MEMORY Lane pays belated homage to quite an accomplished Worcester amateur artist of yesteryear.

Jack Bedford, who died in 1989, left a legacy of painstakingly-drawn etchings of local and Midland scenes, plus some equally arresting watercolour paintings.

Yet, alas, it wasn't until recent months that his treasury of artwork came to light and is now being exposed to public gaze.

His 80 year-old widow Iris died last August, at their home of many years, 342a Ombersley Road, Worcester, and it was while clearing out the house that relatives surprisingly came across an unknown array of Jack's etchings and paintings, languishing in the little box room.

Iris's brothers, Les and Ray Lampitt, together with their wives Joan and Janet, were taken aback by the discovery and were immediately full of admiration for Jack Bedford's achievements with pen, pencil and brush - all done merely as a hobby.

"We think his etchings and paintings really are beautiful, though I know we are a bit prejudiced," said Mrs Joan Lampitt. "What a shame Jack's gorgeous work has been hidden away all these years and not seen and enjoyed by us and others. It's a bit sad to think that most of his etchings and paintings were not displayed nor appreciated in his own lifetime.

"However, Jack and Iris were very private people and simply kept the etchings and paintings tucked away."

Also discovered among Iris Bedford's possessions was a cutting from the Berrow's Worcester Journal of 1935. It was a report of an exhibition of work by students of the Worcester School of Arts and Crafts at the Victoria Institute and included this significant passage:

"On entering the Design Room one is immediately attracted by the etchings and lettering of J Bedford. Notable examples are his scenes of Warwick and Evesham."

Interestingly, those particular etchings are among the array recently re-discovered.

It appears that Jack Bedford was at the height of his artistic powers in his late teens before he launched out on to his full-time career as a draughtsman. Some of his best etchings date from that time in the 1930s.

Les Lampitt says he and his brother have also learned, totally by chance in recent months, that two extremely impressive framed etchings by Jack - of Worcester Cathedral and the former Worcester Bridge tollgates - have for some years graced the reception area of solicitors Hulme & Co. in Pierpoint Street, Worcester.

"At the firm's kind invitation we have been along to see them and think they are really excellent," says Les.

Jack Bedford was born in 1918, at 10 Castle Street, Worcester - a Georgian house which still survives today and has been superbly incorporated into the new police station complex. Jack clearly inherited his artistic talents from his father, who was a sign-writer and, after leaving school, he attended evening classes at the Victoria Institute.

It was there that he met and fell in love with Iris Lampitt, the girl who became his wife. She too was artistic and worked for a time at the Royal Worcester porcelain factory. Relatives have a few of her hand-painted plates.

Jack Bedford's long working career was with Windshields of Worcester and he became the company's chief draughtsman for many years and, finally, the executive engineering director. He died in 1989 at the age of 71.

The Lampitts are readily allowing me to reproduce some of Jack Bedford's work. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we heard from other people that they possessed etchings or paintings signed by him," said Joan Lampitt. "Maybe there are a lot of other pictures still about by him."

She and husband Les kept the former VG Food Store at the corner of Solitaire Avenue and Oldbury Road, Worcester, for 20 years until retirement. Les had previously been in the grocery trade at Worcester with Beards, David Grieg's, and Shuter & Flays.

His brother Ray spent his career as a draughtsman, starting at Windshields and then working for Redmans and Boston Matthews.

Adds Les: "Sometimes when Jack visited us in my younger days I would ask 'Do me a sketch of the Cathedral, please Jack,' and within a short time, he would hand me a good pencil drawing of it, such was his talent."