Maurice Sheppard
PPRWS
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For almost forty years the whole of the north east wall at the far end of St Martin's Church Hall bore the painting by Maurice Sheppard entitled "The Resurrection of the Earth", reproduced here in Grenville Barrett's photograph. The painting was never intended to be permanent and dampness in the wall and crumbling plaster damaged it so badly that when the hall was restored in 2003-05 there was no alternative except to make a good record before the mural was lost for ever.
Maurice Sheppard was still a schoolboy at Haverfordwest Grammar School and a chorister at St Martin's when Canon R E Williams (RE) invited him to create a mural on the far wall, and allowed him to choose the subject. Maurice was taught at school by Ronald Lowe and took private tuition from Mansel Adams, two teachers who were fine artists themselves.
The subject Maurice chose for his mural was "The Resurrection of the Earth". Its imagery echoes the horrors of nuclear aftermath, very much in people's minds in the early Sixties, when CND was at its most active and while the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 still haunted our memories. Some of the faces of the stricken are drawn from life, people important to Maurice at the time. The style and technique are reminiscent of Picasso's "Guernica" and "Weeping Woman" from the period of the Spanish Civil War, but in Maurice's painting the hope and salvation of the risen Lord is symbolised by the flower petals descending from the sky.
Maurice went on to a career as a professional artist after studying at the Royal College of Art. He has exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, and his paintings are owned by many public galleries and private patrons. He became the first Welsh President of the Royal Watercolour Society in 1984, and one of the youngest Members to hold this office. He lived much of his adult life in Kent but returned to Haverfordwest in 2003.
Canon R E Williams was Vicar of St Martin's from 1955 until 1973. He was active in local affairs, becoming Mayor of the Borough of Haverfordwest in 1966/67 and appointed an Alderman. He recognised the promise of Maurice's artistic gift, and it was both perceptive and brave of him to commission a schoolboy to cover an entire wall of his Church Hall. The mural was painted in 1965, and during the same period and in similar style to "The Resurrection of the Earth" Maurice did a portrait of "RE".
The Parish of St Martin's wishes to express its gratitude to Grenville Barrett LRPS for his generosity in making and donating these framed photographs to the Church Hall, and its appreciation of the care and expertise of his work. We are also deeply grateful to Maurice Sheppard PPRWS MA(RCA) for his understanding of our dilemma over the mural when the Hall was refurbished and his cooperation in securing a good record of his youthful work.
Dr C Lyn Perry
Haverfordwest January 2006
With thanks to the late Grenville Barrett LRPS for photographing this work.