Geoffrey Atkins

1930-1990

Many attractive scenes of Bourne captured in pen and ink drawings during the middle years of the 20th century still turn up at auction and in second hand shops. They are the work of Geoffrey Atkins who spent many years depicting buildings and street scenes from that period.

He was born on 13th January 1930 and trained as an industrial draughtsman, working for the Dow Mac cement company at Tallington, near Stamford, and also took an active part in the social life of this town. He had a deep interest in music and was a member of the Burchnell Singers formed by Jack Burchnell, choirmaster at the Abbey Church, a small but talented and enthusiastic group of vocalists who made many appearances locally at concerts and other functions free of charge for worthwhile causes.

Among his drawings that have survived are two of Baldock's Mill in South Street, now the Heritage Centre, one of the front which has been adopted as the logo by the Civic Society, and another showing the Bourne Eau at the rear. Others include one of the Red Hall, the Thursday market when it was held in the town centre in 1977 and a stylised view of the west front of the Abbey Church.

Geoffrey Atkins, of Woodland Avenue, Bourne, died in Peterborough District Hospital following a heart attack on 13th December 1990, aged 60.

THE ARTIST'S WORK