A former Wurzel and talented cartoonist

BRIAN Walker, who died last month aged 94, was an artist and illustrator as well as a musician who rubbed shoulders with the likes of Acker Bilk and Adge Cutler.

Brian, of Hinton Blewett, had suffered from Alzheimer’s and been wonderfully cared for at Glastonbury Care Home for nearly four years.

He leaves wife, Rosemary (Mo), daughters Joanna and Sarah, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He and Rosemary had been married for 59 years.

An extremely talented artist, illustrator, cartoonist and writer, Brian was also a musician of no little talent having been a founder member of the Chew Valley Jazz Band with Aker Bilk and The Wurzels with Adge Cutler. He had enjoyed a fascinating and varied life.

Brian was a Somerset man born and bred. Although the family had several homes in the county, it was while they lived at Simonsbath that he was encouraged in his artistic talents by friend and neighbour Sir Alfred Munnings.

Brian’s first job was as a 16-yearold for the Bristol Evening World in 1942, where he drew war maps and a few cartoons.

In 1944 came National Service and he joined the RAF. When he was demobbed, he studied at the West of England College of Art winning a Punch scholarship. This led to work in Punch and Countryman, for whom he contributed for over 50 years.

He produced children’s comic work for the likes of Sparky, Dandy, Beano, Whizzer and Chips, Shiver and Shake and Buster. Between 1979-80 Brian produced a comic strip for the Bristol Evening Post called ‘Ar Little Uns’.

Brian was a keen cyclist, cycling all over Europe in the 1950s and taking a prototype Moulton Bicycle to Iceland in 1962. He wrote and illustrated articles in British and American cycling magazines. He was a common sight cycling around the Chew Valley well into his 80s.

When Brian’s family lived at Chew Magna, he discovered Hinton Blewett. He originally rented a cottage which he then bought and in subsequent years he purchased those which were attached. It was a painstaking procedure to renovate all into a comfortable family home.

He leaves behind a family proud of all he achieved and having been as he described – prolific - a huge legacy of work as well and a legacy of humour and laughter.