More decoration by Ron Hough

[David Schweizer]

I recently built a small Cabin Chest to store Windlasses, Piling Hooks etc on the boat which Ron Hough has decorated for me. Whilst I know not everyone will like it, I am very pleased with the results:-

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2012 by David Schweizer

[Athy]

Very pleased? I should think you are, it's bloomin' gorgeous.

I know the name "Ron Hough" but do not know much about him. Am I right in thinking that he is a painter whose working career stretches back to the end of the working boat era?

[LEO]

Very pleased? I should think you are, it's bloomin' gorgeous.

I know the name "Ron Hough" but do not know much about him. Am I right in thinking that he is a painter whose working career stretches back to the end of the working boat era?

 

You are correct. I would like to meet him, he still does the odd paint job (a friend has some nice door panels). Very distinctive work, you can easily tell his style of painting - especially roses and he seems to hev changed his castle design of late.

 

One or two nice pics. of him painting in waterways books.

 

L.

[canals are us?]

I think it looks lovely

[Timleech]

You are correct. I would like to meet him, he still does the odd paint job (a friend has some nice door panels). Very distinctive work, you can easily tell his style of painting - especially roses and he seems to hev changed his castle design of late.

 

One or two nice pics. of him painting in waterways books.

 

L.

 

That castle is almost identical to one of his on a handbowl which is hanging here, must be at least 30 years old (and rather rusty!). The background is different, though, the 'trees' have become rather (even?) more primitive.

 

Very nice, I prefer this decoration to that on David's stool which he showed on the 'other thread'.

 

Tim

[Laurie Booth]

Wonderful

[David Schweizer]

Very pleased? I should think you are, it's bloomin' gorgeous.

I know the name "Ron Hough" but do not know much about him. Am I right in thinking that he is a painter whose working career stretches back to the end of the working boat era?

Yes, Ron started working in Samuel Barlows dock at Braunston in the late 1940's and learnt his painting craft initially under the supervision of Frank Nurser and later George Crowshaw.

[Terence]

Yes, Ron started working in Samuel Barlows dock at Braunston in the late 1940's and learnt his painting craft initially under the supervision of Frank Nurser and later George Crowshaw.

 

Hi David, He did a sample of Sunny Valley which can still be seen at the Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne (top floor) here's a couple of pics.

 

 

 

A very nice chap who when I moved to Braunston gave me a lots of encouragement.

 

Terence

[David Schweizer]

Yes I have seen that, he also painted the cabin panels in his garage for(I think)Kent recently. I understand they they have since been built into a new cabin.

 

He is quite complimentary about you, he was in Bottom Lock Chandlery recently and was seen looking at some of your cans hanging up, his observation was "not bad for a young pup" but you have probably already heard that story.

 

when I saw him a couple of weeks ago, he said you had got a new supply of Cans, are they just for your use, or you selling them unpainted?

[cl@rkey]

Here is a box, a musical box, wound up and ready to play.

 

Looks gorgeous, David! Can't imagine anyone saying otherwise.

[Theo]

Very pleased? I should think you are, it's bloomin' gorgeous.

I know the name "Ron Hough" but do not know much about him. Am I right in thinking that he is a painter whose working career stretches back to the end of the working boat era?

 

IT'S WONDERFUL!

 

Blooming caps lock. On second thoughts. It needed to be shouted!

 

Nick

[tillergirl]

That is a truly beautiful thing.

[Danica]

Not really my scene (well I didn't think it was until recently) but that is one very nice item

[scrumpylurcher]

The picture of Sunny Valley reminded me of a picture I was given by Aubrey Berriman, Aubrey was the boat builder responsible for the museum mock up and as has been said Ron did all the painting. This was in Blue Line times and Aubrey says that at one stage he was making and Ron was painting cabin stools that Michael was selling to the big London stores. He says they were made with a drawer. the pic shows Sunny Valley being towed out of Braunston yard.

 

[David Schweizer]

I am fairly certain Ron told me it was Harrods, he was also painting (Buckby) Water Cans and a few other items for them at the time. As far as I can remember, the arrangement was stimulated by an article about his work in Women's Weekly magazine, and Harrods picked up on a demand for his work.

 

I like the Bedford CA van, I had a Bedford CA Minibus for years. But what has happened to the rear wheels? Surely they have not extended the prop shaft to drive the trailer wheels?

Edited November 19, 2012 by David Schweizer

[junior]

Apologies for resurrecting this old thread but I was doing a search for Ron Hough, as being a youngster and new to boating I hadn't heard of him.

 

The guy moored next to me here at Foxton just commented on my roses & castles and said he though they were by 'Ron Hough'. It is lovely artwork and I've often wondered who it was done by.

 

Here are a few pictures, can any of the experts on here tell from a photo who might have painted them?

 

 

 

 

[Keeping Up]

Those castles look very like Ron Hough's. Compare them with the ones on my home page which he did for us a few years ago.

[junior]

Those castles look very like Ron Hough's. Compare them with the ones on my home page which he did for us a few years ago.

To my untrained eye they look almost identical.

[dave moore]

Guaranteed 100% Ron. I'd bet my shirt, socks and braces on it. I've examples of his work here from different eras, no one else has his style.

 

Dave

[junior]

Guaranteed 100% Ron. I'd bet my shirt, socks and braces on it. I've examples of his work here from different eras, no one else has his style.

Dave

Thanks Dave, that seals it then. Is there anything one can do to preserve this artwork, or is it likely to stand the test of time?

[dave moore]

I'd suggest that you re-varnish the work on a regular basis, perhaps annually at best, with a quality exterior varnish, nothing with polyurothane in. Don't let it get to the stage where it is cracking or peeling,,that's too late. Simply abrade the existing varnish with a fine grade abrasive, dust off and re do...job done in moments!

 

Look after the work. Ron is still with us, but anno domini is taking its toll, according to one of my customers who used to work with him years ago.

 

If I can help,further, give me a shout.

 

Dave

[David Schweizer]

Guaranteed 100% Ron. I'd bet my shirt, socks and braces on it. I've examples of his work here from different eras, no one else has his style.

 

Dave

 

Ditto, definitely Ron Hough's work from about 20 years ago. The roses and castles are virtually identical to those on the original back cabin doors on our boat, since replaced with newer doors, also decorated by Ron.

[Allan(nb Albert)]

 

Ditto, definitely Ron Hough's work from about 20 years ago. The roses and castles are virtually identical to those on the original back cabin doors on our boat, since replaced with newer doors, also decorated by Ron.

I think it might have been David that identified the decoration of our 1984 Colecraft as the work of Ron Hough some years ago on the Braunston level.

 

 

Unfortunately, some of the decoration on the side hatch had been over painted when we purchased the boat. The painting on the rear doors is now in poor condition with some de-lamination of what looks like marine ply.

 

Any advice regarding preservation would be welcome.

 

[dave moore]

Hi Allan

 

Without a picture to help assess the situation it's difficult to offer advice. It could be possible to work wood glue into the laminations and cramp them back together, I've done it before.

 

You should be able to minimise painting deterioration by re varnishing. Lightly abrade the existing paintwork with a very fine paper, 400 grit or more, dust off and varnish. My personal favourite is for Craftmaster Clear, excellent stuff. If the decoration is dirty, sugar soap may help to remove the grime before sanding. You'll never restore the work to a freshly painted look, but the weathered patina is part of the charm. Bear in mind that in working days boats were redecorated when docked, the painting was never expected to last for ever.

 

Good luck!

 

Dave

[Phil Speight]

That`s a lovely piece of Ron`s work David. I was at his place a few weeks ago and I do tend to worry about his health - but he seems in good spirits. He deserves the recognition he gets and I hope more people learn to appreciate his work while we`ve still got him. A few years ago it would have been inconcievable that boaters would not know of him and his historic relevance as well as recognizing the immense talent that can make such apparently simple work into something so special. There is so much of the canal world that is increasingly unknown to newcomers. It`s a shame.

Cheers

Phil

Edited June 23, 2014 by Phil Speight