Alex Anderson Warwick
Untitled Pastel 205 x 135 1947
Untitled WC 215 x 145
Mr Compton All work in progress pastels unframed
Frosty Morning 250 x 135 2 8 Jan 1930
Poppies 325 x 278
Poppies 280 x 330
Poppies 325 x 279
Dr Ian Fallows
Tibby’s traction engine story book (11 pages)
PC from David Waterson to Tibby Taggart
Ann Munro Copy of Pastel of Dr Fallow’s Mother
Accompanying letter from Dr Fallows to J Ritchie
Ewan Haggart
1921 Sketch book of Pitlochry – 9 pages
Mary Hay Pencil sketches of Paris
Paris 130 x 205 1912
Falling of the leaves Jardin de Luxembourg 128 x 205
Golden Evening Paris 128 x 205
Notre Dame Paris 128 x 205
Street scene 130 x 155 1912
Luke family
A piping shepherd Mettzotint 240 x 290
April Mettzitint 370 x 320
Bonnie Forfar to the chef dinna forget Colour etching 260 x 310
Gypsy Encampment Coloured Mettzotint 196 x 297
Moonlit landscape Pastel 255 x 325 unframed
Old Montrose Coloured mettzotint 200 x 300
John and Daryl Ritchie
Back Braes May Morning after rain Pastel 245 x 305
Bridgend Brechin Pastel 280 x 330 Mar 1942
Craig Meskaldie WC 205 x 340 1927 Gilt frame Presented to Miss Lamb’s choir
Photo Miss Lamb’s choir 135 x 200 Kindly donated by the late Meg Napier
Bought by David Waterson Trust
Alex Phillip writer Etching 450 x 100
Alex Phillip writer Photo 200 x 150
Duddingston Edinburgh Etching 200 x 300 1912
Graham Smart Montrose Portrait Oil 410 x 335 Gilt frame
Robert and Pamela Stevens
Untitled WC 210 x 155 1896
Albar Pastel 240 x 300 1902
Strathmore Pastel 170 x 270 Sept 16 1905
Birch Trees W”C 160 c 210 1909
April Sun Pastel 150 x 245 1909
The Birches Mixed Medium 160 x 210 1910
Untitled WC 160 x 210 1910
Untitled WC 160 x 210 1910
Islandies Pastel 225 x 240 1 March 1924
Old Pier St Andrews WC 205 x 225 8 July 1924
Rain WC 160 x 210 14 Aug 1929
Coach House Pencil sketch 330 x 230 3 March 1953
Gannochy Bridge WC 520 x 740
Scots Pines WC 160 x 210 1925
Evening Glen Lethnot Oil on Board 190 x 155
Arrat Mill Pastel 240 x 300 1897
Cone Gatherers WC 160 x 210
Dawn July Pastel 170 x 260
Early snow Pastel 170 x 270
Esk at Albar Oct Pastel 135 x 201
Evening walk Pastel 160 x 210 1909
Heather Moor Mixed medium 150 x 245
Little Bathers Kinnaber Pastel 140 x 210
River scene Pastel 170 x 260
Sunlit river bank Pastel 140 x 210
The spring brook WC 160 x 210
Untitled Pastel 140 x 210
Mother and child Evening cornfield Pastel 210 x 290 1898
Autumn Pastel 240 x 300
Be glad in the spring ye children of earth WC 160 x 210
Brechin bridge WC 160 x 205
Summer noon WC 170 x 210
Untitled Mixed medium 160 x 205
Untitled WC 160 x 205
Untitled WC 160 x 210
Untitled WC 160 x 205
Untitled WC 160 x 210
Untitled WC 160 x 210
Untitled WC 160 x 210
Bathers WC 160 x 210

The 2016 AGM of the DWT was held in Brechin last Saturday and our thanks again to Messrs Savills for use of their boardroom.

Office bearers were reappointed as before and the treasurer Mike Mitchell’s accounts were approved.

The last joint exhibition in conjunction with Angus Council was hailed to be a huge success and the chair expressed thanks to all the sponsors and to Marshall Wilkie for the free supply of the catering delicacies and to Messrs City Press for their posters. It was decided to use the DW signature logo for all future publications and exhibitions and our thanks to Ubique Design Guildford for this suggestion and their continued support.

The meeting focused on future challenges and it was decided to explore further into the Swedish connection, the DW coloured catalogue and to make further contact with the British Museum to explore the possibility of holding an exhibition of DW mezzotints handed into the British Museum in 1901! The then President of the RE Sir Seymour Heyden remarked upon seeing the collection “Here at last is genius!” An acclamation of some merit considering the likes of Turner and other great artists around at this time.

I am reminded of my late very good friend ex Provost of Brechin Sandy Buchan’s words with reference to the DW Memorial Collection “It’s about time the people of Brechin saw their collection” Mind you, in this particular instance, they had only lain hidden for forty years! Those who want to learn more of the past can do so by looking into www.davidwaterson.co.uk “early research” under narrative listings – worth a read!

The Trustees are still searching for the biography of David Waterson written by Mrs Waterson soon after he died, and whilst we have an abridged version printed in the Edinburgh press 6 months after the death of DW, we understand that the original unabridged version was given to the late Miss Edwards, formerly of the Brechin Advertiser, and we would be delighted to learn of any further information of this hugely important document and any diaries that DW kept and of any further information which again is hugely important now that a coloured catalogue is being researched.

The DWT continue to try to ensure that the will of the late Mrs Waterson is honoured as far as humanly possible, her most serious wish, the establishment of the (DWGAC) David Waterson Gallery and Arts Centre being the final point of business of the meeting and can I make a heartfelt plea for new members, new Trustees and for any donations to assist in bringing together the DWGAC – this much needed facility that will signal the much needed Brechin Centre Renaissance.

Please telephone Mike Mitchell 01356 623662 to register your interest

I am delighted to report that in the few years since the inception of the David Waterson Trust (DWT) the DWT has laid a strong foundation for its continuing research. The Brechin Advertiser has played an important part by recording earlier events which started with the dogged determination of the late Councillor George Allen, this detailed research can be found under the narrative listing of this web site

DW wrote extensively to “The Scotsman” under the heading of “Nature Notes” and we are convinced that in the period of DW’s lifetime 1870 -1954 there must be a huge amount of information still to be uncovered and if anyone wishes to help they can register their interest with Mike Mitchell on 01356 623662 – a worthwhile and rewarding adventure!

It is DWT’s intention to produce a complete chronological analyses of DW’s life and works and the information we have gathered, although vast, is far from complete and we are extremely thankful for the many donations received which have been invaluable in helping with this task

For example, Dr Ian Fallows in his recent address, referred to the date of the sketch that DW drew of his aunt Mrs Taggart whilst in the Paris Opera House, as the same year that Louis Bleriot the first Frenchman to fly the channel – July 1909!

We have to record our grateful thanks also to Mr Ewan Haggart for having donated a sketch book of eight pastel drawings by DW under the title Pitlochry dated Dec 1921 – another definite date in our chronology and another superb gift to be held in trust for the people of Brechin which is currently on display within the current joint exhibition in Brechin

Dr Ian Fallows in his address to the large crowd who gathered to witness the joint exhibition of paintings that had been gifted to the people of Brechin made reference to DW’s very close association with Tibbie Taggart as a child and in later life when he sketched and painted Tibbie. Dr Fallows referred to one of the booklet’s as “a delightful little thing, ten pages of lovely drawings and writings designed to keep a small child happy.”

I am also delighted to inform the people of Brechin that Dr Fallows has donated one of these booklets “The Jujube and the Traction Engine” to the David Waterson Trust which can be seen at the joint exhibition currently being held in the Old Town House Museum and Gallery. Dr Ian Fallows also donated a copy of a pastel sketch of his mother and a birthday invitation which DW did for one of Tibbie’s birthday parties

Check the web site to see copy of this booklet and other stories www.davidwaterson.co.uk

John Ritchie

The Waterson Trust Collection together with the Waterson Memorial Collection

A joint exhibition of paintings and etchings by Brechin artist David Waterson 1870-1954 held in the Brechin Town House Museum and Gallery opened on 24th July 2015 by Dr Ian Fallows from Leeds

May I first of all, since I’m not known to many of you here, just expand a little on the reason why I’m here and how I came to be involved with David Waterson. It all goes back quite a long way. In 1900 James Taggart was appointed the Physics and Mathematics Master at the High School. He married 18 months later Helen Munro, my mother’s sister, who became Mrs Taggart, and in 1903 their daughter Tibby (one of DW’s portraits of her is on display) their first daughter was born.

My mother Mrs Taggart’s sister went to Brechin High School and lived for some years in the Taggart household helping to bring up the children and so on before she herself went to College. In fact Mr Waterson was one of the earliest friends that my uncle and aunt made when they came to live down in Panmure Street. They shared a lot of interests in the arts and literature, my aunt was a very good linguist. In fact her grandson is here standing at the back this evening – Brian Townsend who is just as good a linguist as his granny used to be. They were interested in politics, literature, music and David Waterson shared all these interests with them and it was a friendship which was very deep and lasted for 50 years This is where my original connection with Brechin came from.

My first memory of Brechin in fact was in 1927 when at the age of three I was taken to see my uncle who was very seriously ill and I can still remember him propped up in bed at the time. But since then I have over the years visited Brechin far more times than I can remember and David Waterson himself seems to have been part of my life. I used to meet him with my mother when I was a boy in the street he knew her as Annie; my aunt at one point took us down to see his studio on River Street where he lived, I remember it well.

Apart from that I have other connections with Brechin; I got to know a lot of friends here and in fact the ashes of my son are buried here in the cemetery: so I really have a long connection with Brechin and have many reasons to be thankful for being here having connections and with David Waterson particularly

I would like this evening to say a few words about David Waterson himself. This exhibition put together by the Trustees I think is absolutely wonderful, I was thrilled when I saw it at first this morning in its raw state and I was delighted when I went over to that case there and the first picture I saw was a drawing of my mother.

I would like to talk a little about David Waterson between the years 1902 and 1910, in the Edwardian era, a long time ago, when he was a young man. Many of us these days tend to think of him as an old gentleman with a long black coat and black hat or middle-aged and rather serious but I would like to tell you about him when he was a young man, when he was full of enthusiasm and full of life because in the years just after 1902 he was a constant visitor to the Taggart household.

He used to help my mother who was herself helping to bring up Tibby, their first daughter because, as it happened, in the household at the time, there were quite a few traumatic events; Mrs Taggart’s father had died, she lost a sister and shortly after that she lost a little boy of her own who died in infancy, and during this whole period David Waterson was going to the house regularly.

He often drew Tibby as a little girl; she was a favourite model of his; and he was also drawing my mother and my aunt Mrs Taggart. As a friend he played very much the position that C L Dodgson played in Oxford (the Lewis Carrol of “Alice in Wonderland”) and I have here a little booklet which is one of the books which David Waterson drew for Tibby. This is Tibby’s own book which is a delightful little thing, ten pages of lovely drawings and writings designed to keep a small child happy. David Waterson, in those days, was a family friend who was coming in to help look after the family

A second vignette I would like to give of him is an etching which I have at home of Mrs Taggart herself. This etching shows a lady in an opera house, and it’s very interesting because my aunt told me one time that this was when she was in Paris with David Waterson and her husband; whether David travelled with them or whether they met up in Paris I can’t tell you, but he was certainly with them in the opera house in Paris, they were listening to Tristan and Isolde and there’s a drawing of my aunt in profile with all the people in the background and the circles and tiers of the opera house. The particularly interesting thing about this etching is that we can date it with certainty because my aunt told me that during that week Bleriol had flown the channel. We can pin it down absolutely exactly – that happened in the middle of July 1909

The third little vignette I would like to offer to you is a drawing of my mother. I think he was very fond of my mother; he was something of a lady’s man and the family were rather good-looking – although I say it myself! Now this drawing here is exactly the same as the drawing in the case. It is a slightly different pose but it is of the same person. David Waterson drew my mother on many occasions. On the occasion of her marriage to my father in Brechin some years later he gave her an oil painting as a wedding present. It was of course too big for me to bring up to this exhibition. One thing about this oil painting which has been a favourite of mine all my life which still hangs on the wall down in Yorkshire – it is a painting of a lady with a smile.

You’ve probably heard of the National Gallery in London, called the “Smile-less Gallery” because there are all these Grandees, great men and women of the past, looking down on you with not a smile on any of their faces. But David Waterson is an artist who had the rare skill, able to capture a smile, and if you look at this one (pointing to the portrait of the boy Smart) there’s the trace of a smile and he’s captured a smile on my mother’s portrait. A smile can easily become rigid, frozen, unnatural; David had the skill to avoid that.

I don’t want to talk too much longer but I would like to offer one or two congratulations. The task of gathering together the works of an artist like David Waterson, a master of portraiture, oil painting, watercolours, etching, engraving, illumination, mezzotints, every branch of the visual arts – the task of gathering together and collating and annotating and studying the works of such a prolific artist who after all had lived and done some work of art virtually every day for 75/80 years is vast. Think yourselves of works of people like David Hockney or Picasso; their outputs were huge and the works of David Waterson paintings are similarly very widespread and a huge challenge to catalogue.

I commend the Trust very highly indeed on the work they have done in studying, collecting and researching. But there is much of interest yet to learn. I have here a letter which was written to my aunt in tiny writing, in pencil, in I think 1909 when she was down in Cowes and coming back and meeting David in London on their way back to Scotland. He was himself in London and this gives one or two insights into his world that are quite astonishing. His command of language is marvellous. It’s a racy letter.
It’s slightly flirtatious letter. He says two or three times “my dear Madam” and he talks about booking their cabins for their sea trip from London up to Dundee, because they were coming up by sea, and he booked berths for them all and he said “if you don’t like them I give you permission to kick me on the wharf” and he says at another point, something like, “I must go now because I have to get back home and send six pictures to Sweden immediately” and he underlines immediately.

The connection between Scandinavia as a whole and the Scottish literary and artistic world in the nineteenth century is very interesting. I understand it goes back to the days when Scottish warriors fought in Norway and Sweden some were ennobled by the Swedish and reached positions of power and influence in the Swedish and their descendants in the nineteenth century looked back at Scotland. John has mentioned to me that he has done some research in Sweden about David Waterson’s paintings but I believe that there must be a lot more there still to be found and that some where there will be another cache of David Waterson’s works, I hope some day that members of the Trust may be able to track them down.

Now I’ve talked quite long enough. May I express on behalf of the public in general our thanks to the Trust and all who have been associated with this exhibition – members of the Council, the Angus Council as who had their share in things and everyone who has been concerned with it. To all the donors and people who have contributed, thank you very much.

Finally, in declaring this exhibition officially open may I simply say to you all, “let us enjoy once more this feast of art put before us and let us all remember with gratitude the work of David Waterson.” Thank you all very much for coming.

Brechiners will be aware of the past history of the Old Town House – from Chinese restaurant, clothes shop,
redundant building offered for lease to Ribbon revival, a company that refilled ink cartridges, I am now
overjoyed to be able to report that the only revival of any importance was clearly evident at the opening of the
joint exhibition of David Waterson’s works last Friday evening – long may this building be used for such
gatherings to encourage and promote Brechin’s history, heritage, arts and architecture etc and I am looking forward to local artist David Adam’s forthcoming talk on this current exhibition.

Friday evening can best be described as Biblical in proportion, from the time the rain storms abated allowing
the brass ensemble from Brechin City Band to “blast off” with “Blue Moon – you saw me standing alone” the
magic of their collective sound drew vast crowds, no longer alone, that later saw Ms G, from a certain Brechin
firm, thrill us all with an impromptu jig – caught on camera!

Staff from Angus Council and members of the David Waterson Trust, with a little help from our friend
Marshall, poured the wine and walked around with salvers of tasty nibbles for the 90 strong crowd who had
gathered but it was another feast that awaited, described by Dr Ian Fallows when opening the exhibition, “I
simply say to you all, let us enjoy once more this feast of art put before us, and can we all remember with
gratitude the work of David Waterson.”

Earlier John Johnston of Angus Council invited Dr Ian Fallows to open the exhibition and having met
Dr Fallows on a couple of occasions I was very much looking forward to hearing his distinct Yorkshire accent 
that reminded me of the two years I lived in Yorkshire and of the friendliness of the people – we were not to 
be disappointed.Dr Fallows told us of the close association of the Taggarts and the Watersons and how they 
met “They shared a lot of interests, first of all arts, literature, very interested in literature, my aunt was a 
very good linguist, in fact her grandson is here standing at the back, Brian Townsend who is just as good a 
linguist as his granny used to be, they were interested in politics, literature, music and David Waterson 
shared all these interests with them, and it was a friendship which was very deep and lasted for 50 years  
This is where my original connection with Brechin came from.”

Dr Fallows praised the work of the DWT and AC “I think it’s absolutely wonderful, I was thrilled when I saw it,
at first this morning, in its raw state and I was delighted when I went over to that case there, that the first
picture I saw was a drawing of my mother!”

Dr Fallows gave an interesting insight into the earlier life of David Waterson between the years 1902 and 1910
“when he was a young man, full of life and enthusiasm and a constant visitor to the Taggart household where
he was drawing Tibby as a little girl, who as a friend, he played very much the position of Lewis Carrol as in
“Alice in Wonderland” and I have here a little booklet which is one of the books which David Waterson drew for
Tibby, this is Tibby’s own book and is a delightful little thing, ten pages of lovely drawings and
writings designed to keep a small child happy” (three examples can be seen in the private collections of 
www.davidwaterson.co.uk -Tibby’s stories)

And of one of DW’s trip back to Scotland, together with the Taggarts, “in a somewhat racy letter where he 
talks about booking their cabins for their sea trip from London up to Dundee, because they were coming 
up by sea,” and at another point, “I must go now because I have to get back home and send six pictures 
to Sweden immediately and he underlines immediately!” Dr Fallows then charged the DWT with the task of 
tracking down the cache of paintings that must obviously still be in Sweden – strange given his close
friendship with the King and Queen of Sweden of the day that despite every effort they still remain hidden!

Dr Fallow’s sharp eye for detail brought to our attention, a point that I must admit had escaped me “You’ve
probably heard of the National Gallery in London, it’s called the “Smiles Gallery” because there are all these
Grandees, great men and women of the past, looking down on you with not a smile on any of their faces but
David Waterson is an artist who had obvious skills, he was able to capture a smile and if you look at this one
(pointing to the portrait of the boy Smart) there’s the trace of a smile and he’s captured a smile on my 
mother’s portrait, a smile can easily become rigid, frozen, unnatural, and David had the skill to avoid that!”
Dr Fallow’s address can best be summed up by a young lass, her face lit up with delight, when she described
the evening as being a great success and she could have listened to Dr fallows, who had spoken for just over
16 minutes, for hours – she had so many questions to ask of him and I agree that he could have held the
attention of those gathered for much longer!

“Now I’ve talked quite long enough” concluded Dr Fallows “and may I express on behalf of the public in general
our thanks to the Trust and all who have been associated with this exhibition, members of the Council, the 
Angus Council as well had their share in things, may I thank everyone who has been concerned.”

On behalf of AC and the DWT I would take this opportunity to express our grateful thanks to Dr Fallows for his most informative address, at times interspersed with loud laughter, and yes Ian you can rest assured that we 
will continue to remember the work of David Waterson, you can bet on that – your inspiring address has 
given a new spring to our step!

My final thoughts are of the early research, to 1956 by the late Councillor George Allan and given the many
questions of the evening can simply advise your readers that bound copies of these early papers and a full
transcript of Dr Fallow’s address will soon be available at the OTHM

Mrs Waterson need not have worried about the threat of a nuclear war destroying the art treasures, my late
good friend Robert Stevens and his good lady Pamela have ensured this, Freida Haggart’s mammoth task of
transcribing DW’s 500 poems, the enthused audience, further inspired by Dr Fallow’s address and the
 “glasnost”that is very much evident in the cooperative ambience encouraged by John Johnston and others
will also add meaningful significance to the very last words expressed by Ann Wallis, first female classical 
graduate from St Andrew’s University, also from Yorkshire and wife of David –

“Those who pursue Art from love of the Art and with nobleness of mind are to be commended above all 
others”

John Ritchie
Chairman DWT

Footnote – John Smart from Edzell informed me that he knew who the lady was in one of the portraits 
“That’s Miss Lamb” said John and I replied by reminding John that Daryl and I had lived in the 
Miss lamb’s house for more than 30 years “Not those Miss Lambs” said John “they were known as 
“The Girls” the other Lamb!”

It’s good to talk and if anyone feels the need to become involved in this exciting research please get
in touch with Mike Mitchell on 01356 623662

Exhibition is on Tuesday through Saturday until 19 Sept 2015

My long association with the investigation into the works of David Waterson has taken me to many cities throughout the UK – London, Oxford, Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee to name but a few, these public collections along with several other individual collections of David Waterson’s works, can be seen by visiting www.davidwaterson.co.uk

Brechin City, the birthplace of David Waterson, holds by far the most individual collections of DW’s works ranging from one to scores of paintings and we have to thank the many Brechiners who over the years have in many different ways supported the artist

The David Waterson Trust (DWT) has already notified the people of Brechin of the several donations made to the DWT, via the pages of the Brechin Advertiser and via the news columns on our web site, and am delighted to inform the Brechin people of a further donation of two framed paintings 22 x 14 cm, one water-colour and one pastel.

Alex Anderson who hails from Warwick inherited the two paintings from his father George and his aunt, George’s sister Cora Lawson (nee Anderson,) both born and raised in Brechin; the paintings were presented to DWT chairman at the offices of Ferguson and Will last week and on behalf of the people of Brechin our heartfelt thanks to Mr Anderson for such a generous gift.

Chairman John Ritchie welcomed the several trustees who attended the fourth AGM of the David Waterson Trust (DWT) on Saturday past and thanked Messrs Savills for the use of their boardroom once again

Office bearers were returned to their respective positions, treasurer Mike Mitchell presented the accounts thanking Mark Taylor for auditing the accounts

Mike also presented a list of approx 60 works by David Waterson that had been donated to and retained by the DWT on behalf of the people of Brechin.  An inventory of the works is to be prepared, paintings photographed, catalogued and also held on disc

The chairman reminded the trustees that prior to retirement Norman Atkinson of Angus Council (AC) Cultural Services had indicated that a coloured catalogue of the David Waterson Memorial Collection, donated to the people of Brechin by Mrs Waterson, would be produced incorporating some of the 500 poems also written by David Waterson

The trustees also expressed regret that the rededication of the DW Memorial Collection that would have coincided with the launch of the catalogue and 2014, the sixtieth year since the death of DW, had not materialised and hoped that AC would soon be able to commit to a realistic date

The chairman reported that the DWT website www.davidwaterson.co.uk continued to receive numerous hits with many expressing the ease in which one could navigate round the site

The meeting closed when the chairman expressed his thanks to the trustees for their continued support – the next meeting of the DWT is to be held in October 2014 when, due to personal reasons, the chairman announced his intention to retire from the post