Mark Blackmore was born in Bristol on 17th. August 1944. He was educated at Torwood House School, Westbury Park School, and Bristol Cathedral School. He won first prize at the Bristol Schools' Poster Painting Competition when at Westbury Park. At the Cathedral School he was taught by the well known painter Ian Black. He is currently a governor of Bristol Cathedral School and chairman of its finance committee. In 1960 he was articled to a medium sized firm of chartered accountants in Bristol, W. H. Griegg and Perkins. Three of the partners were also Bristol Savages, Maurice Perkins, Jim Bate and Nigel Beswetherick. In 1980 he became a partner in Grant Thornton, the firm that took over Griegg Perkins, and specialised in taxation. He spent many happy hours at that time illustrating slides for lectures and conferences for the firm both locally and nationally. He left Grant Thornton in 1990, and now practises on his own account. He joined Bristol Savages in 1982 as a Green Feather. Attracted by the smell of paint he joined the 2nd XI and painted with that group for just over a year before being invited to paint with the Red Feathers. Having painted mainly in oils until this time he turned to pastels in order to meet the time constraints. This also saw him change from landscape painting to portrait. We have two examples of his work, a portrait of the past Hon. Sec. Terry Cleeve which hangs in the Wigwam, and an Indian study that hangs in the Studio. He has been commissioned to produce many portraits which includes one of David Shattock on his retirement as Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Mark was the President of the Bristol Savages on two occasions, in 1992 and again in 2001. He has prepared the annual accounts for the Tribe for a number of years. Fencing has been a major sporting interest of his, and he has represented the Southwest region at both foil and sabre for many years, subsequently becoming chairman of the Southwest region for six years, and is now its vice president. Other interests include motoring and caravanning and he is currently restoring a 1959 MGA. President in 1992, 2001, he is currently serving his third term as President of Bristol Savages. (M.R.B)