Noted TV and film director Tristan de Vere Cole (Doctor Who, Z Cars, Bergerac), the illegitimate son of the Tenby-born artist Augustus John, is visiting Tenby next week and will be giving a talk at Tenby Museum and Art Gallery.

Neil Westerman, the museum’s honorary curator, told the Observer that last June, Tristan visited the museum and spent over two hours looking at the artefacts. He was extremely impressed with the collection of works by his father (Augustus) and his aunt (Gwen) in the Wilfred Harrison Gallery and with the displays in the Story of Tenby Gallery.

Neil said: “I took the opportunity to ask if he would be willing to give a talk about his father at the museum next year. To my delight he agreed and we settled on the date of Friday, August 12, at 7 pm. This is a rare opportunity to hear Tristan reminisce about his father Augustus John and his unconventional upbringing surrounded by the museums collection of works by his father and aunt.”

Augustus John’s eldest son is an art dealer and his daughter an artist. Tristan however took a different line and joined the Royal Naval College Dartmouth in 1951 aged 16. In 1960, just before he resigned his commission as a Lieutenant, he produced and directed ‘The Long and the Short and the Tall’ by Willis Hall, on a boxing ring in an aircraft carrier’s hangar while cruising off New Guinea. His first job ashore was as assistant stage manager with the Jazz Review ‘Here is the News’ directed by John Bird. After a spell at the Bristol Old Vic, he moved into television. In 1966, he completed the BBC TV Directors’ Course going freelance in 1972. His CV lists a wide variety of Drama from ‘Z Cars’ and ‘Bergerac’ to the four part classic serials ‘Kenilworth’ and ‘John Halifax, Gentleman’. His film, the Anglo-Norwegian ‘The Dive’ was shown on Channel 4 to much acclaim.

In recent years, Tristan has taught at drama schools and written a number of books including in 1974 ‘Beautiful and Beloved’ the biography of his mother, Mavis de Vere Cole. After the talk, Tristan will be available to sign copies of his latest book ‘The Last Bastard?’ published in 2015. The book combines memoir, diary entries and particularly the numerous letters from Augustus to Tristan’s mother and himself. He describes growing up as one of the artist’s family, his time in the Royal Navy, his mother’s trial for the attempted murder of her lover Lord Vivian and ends with Augustus’s death in 1961.

The talk, A Personal Reminiscence, at Tenby museum on Friday, August 12, will last approximately 50 minutes and will be illustrated by slides of Augustus John’s paintings, drawings, etchings, sculptures and photos, many from Tristan’s own collection. Tristan will be happy to answer any questions from the audience.

For further information or to reserve a seat, please contact the museum on (01834) 842809.