The Reading Guild of Artists managed to continue to hold an Annual Exhibition throughout the Second World War. In 1942 three works by F.A. Rolfe, highlighted here Map Room, Reading Report Centre, and two accompanying pieces Control Room and Message Room, Reading Report Centre were amongst a selection of “topical” titles in the exhibition of 160 works at the Reading Municipal Art Gallery.

F.A. Rolfe was one of the founding members of the Reading Guild of Artists, elected as Secretary at the inaugural meeting in 1930. He was most active throughout the 1930s and early ‘40s. Frank Arthur (Arthur as he was known) was born in 1902. He served the RGA as Secretary 1930-1934 and as Treasurer 1930-1935. He was also the Exhibition Secretary for two years 1934-1935. After that he seems to have been involved organising social activities. The National 1939 Register lists him as a school teacher. His family believe he taught art and was a visiting tutor at several schools.

In The History of the Reading Guild of Artists 1930-1980 by E.V. Watson, F.A. Rolfe is mentioned as an “efficient and conscientious secretary and treasurer”. He designed an official crest for the RGA which was used for a few years in the early ‘30s on the exhibition catalogue.

The year these three works were exhibited it is mentioned in RGA minutes that Rolfe was about to be “called-up” and again that the “call up” appeared imminent. It is not clear what his call up entailed or his apparent access to the Reading Report Centre based at the Town Hall.

During the rest of the 1940s up until 1963 Rolfe exhibited very little, often only one work every few years, and all in later years were NFS “Not for Sale”. He worked in a variety of media, exhibiting oil, linocut, mostly pastels and even a leaded glass panel. His wife Doris was originally from New Zealand, and the couple moved there in the mid 1960s, where he lived until his death in 1982.

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