Painter, designer and teacher, born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. The landscape of the Chilterns, English Romantic painters and poets and modern French artists such as Braque and Degas all influenced Bolam’s work. He studied furniture design at High Wycombe School of Art and painting at Hornsey School of Art. Went on to become head of the School of Art in Cambridge, 1970–83. Showed at AIA Gallery, Leicester Galleries and one-man exhibitions included New Art Centre. Fry Art Gallery in Saffron Walden holds his work and gave him a 1950–75 retrospective in 1991.