ARMAN, Mark

1913 - 2007

Charles Marcus Arman was born at 50 Bristol Road, Ipswich on 20 October 1913, son of Henry Marcus Arman (1870-14 August 1931), a surveyor's clerk, and his wife Gertrude Lily née Crane (10 April 1882-24 June 1947), who married at Aylsham, Norfolk in 1905, Charles, who was known as Mark, was a brother to Frederick Marcus Arman. In 1921 Frederick's father was head postmaster of Monmouth, living at Rock Cottage, Monmouth, Monmouthshire with his wife and two sons Frederick Marcus 13 and Charles Marcus 7 and on leaving school, young Mark took a position at the Post Office but later moved to Customs & Excise. He married at Isle of Wight, Hampshire in 1938, Ida Madeline (Maisie) Gawn (18 January 1914-31 December 1999) and in 1939, a clerical officer in Customs & Excise, living at Taunton, Goole Road, Hook, Yorkshire with his wife. After serving in the Second World War, in 1958 Mark and his family moved to Thaxted, Essex, where he took great interest in village affairs, and played a part in the restoration of its guildhall, almshouses and windmill. He had a great interest in painting, sketching and photography and, on taking early retirement, became a potter, producing plates, mugs and bowls for galleries and shops. He also took a great interest in printing, in particular the different fonts and decorative styles used by the Victorians which was followed a series of books on fonts and the Victorian use of fleurons', all written, printed and bound by him under the name of the Workshop Press including 'From Childhood, Through the Depression to the 1939-1945 War-Painting and Engraving, Pottery and Fine Press Printing' (1996). Mark was awarded an MBE in 1999 for services to the Thaxted Society and to Conservation. Charles Marcus Arman died on 13 January 2007, being survived by his daughter and five grandsons.

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Works by This Artist