Elected ARSA: 19 March 1969
William Drummond Bone was born in the town of Ayr in 1907. It was there that he completed his school education before entering Glasgow College of Art in 1928 to study drawing and painting. His graduation in 1931 was followed by a year of post-graduate study, and later he occupied his time travelling, tutoring and painting. In 1934 he was appointed a member of the teaching staff in the School of Drawing and Painting.
At the outbreak of World War II, William Bone first saw active service in France and later in Germany before returning to take up his teaching post in the Glasgow School. In 1948 he was appointed senior lecturer in charge of first- and second-year student studies, and his career as a teacher was to become a long and devoted one, terminating in June 1971, when he retired.
As a painter and draughtsman he had many admirers, not least those private patrons who delighted in possessing his oils, watercolours and drawings, often of open farm land flanked by west coast mountains, or landscapes featuring moors enclosed by low-lyinghills, spontaneously wrought and vigorously interpreted.
He was elected a Member of The Royal Scottish Society of Painters
in Water colours in 1950, and in 1969 he was elected an Associate
Member of The Royal Scottish Academy.
His love of music was expressed in performance, for he was richly endowed with an excellent singing voice, known particularly to musicians in Ayr. As a raconteur and after-dinner speaker he was
much appreciated and despite his quietness of manner, effectively
articulate.
William Bone died in Heathfield Hospital, Ayr, on Friday, 16th
November 1979. A widower for some years, he left behind his only
son, Drummond.
It will not have escaped the notice of Members that, with his friend and colleague William Armour, R.S.A., he shared many common characteristics such as honesty, humility and integrity. Sadly they have died within months of each other.
RSA Obituary by James Cumming. Transcribed from the 1979 RSA Annual Report
