He restored Old Master pictures for decades, working for all the major West End dealers. His career began when he attended Walthamstow Art College, then moved on to The Royal College of Art, a big deal at that time.
Bennett’s first job was working for George Aczel, the Hungarian picture restorer whose studio was in Haunch of Venison Yard in Mayfair.
Bennett married and had a son, Christopher, who is now a landscape gardener. Bennett later split from Aczel and moved from Fulham to Wimbledon and set up independently, restoring for both trade and private clients.
He was a very good artist and had numerous one-man exhibitions. He painted town scenes, landscapes as well as portraits.
An equal passion was his love of music – trad jazz to be precise, playing banjo in his band ‘Syd’s Jazzers’ right up until the very end. In fact, the family thread is music rather than art – his father was a bassoon player and his grandfather was conductor of the local Methodist band.
Bennett will be sadly missed by all his friends and family.
His funeral took place at Lambeth Cemetery on Monday, September 2, followed by music and drinks at The Sultan.
Obituary supplied by art consultant and friend Jackie King and Syd Bennett’s son Christopher
