Portrait of a man sitting facing to the right with his hands together in his lap. Wearing black robes with a gold trim and a white colar with a black tie. Dark green/black background.

Edmund Phipson Beale (1872–1952), MA, followed his father, Charles Gabriel Beale into the legal profession. He joined the family practice in the early twentieth century when his uncle James and cousin Arthur retired. Retiring in the early 1950s, Beale had served as the University’s Pro-Chancellor during difficult wartime years, 1939-47. Both his father and son occupied the same position, the former when the position was called ‘Vice-Chancellor’, a lay post in those days, and not to be confused with today’s salaried academic role.

Arthur Middleton Todd was born in Cornwall, the son of the painter Ralph Todd. After service in the Army during the First World War, he studied at the Slade School, and subsequently travelled in Europe. He exhibited regularly in London, and taught at the Royal Academy Schools. Examples of his work can be seen at Tate Britain in London.