John Farleigh was a painter, wood engraver and illustrator  He was a member of the London Group in 1927 and also exhibited at the Leicester and Redfern Galleries. Farleigh joined the staff at the Central School as head of the book production department.  He wrote an autobiography in 1940 called 'The Graven Image' and in 1942 he wrote an essay on the Future of Wood Engraving.  In 1947 he was a founder member of the Crafts Centre.