As described in his memoir, Drawn from the Life, in his early years Medley believed he was heterosexual and therefore did not understand Auden's erotic intentions toward him until they spent a single weekend together after both had left school.
Instead WAAC offered Medley a contract to record air raid precautions in the north-east of England and he spent an enjoyable two months based in Newcastle upon Tyne doing just that.
[3][6] Medley was a visiting lecturer at the Slade and returned there full-time in 1958 as Head of the department of Theatre Design, a post he held until 1966.
A retrospective exhibition of his work was held at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in 1963 and in 1966 he became chairman of the faculty of painting at the British School in Rome.
A centenary tribute at James Hyman Fine Art in 2005 was accompanied by a catalogue with essays about Medley's work.
Medley was also an important supporter of emerging out gay artists studying at the Slade who included Mario Dubsky and Derek Jarman.