Russel Howarth

Russel Howarth (1927-2020) was born in Oldham and attended Oldham Parish Church School and Ward Street Central School.  Russel left school at age 14 to start work in engineering as an apprentice tool maker.  Later he became a draughtsman working on tool design and later tooling and programming NC machines until the company closed in 1980.  Russel began drawing in early childhood, and started painting and finishing engineering studies around 1948.  He joined Saddleworth Art Group (as it was called then) in 1951 and started a course of pottery in 1955.  He began teaching part time in further education in 1962 and retired from teaching in 1992.  After that, Russel devoted much of his time to painting the landscape around Oldham and Saddleworth.