TEMPLE, Nigel (Hal Longdale) 1926-2003

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born January 21, 1926, in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England; died November 4, 2003, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Artist, educator, and author. Temple had a wide range of interests—from flying and gardening to architecture and photography—but he was perhaps best known as an artist who specialized in collage and assemblage pieces, as well as being a well-known children's book and architectural postcard collector. As a boy, Temple developed a love of flying, but, never able to fly solo as a pilot, he served in the Royal Air Force's meteorological service from 1944 to 1948, remaining in the Volunteer Reserve until 1959. Unsure what to do after returning home, Temple heeded a neighbor's suggestion that he take up art. Studying graphic design and illustration, he earned a National Design Diploma from the Farnham School of Art in 1951 and, two years later, an Art Teacher's Diploma from Sheffield College of Art. While in school, Temple gained a love for the art of book binding, which would later contribute to his pursuit of collages. During the 1950s, Temple taught art at Sheffield and Wakefield College of Art, and from 1959 until 1978, he was head of the department of visual studies at Gloucestershire College of Education. During this time, Temple developed additional interests, including architecture—especially the architecture of his native Farnham—gardening, Victorian children's books, and photography. His interest in architecture led him to complete an M.Litt. degree in the subject from Bristol University in 1978, and he also received a Ph.D. from the Royal West of England Academy in 1981. As an artist, Temple enjoyed creating collages from photographs and illustrations in old books, as well as employing his own photographs; he exhibited his art in England and West Germany. He also collected architectural postcards and Victorian-era children's books, creating a collection that was recognized as one of the best in England. These various vocations and avocations resulted in Temple's becoming a recognized authority on such subjects as garden and architectural history. He was also the author of such books as Farnham Buildings and People (1963; 2nd edition, 1973) and John Nash and the Village Picturesque: With Special Reference to the Reptons and Nash at the Blaise Castle Estate (1979).

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Independent (London, England), November 14, 2003, p. 22.