Fred Yates and the Rastall family connection

Fred Yates Painting - The Crowd 1973

Much has been written about the artist Frederick Joseph Yates (1922–2008) and thankfully as interest continues to build about this fascinating British painter’s life, more is added. So let me add a small chapter about the connection Fred has had with four generations of the Rastall family.

Fred Yates - A younger photograph of Fred

The First Generation – after the war

It starts in Bournemouth where a young Fred Yates was welcomed by my great grandmother Nelly Rastall as a paying lodger, renting a room in her big house in Purbeck Road, Bournemouth, not far from the pier. This must have been after the war around 1946 when Fred signed up for an art teacher training course. Family stories passed down say that neither Nelly or Fred really had any money and would share a coal fire together with Fred often paying the rent owed in woodbine cigarettes, that suited Nelly well. We know that Nelly passed away in 1949 and it is difficult to pin down exact dates, but Fred did stay with Nelly for a good length of time, possibly a few years.

It was here Fred met my grandfather Herbert Guy Rastall and his wife Madge Rastall, (my grandmother) and their sons Robin and Walter Guy Rastall (Guy) who were just teenagers at the time. Bournemouth was the start of a 35+ year friendship between Madge and Fred who saw each other at least once or twice a year over that period.

Fred Yates and Madge Rastall - Painting and Sunbathing

The Second Generation

Madge Rastall lived in Tutshill, just outside Chepstow near the Wye Valley and would welcome Fred to visit or stay as he travelled around the country. Chepstow was a good central point over the years for Fred catching up, dropping in or breaking up a long journey with an overnight stay, particularly when he was travelling up from Cornwall. Although not a collector of modern british artists, her house was dotted with early Yates works, many in a very restricted pallet of simple colours. Perhaps this was reflecting his lack of money to explore the more vibrant colours in the heavy impasto way that he did in his rural French landscape pieces later.

The Third Generation

My uncle, Guy Rastall was a great accountant and he helped Fred for years try to sort out his accounts. This was a good thing as it meant we would always see Fred at some point in the year as his accounts needed doing! Judging by the state of Fred’s car and clothes in those early years I am sure book-keeping for such a free spirited ‘En Plein air’ British artist, who kept moving house, was a real challenge for Uncle Guy, but they had a good friendship over many years so somehow, they made the book-keeping happen.

Fred Yates - Painting of Tintern, Craft Shop 1973

My father, Robin Rastall, has always been a strong advocate for supporting local and traditional crafts, with several successful craft shop businesses over the years. In the early 1980’s decided to open an art gallery above his craft shop in Tintern. Fred did paint a few canvases for Dad to sell alongside some other British fine art and modern British painters. It amuses me to see many of Fred Yates paintings for sale with Cornish titles go through reputable auction houses or be offered for sale when I know where they were painted in the Wye Valley. My father Robin is honest that a gallery selling modern British painters in Tintern did not fit his retailing style.

He did support Fred, and it could have been an opportunity for Fred to break into the South Wales art market.. but maybe Fred was right to talk to John Martin in London after all! What dad has demonstrated to me is that the Rastall family was still trying to show support and friendship to Fred 30+ years after first meeting him in the Purbeck Road house in Bournemouth.

Fred Yates Oil Painting of the Old Railway Bridge, Tintern 1980’s

The Fourth Generation

Back to the 1970’s

It was always a treat to be at my grandmother’s house when Fred turned up. Here was a chap who drove around with a car full of canvases and who’s car boot was covered in paint as the “wet ones” slid around in the back on his way home. He had a funny accent, played the piano, didn’t have a proper job and I was fascinated by the freedom of his lifestyle.

In one of the long summers in the mid 1970’s, I went to speak to Fred one morning whilst at my grandmother’s house as he packed his car ready for a morning of painting. His words were not unkind but maybe slightly firm, like a teacher; he was trying to get ready to go to work, and he suggested maybe it would be better for me to go and find something to do, like help with the breakfast dishes.

As an adult I read this situation differently, this was just Fred trying to focus and prepare for the day ahead, what painting or location, whilst a youngster pestered him with 20 questions! I have always been inquisitive and that is a major advantage if you are going to collect art. Fred would leave my grandmothers and go out to paint in the morning (often in Tintern) and come back in the afternoon for afternoon tea or the obligatory roast dinner & gooseberry tart. As I sat next to him at the dinner table, he had an energy that was nice to be around, he was fascinating & intriguing, I liked Fred.

Fred Yates Oil Painting - French Bridge

Back to the future

So now here we are in 2023 some 75+ years since Nelly Rastall said “come on in” to her lodger Fred Yates.

Can I, Simon Rastall, continue to support Fred’s work and legacy into the future? I do hope so, and I hope the man in the street can continue to look at Fred’s work and smile as I do every day.

I am surrounded by so many of his works, supported by my wife Tracy, let’s try to keep Fred’s story alive. His art is reflective of his personality, development as an artist and where he found himself living at that time, and he deserves the Rastall’s best efforts.