It has been a privilege during my life to write about some wonderful men and women from all walks of life.
lt is now a quarter of a century since one legendary Norfolk character died at the age of 97.
The late, great Norfolk artist John Mann (Image: Newsquest)
And if you have a painting on the wall signed S. J. Mann, then you will know who l am writing about.
Salem John Mann was an artist often described as Van Dauber, Mr Paintbrush and the Master of Brush Strokes.
Born in 1903, his father James was a farm labourer at Shotesham and he was was the sixth of eight children.
Home on leave. John outside the family business in the 1920s (Image: Family collection)
The family moved to Norwich to run a milk delivery business called the Swainsthorpe Dairy in Pembroke Road.
One tragedy John did not talk about was when his three-year-old brother Sidney was killed when the horse and cart reared up.
John attended Avenue School and aged 11 won a scholarship to Norwich School of Art. But this young boy did not just want to sit in the corner drawing and painting…
John Mann during his time with the Dragoon Guards (Image: Family collection)
He ran away from home when he was 14 but was caught and returned.
The following year he joined the British Army, the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards at 15 and served 10 years (1919-1929), eight of them in India.
He was part of one of the last mounted cavalry charges during riots in India.
John hated his time in the army. He said: “I was in the clink a few times during the worst ten years of my life.”
But he was a tough guy who knew how to look after himself and won medals in the boxing ring.
Looking back on an extraordinary life… Salem John Mann (Image: Newsquest)
Heading home he got a job as a painter’s labourer before establishing his own sign-writing business with seven employees.
This was a time when sign-writing was a real art form and no one pushed their luck with John.
He once chased a customer who had not paid him down the street, and when a garage upset him he parked his van against the petrol pump for several hours so it couldn’t be used!
John Mann with a painting of John Major (Image: Newsquest)
During the Second World War John served in the Home Guard and the military police.
He returned to sign-writing and in 1970 “retired” to become one of the most prolific and popular painters in Norfolk and further afield.
“Sometimes l work so fast my brushes start smoking,” he once told me.
Supported all the way by the love of his life Ruth, they had two sons, Graham (who sadly died in 2013) and Alan, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
John Mann with the love of his life Ruth, married for more than 65 years (Image: Family collection)
They can all be so proud of Alan who painted a huge collection of pictures which people would queue up to buy at his annual exhibitions.
“I love to portray people who have or have had a connection with Norfolk. People we can all be proud of,” he told me.
One of his favourite paintings was of Princess Diana which he presented to her old school, Riddlesworth Hall.
A visit to his Norwich studio was quite an experience . He loved painting people and places and was a true master of his craft.
John died in 2001 but his memory lives on and his pictures continue to give us so pleasure.