Harvey Taylor portrait in St Edmunds Falinge

Alicia France with the portrait and Wbro Harvey Taylor in St Edmunds Church

In late 2016 Harvey Taylor, a Freemason for over 24 years, approached a local artist, Alicia France to do a portrait of himself in St Edmund's Church.

Alicia, a former resident of Rochdale, whose parents still live near to St Edmund's Church, was only to pleased to be asked.

Harvey had expressed a wish to be painted in the building that he has a great deal of interest in as St Edmund's Church Falinge was built by a former pillar of the community and Freemason, Albert Hudson Royds in 1870-73.

Alicia arranged to meet Harvey when first a series of photographs were taken, Alicia then proceeded to work on the portrait of Harvey, finally presenting Harvey with his portrait in St Edmunds Church.

Harvey said: “I am absolutely amazed and very pleased indeed with the finished portrait.”

Alicia has been drawing ever since she could pick up a crayon and her specialty is portraiture. She is a Newcastle graduate and has exhibited in London’s Kings Gallery and just recently at the ‘Discerning Eye’ exhibition at the Mall Galleries London.

Alicia is currently working on a portrait for the BP Portrait Award Exhibition later this year.