Reg Gammon (1894-1997) declined a 1918 offer, made at the instigation of Scottish etcher Muirhead Bone, of a place at the Slade School of Fine Art, but nonetheless had a successful career as a freelance illustrator and writer. During World War II he moved his family to South Wales, and became a hill farmer, managing 40 acres (16 ha) in the Llanthony valley near Abergavenny. He stayed there for 20 years, and was instrumental in the introduction of electricity supply and telephone services to Llanthony. He originally painted in watercolour, but on holiday in his 60s, he began to use oil paint. His work was influenced by Paul Gauguin and he later worked in the expressionist style. He was elected to the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) in 1966. They held a retrospective of his work in 1985, and in 1986 he held the first of five one-man exhibitions at the New Grafton Gallery in London. A further retrospective was held at the RWA to mark his 100th birthday. He was also a member of the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. Gammon died at Bridgwater.