Black Country Nostalgia

by Professor Carl Chinn MBE Ph.D. F.Birm.Soc.

Peter Donnelly was born in Birmingham educated at Corpus Christi Junior School, Stechford,
and later at the Holy Rosary School, Saltley. While at the Holy Rosary he took and passed a
drawing examination for Moseley School of Art at which he spent several years tuning his
artistic talent. On leaving the Art School he joined Birmingham Printers Sam Currier and Son in
Brook Street, St Paul's Square as an apprentice commercial artist, learning the skills of business
stationery and greeting card design.

After completing his apprenticeship he left Sam Currier and worked at various printers and
advertising agencies gaining valuable experience before starting with his working associate
Bob Burns (Typographer) Donnelly Burns Graphic Design Studio, at premises in Chapel Street,
Lye (The Black Country).


Before starting the business Peter entered and won the Sunday Telegraph Photographic
Competition. He submitted an essay of photographs illustrating the demise of the Birmingham and Black Country canals. He was at this time a member of the Small Heath Photographic Society based at Hobmoor Road, South Yardley. The idea of photographing the old canals was developed by Peter and his...

Moseley School of Art

Wolverhampton, UK - Black Country Echos 2014
Birmingham, UK - Frame Creatives 2017