Thomas Symington Halliday MBE, artist; born April 11, 1902, died May 22, 1998

Fife-based T S Halliday was Scotland's oldest working artist, sculptor, and stained glass expert, until his death at the age of 96.

Only last month he had two of his latest works accepted for exhibition at the Museum of Flight at East Fortune, near Haddington.

The son of a grain merchant, he was born in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, and grew up on a Borders farm.

Educated at Ayr Academy, he was a latecomer to art - his original intention was to study engineering. He won a scholarship to the Glasgow School of Art and, under the supervision of Anning Bell, his ability grew. His own work was interspersed with teaching commitments, first at Prestwick High School, before later moving to his old school in Ayr where he accepted a post for the instruction of painters, ticket-

writers, and bakers, during which he passed on his skill in the art of sugar designing.

He later moved to Alloa before taking up an appointment as principal of the art department at Dundee High School in 1941. He remained in post until he retired

in 1965.

His first stained-glass commission in 1927 for a church in Ayr made him #5 and only recently was valued at more than #20,000.

A founder member of the Guild of Aviation Artists, Mr Halliday was also a member of the Society of Marine Artists. His military interests continued as a member of the Dundee HS Cadets and he attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1962.

Awarded the MBE in 1963, many of his works are held in private collections throughout the world and his pieces were exhibited by the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy, as well as in Italy, Poland, Canada, the US, and South Africa. He also spent long periods working in France.

Among his biggest successes recently was an invitation from the Royal Scottish Academy to exhibit a bronze bust of his 95-year-old wife, Agnes, which he had started almost half-a-century earlier, but finished only two years ago.

Two of his paintings of dockyard scenes were purchased by the Duke of Edinburgh from a show at the RSA, while a carving of a stag was presented to the Queen in 1958 on behalf of Newport-on-Tay Town Council in Fife. He also designed the town's coat of arms.

A huge mural completed many years ago by him - it measures 15ft x 9ft - of the Battle of Narvik, hangs at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Rosyth.

Many of his other works included views of the Tay Bridge and Dundee, as seen from his studio window at his home in Wormit.

Mr Halliday, who was also a member of the Italian Art Society, received numerous awards from many parts of the world over the years, including the Gold Medal for Modern Art in Milan, and also prizes for his work from sources in the US and Switzerland.

Of his own influences, Mr Halliday cited the sculptor, Benno Schotz, and a long friendship with J D Fergusson with whom he shared many ideas and who is now commemorated in a Perth Gallery. Along with Fergusson, he was a member of the New Scottish Group, a society for young artists who were experiencing difficulty in having their work exhibited

at the time.

During the First World War

Mr Halliday served in the Marine Engineers.

He is survived by his wife, Agnes.

Dougie Miller