Don Egginton obituary | Art

My father, Don Egginton, who has died aged 92, was a school accounting professor. Bristol The university is the head of the university finance department. An excellent teacher and respected student, he was also a professional artist, creating work in various media for 50 years. His portrait of the economist Alfred Marshall, after a painting by Sir William Rothstein in 1908, hangs in the university.

Don was born in the East End of London to Eileen (nee Burnett) and Albert Egginton. Ellen and Al, as they were known, worked as cooks and chauffeurs for the British Army. Don survived the bombing of his house, and then moved with his family to Norfolk, where he settled. His father returned from Dunkirk but died as a PoW in Burma.

Attending Hammond Grammar School, in Swaffham, Don passed 11 of the newly introduced O-level exams, before leaving school and working. In 1957, after working in banking and completing his national service, he was accepted into the London School of Economics to study economics and accounting based on his O-levels alone.

He married Angela Shirras in 1959; They separated and divorced after 30 years. They met in a Conservative club in Dereham although both were Liberal supporters.

In 1960, Don graduated from the LSE, and trained as a chartered accountant before being appointed lecturer in Accounting at the University of Bristol in 1963. He was to spend the rest of his working life there, becoming professor in 1986 and head of department in 1990. He retired as professor emeritus in 1997.

Community, art and philanthropy were important in his life. One of Samaritan’s first volunteers, Don was also an active member of the Liberal Party, which he joined in 1961, and stood for council elections as a Liberal MP. Helping to establish Bristol’s garden which still functions as an “urban green”, he also started a regeneration project in the area, which is now permanently protected.

He created an artistic career that spanned more than half a century, in various media. Don cites Banksy and Picasso as two of his favorite artists, and his work often surprises viewers with its composition and style.

Don’s work was featured on Bath Society of Artists and Royal West of England Academyalso Clifton Arts Clubwho was an active member. Ace Arts, in Somerton, Somerset, held a 2024 retrospective of his work, Believe in Me and I Believe in You, named after his golden unicorn sculpture.

Don will be remembered above all for his kindness. He is survived by his three children, David, Elizabeth and I, and his grandchildren, Sasha and Jack.