ON November 1 artist, beekeeper and naturalist, John, “Jack”, Fieldhouse died peacefully in Musgrove Hospital, Taunton, after a short illness.

Jack was a founder member of the Chandos Arts Society in the 1960’s and life president of the Quantock Beekeepers’ Association since its inauguration in 2007.

He came to Somerset in 1958 as an art teacher, firstly at Westover, Bridgwater, then moving from 1967 to 1979 to Priory Boys’, Taunton.

He spent his retirement painting and sketching, writing the Country Column for the Somerset County Gazette, keeping bees, walking, birdwatching, growing vegetables and tending to his pigeons and chickens.

He had a passion for nature from a very early age, after being shown a blackbird’s nest containing four eggs by his father, and he passed on his love of the countryside to friends, family and pupils.

Jack and Joan, whom he met apple picking in 1948, have seven children, 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Together, Jack and Joan looked after their handicapped son, Duncan, a few years ago being joined in this by their eldest daughter, Ann.

'Jack the Lad' was a Yorkshireman, born in Sheffield in 1919. He served in the Second World War in the Yorkshire Light Infantry and was posted to Africa, Italy and Austria.

Before the War, aged 16, he and some friends spent their summer holiday renovating an old lifeboat.

They made it seaworthy and later it was commandeered to take part in the Dunkirk evacuation, rescuing some 300 soldiers.

At the age of 91 Jack put down his paintbrush and took up the pen. He published three books of drawings, doggerels and autobiography and was working on a fourth, to be published soon.

His family plan to carry out Jack’s idea for a retrospective exhibition at Bridgwater Arts Centre in 2018.

There will be a requiem mass for Jack at 12 noon today at St Joseph’s RC Church, Binford Place, Bridgwater, TA6 3NJ.

His ashes will be buried in his beloved copse near Broomfield Hall, and on his headstone, as requested, he will be remembered as 'The Hedgeman'.

If you would like to find out more about purchasing Jack Fieldhouse's books contact Ann at afieldhouse8@gmail.com or ring 01278 671317.