Home -
Foreword -
Georg Philipp -
Piano Business -
Lymington -
Trees -
Related Topics
Alphabetical Links -
Email: family@klitzandsons.co.uk
|
Sixth Generation |
|
|
ANTHONY ROBERT
03 September 1917 - 19 September 2000
 |
Youngest son of Reginald William and Edith Helen nee Ashford.
Married:
1. Patricia Morrison, dissolved 1949/50
2. Margaret Macelroy on 29 April 1961 at Chelsea
Three children from the second marriage
Stephen Lawson - 1962 - 31.10.2019
Marina Ruth - 1964 - to date
Lucy Elizabeth - 1969 - to date
Tony on his 21st birthday at Chesterton House
Born in Southport, attended Bishop Wordsworth School in Salisbury. Studied with Architects Dowglass and Pyle in Cirencester. Attended Cheltenham Art College.
 The Middlesex Regiment |
National Service in 1939 in the First Battalion the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars and the Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own). Attained the rank of Major.
Played the piano for the BBC during the war years. Tony could play anything he wanted by ear but he specialised in jazz. He did learn the music and played from it later. His Mother, Edith taught the piano when she was younger Betty's reminiscences - Uncle Reg would sometimes visit when we were living at the Rowans during the war. Tony also came resplendent in his Army uniform before leaving for Germany. His late night broadcasts of jazz on the Forces network always had a keen audience at College. Betty also says that her husband, David's Father attended Bishops Wordworth School at the same time as Tony |
Tony and Margaret attending the wedding of Tony's niece, Ann Jayne Klitz on 10 June 1967
Tony started with his paintings after his first marriage ended, and had regular picture displays in Liberty's in London and many international exhibitions.
Painting of Dublin's Ha'Penny Bridge. This particular picture was one of the collection prepared for his 80th birthday exhibition in Dublin
Tony lived in various places but notably Chelsea, Cirencester and finally in Dublin where he died.
Article from the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Standard. April 23rd 1998
'Lost' artist is alive and well - and still painting
Artist Tony Klitz, still has many fans and friends in Cirencester, although he died in Dublin in 2000.
Interest in who the artist was arose a few weeks ago when Edward Browning of Swindon told us he had a print of a painting of Cirencester Market Place which was signed simply 'KLITZ'. Mr Browning, who came originally from Somerford Keynes, asked if we could find out anything more about the artist.
A testament to Mr Klitz's popularity is the fact that we had a stream of phone calls from people who had come into contact with him or other members of his family during the time they lived in Cirencester; and then, out of the blue, the 'Way We Were' was delighted to receive a letter from the artist's wife, Margaret. This, in turn, enabled us to call the couple's Dublin home and chat briefly to the man himself. Now 80 and suffering from back trouble, Mr Klitz was anxious to send his regards to all his friends in and around Cirencester.
"It was a lovely place to live and work," he said, "and many of the people I knew then are still around, including people I served with in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars."
Mrs Klitz said they had been sent a copy of our original inquiry and added: "It was lovely for Tony to see that. He has had a rather up and down year with his health. His family have a long connection with Cirencester, and we had a wonderfully happy time living there."
In spite of his surname, which has German-Austrian origins, Mr Klitz said the family had been in the UK for more than 300 years. "Consequently, I think I can regard myself as English now," he said.
In fact he was born in Southport in 1917. It was during the 1930s and 40s that his family first lived in Cirencester, at Chesterton House, Dunstall House in Park Street, and at Wellesley House and Mead House, both in Dyer Street. At Wellesley House Mrs Klitz, the artist's mother, looked after a number of students from the Royal Agricultural College.
After attending Bishop Wordsworth School, Salisbury, Tony studied with architects Dowglass and Pyle in the Market Place. He also attended Cheltenham Art School.
In 1939 he joined the Army, serving with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars and the Middlesex Regiment, leaving with the rank of Major.
He became a professional artist in the 1950s and in 1957 studied art in France and Italy.
He returned to live and work in Cirencester in 1970 with his wife and three children. Their home was Oakley Cottage, now Oakley House, in Tetbury Road.
His brother, Philip, and sister-in-law Marjorie, also lived in Cirencester but sadly Philip died many years ago. Mrs Marjorie Klitz lived initially in Dyer Street and she taught Ballroom dancing in Wellesley House. Latterly she lived in the Abbey House. She died in 1994.
Tony Klitz renovated the old Magistrates Court in Park Lane, next to the original grammar school building, and used it as both a studio and gallery. Whilst living locally, he had many exhibitions in the town and in Cheltenham, Bristol and London. Much of his work was sold to America, Europe and Australia. International exhibitions of his work were also held in New York, Paris, Sydney, London, Dublin and Cork.
Some of his local subjects were printed in the 70s and 80s including pictures of Cirencester, Cheltenham, Sherston and Moreton-in Marsh. In September 1996 a special exhibition of the artist's work was held at the Forge Gallery, Collon, in Ireland to mark his 80th birthday, and the event was sold out on the opening night.
Callers who contacted us after our appeal for information included David Sykes, Ivor Hall - who said Mr Klitz was known particularly for his pastel shades - and Jacqueline Matthew who twice met Mr Klitz in the 50s and recalled having tea with him at his studio in London. Mary Walpole, of Ashton Keynes, said the artist was from 'a charming family' and Mr. Klitz did wonderful pictures. Derek Meek, of Michael's Mead, Cirencester, used to be a postman in the town and recalls seeing a Klitz painting of soldiers marching down London's Mall, hanging on a landing outside the front door to Marjorie's flat.
Norma O'Direain, of Berkeley Road, Cirencester, recalled seeing Klitz paintings on show in London, and told us, correctly as it turned out, that she believed the family had moved to Dublin. Eighty-three-year-old Ron Roe, of Ewen, said he remembered Mrs Reginald Klitz running Wellesley House as a small hotel, and a Mrs Bowley rang to say her daughters, as teenagers, had been friends with the artist and used to go to Cirencester's open air swimming pool with him. Theresa Walker, of Cirencester, said that apart from his own work, Mr Klitz had done copy painting too. And Mary Grace rang to say the Klitz family now lived in Ireland.
Letter received 11 July 2004. - View pictures
Hello from Timonium, Maryland, USA.
Many years ago, I believe it was about 1980, My husband and I were in Harrods in London when we saw that an exhibit by Mr. Klitz had just ended and we missed it by several days. Our interest was piqued since friends of ours in the States had an oil painting by the same artist and we liked it so much. We took the hand-out brochure that was still there.
In 1988, friends of ours visited Southport and per our request called Mr. Klitz who very kindly invited them to tea. Our friends took a picture of him which I still have and also several of his paintings. The picture is dated April 1988.
We wrote to the artist and requested two watercolors - one of St. Paul's and Fleet Street and the other of Montemartre, Paris. We now own those plus an oil painting which we had previously bought from an art gallery here in the States. We also have two of his prints.
We have them hanging together so we have dubbed that area as the "Klitz Corner". For several years we sent Christmas cards and also heard from him but then we heard no more. Recently, our son came across your web site. We are sorry to learn of his death. We certainly enjoy his work.
Sincerely, Mary and Gene Redman.
| Stephen Lawson | Marina Ruth | Lucy Elizabeth |
|
Reginald William 13.10.1880 - 03.09.1939 = Edith Helen Ashford - 09.11.1889 - 05.05.1964 |
 |
|
John Neville 01.11.1910 - 04.04.1989 (T) =Nancy Margaret Cree 11.03.1913 - 27.07.2000 |
Philip Ashford 01.11.1910 - 1942 (T) = Marjorie Blanche Palmer 31.01.1907 - 09.09.1994 |
Anthony Robert 03.09.1917 - 29.09.2000 =1 Patricia Morrison (D) =2 Margaret Macelroy |
|
|
|
Ann Jayne 1936 - to date =Malcolm Perrett 19.02.1940 - 27.02.2009 |
Stephen Lawson 1962 - 31.10.2019 |
|
| | |
|
Joanna Perrett 19.12.1972 to date =John Colin Hulme 21.06.1972 to date |
Zak Cameron Coghlan 16.04.2000 to date (in Dublin) |
--- |
Marina Ruth 1964 - to date =Donal Coghlan ? - 06.11.2016 |
| | |
|
Freddy Anthony Jones 11.11.2015 to date (in Dublin) |
--- |
Lucy Elizabeth 1969 - to date =Darren Jones to date |
|
Amelia May Perrett-Hulme 15.11.2010 to date |
| | |
|
Clara Rose Perrett-Hulme 24.10.2013 to date |
back to top
Anthony Robert