNWALL 1979

3rdfloor Lloyd wing outside of room 310 31, GREENWAY STREET

BY THE RIVER DEE

CHESTER 1980

3rd floor sea view wing outside of room 311 32, DEE BRIDGE

OVER THE DEE

CHESTER 1980

3rd floor sea view wing outside of room 314 33, POINT OF AYR LIGHTHOUSE

TALACRE 1980

*FACT THE LIGHT HOUSE IS AT THE NORTHERN MOST POINT OF MAINLAND WALE'S. AND IT IS SITUATED IMMEDIATELY TO THE NORTH OF TALACRE AT THE MOUTH OF THE DEE ESTUARY.

3rd floor sea view wing outside of room 320 34, THE LONE STAG

HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND

SCOTLAND 1980

3rd floor sea view wing outside of room 322 VIEW OF XANTEN,

GERMANY

NOT LOCATED IN THE HOTEL

from the Chester Chronicle April 18th 2013 AR CATHERALL’S FAMILY MEMBERS WITH JAMES BURNS THE HOTEL CONCIERGE

ST GEORGE’S HOTEL LLANDUDNO 2017

Left to Right – Austin, Dave, Jo, Jont, Anita, Eileen & James A R CATHERALL SIGNATURES From Left to Right A R Catherall Son Jont, Jo daughter of A R Catherall & James (St George’s Concierge) Alf was a free spirit, who had a love of nature, landscape and colour and worked for no one but himself. Artistically hundreds of Alf ’s paintings adorn the homes of his former customers around the world from his long career as an artist and many are also cherished by family and friends. Alf led a full and happy life.

Alf ’s health failing in his later years was sad but he was lovingly cared for in a Chester care home for the last ten years of his life. Alf is survived by Joanna, Jonathan, Amy, Peter and seven grandchildren. Alf ’s legacy lives on in Chester & The St George’s Hotel.