Comments on: So Long, Roy Emmins

By: Phil hogan

Phil hogan — Sat, 28 Jan 2023 17:48:46 +0000

Roy was the loveliest and most gentle man god truly ever created, the world was truly blessed when he was born

By: Esther

Esther — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 17:23:34 +0000

What a wonderful sculptor this man was 🙂 I enjoyed looking at all his sculpted men and animals and he had a lovely balcony; the first thing I noticed when I looked at the photo of him sitting on there was the small sculpture of two men behind him and I wondered who had made them. I do hope there will be found a place to show his work permanently 🙂

By: Fergy

Fergy — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 07:09:35 +0000

Firstly, thank you for posting these two brilliantly observed and obviously lovingly written pieces but that is not surprising because everyone loved Roy.

I was sent this link by my dear friend Shaz who was often one of Roy’s dancing partners in Murphy’s aka the White Hart on Mile End Road, now sadly gentrified and where I have not been for some years.

I always found Roy to be something of an enigma and thank you so much GA for filling in some of the gaps in my knowledge as Roy was never a boastful man and, for example, what Terry wrote above re: the China trip I had no idea about, he never spoke of it to me. That, I think, was the mark of the man. Whilst obviously immensely talented (as your wonderful images show) he never showed off his talent in an ostentatious way. I knew that he sculpted and, very occasionally, he would produce a small piece he was working on for “inspection” at the bar. They were unfailingly brilliant, even if only half finished.

Looking at the dates I suppose Roy must have been into his 70’s when I first met him and his energy was amazing. When the band got going he would be dancing and would dance the legs off girls that were literally young enough to be his grand-daughters, I remember he loved to jive and whilst I am no Bruno Toniolli or Len Goodman ( Bethnal Green boy, I believe) I would have been giving straight 10’s every time. Roy was always a gentleman in the proper sense of the word, a “gentle man” who, when asking a lady to dance, would always offer his hand to lead her onto the dancefloor and bow when the dance was over, a real class act.

I hadn’t seen Roy for some years for reasons as described but I never forgot the guy, he was one of those men who just left a mark on you, not by being flash or being loud (he was the complete opposite) but just by the sheer force of his personality and almost encyclopaedic knowledge about any subject the conversation may have turned to. I would never claim to have been “best buddies” with Roy but I would like to think that we were friends.

Rest easy, my friend.

By: Terrence Wawn

Terrence Wawn — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 21:57:16 +0000

We are all saddened by Roy’s passing because he was such a good and memorable person, and he appreciated all of his friends and his friends appreciated Roy. He had the ability to make friends quickly and easily and he became unique in their regards.
Roy and I were in the same class together at school so it meant that we knew each other practically all our lives. I met Roy a second time when I was in my early 30s attending a life sculpture class at the Cass College, Aldgate, I did not recognise him but he came to me and said, ‘You’re Terry aren’t you?’, and that’s how the second friendship started. The funny thing was that my mind was totally blank of memories of him at school but he could remember me even down to the things that I said from those early school days over 20 years previously.
He was one of the most exceptional men that I have ever met that I reached the point where I ceased to be surprised when I heard of some of the things that he got up to! Did you know, for example, he was the guest of the Chinese Government medical authorities to tour China for a month from north to south visiting hospitals and clinics just at the time when China was beginning to open up to the outside world. Also he unhesitatingly befriended young ladies from foreign countries making them feel safe who were wishing to live and work in London, and even welcoming them into his home; the good memory of Roy will stay in their hearts forever. He had a lifelong passion for animals and saving the natural world and this can be seen in his sculptures. In addition to his sculptural work he wrote poetry, spoke Spanish and earned the reputation of the ‘bebop’ dancer of Whitechapel. Girls used to wait their turn to dance with Roy.
As I was out of the country for almost 30 years working as an NGO in Russia and three other Asian countries, I lost touch with many of my friends from London, except Roy. On my rare visits back home I would visit Roy in his flat and tell him some of my foreign adventures. Sometimes his eyes would boggle with amazement and other times he would just, tut tut.
People like Roy are once-in-a-lifetime rare character who on their passing leaves an empty hole in our lives thinking that they’ll never be another like Roy again.

By: Elisabeth Amsler

Elisabeth Amsler — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 09:56:51 +0000

Roy’s sculptures are fascinating and he loved to work out the animals and nature very precisely. They impress me for 45 years when I got to know Roy. They really deserve to get a public exhibition place, where all the world can see his fantastic art work. RIP Roy.

By: Sonia Murray

Sonia Murray — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 21:34:45 +0000

Roy’s sculptures are beautiful! Thank you, Gentle Author, for sharing them with us, and with the world, which might otherwise not know of their existence. They deserve to be in a museum, particularly the Hare. Please let us know what becomes of them – they are a treasure to be admired for generations to come.

By: Penny Wythes

Penny Wythes — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 14:04:05 +0000

Hesitate to suggest as it’s so obvious – but have you tried the Royal London? I’ve been retired 15 years now and am no longer in touch, but while I was working there they were quite enthusiastic about displaying art around the place to brighten it up. With all the new building I don’t know what it’s like inside now but there used to bean interest in displaying art with a local connection, and as he has such a strong hospital connection as well they might be interested.
Loved the article by the way and the oictures.

By: Mark.

Mark. — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 12:59:00 +0000

Working class hero.
His work is wonderous.
If you can’t find anywhere to house his collection, I’ll have it!
May he sculpt for eternity.

By: B Langlands

B Langlands — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 11:20:21 +0000

In 1977 Roy made a guards buzz bee for our son Paul for the Queen’s Jubilee and done a lovely job; my husband Bill Langlands worked has a Porter. at the London hospital for many years.

By: Richard Smith

Richard Smith — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 10:26:16 +0000

Thank you for telling us about Roy Emmins and his wonderful sculptures. They are so amazing – every one.