A CELEBRATED Rugby artist has immortalised the Percival Guildhouse in watercolours to help mark its 100th anniversary.
Jim Watson, who refined his talents at the adult learning education centre, has depicted the town centre side of the Grade II-listed 19th century building in its gardens behind Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.
Jim said: “As someone who has benefited from taking art classes at the Guildhouse many years ago, I was happy to provide an illustration of the building as my contribution to the centenary celebrations.”
Jim came to Rugby as an apprentice with British Thomson-Houston, later becoming a draughtsman with AEI.
In his spare time, he was contributing gag cartoons to national newspapers and magazines – but he became a full-time freelance illustrator when publisher IPC offered him regular work drawing for children’s comics in the late 1960s.
He has gone on to write and illustrate more than 20 books, and has worked with a variety of advertising agencies and publishers. Despite having learned different art techniques and technologies ‘on the job’, his signature style remains line and watercolour, which he has used to depict scenes around the UK.
A 2025 calendar for Rugby featured a series of Jim’s drawings of notable local buildings, capturing the essence of the town.
The Guildhouse, Rugby’s independent centre of lifelong learning, began life in 1925 when former pupils of Rugby School bought the property in St Matthew’s Street, once home to antiquarian Matthew Holbeche Bloxam, to create an adult education centre in memory of former Head Master, Dr John Percival.
It continues today offering a wide range of art, craft, wellbeing and academic courses.
Prints in different sizes, framed or unframed, and greetings cards featuring the illustration are available for sale from the Guildhouse.
The Percival Guildhouse reopens on August 14 when enrolments commence for its Autumn Term.
