Plaque for Lillington artist who recorded pre-war Coventry

Herbert Cox painted more than 70 watercolours of streets around Coventry, teaching in the city and making an important contribution to its art collection.

He lived in Manor Road, Lillington, and was buried at St Mary Magdalene parish church in the village, which he had painted many years earlier.

Leamington mayor Cllr Alan Wilkinson unveiled a plaque at the artist’s former home on Saturday and the house’s current owner Bailey Lamburn laid flowers at the artist’s grave.

Lillington Local History Society vice-chairman Graham Cooper said: “The depictions of Coventry between the wars form an invaluable record of the city as it once was but carry with them some sadness, since the scenes they show were savagely altered in the wartime blitzes which took place just before Herbert died.

“We have only recently realised he produced so many paintings. They are of such good quality there are probably a lot of people who have them but don’t know very much about the artist.”

Cox was born in Coventry, where his father was a watch finisher and city councillor. He worked as a designer and draughtsman and later a textile designer in Eastbourne before returning to Kenilworth after marrying.

In 1912 he produced more than 70 paintings of Coventry and by 1913 he and his wife Margaret had moved to Manor Road, Lilligton. He became a painting master at Coventry Technical Institute, now Coventry College, and in 1922 Leamington public library exhibited 50 of his paintings.

Some 70 of his works were bought in 1930 as part of the rapidly growing nucleus of the City Art Gallery.

Cox continued to paint around Coventry between the wars and retired from teaching in the late 1930s. He died in 1941.

Mostly small, and sometimes signed only with initials, many might not realise they own a painting by Mr Cooper hopes people who do will contact the society.

He added: “It would be nice to have a record of where they all are.”