Charles Edward Dixon, R.I. (1872 – 1934) - British artist

 "Windy Corner of the Battle of Jutland"

Charles Dixon was born in Goring-on-Thames, UK on 8th December 1872. His parents were the artist Alfred Dixon and his wife, Mary Jane Dixon, nee Whitwam.   Charles had a brother, Frederick Geroge Dixon, who was born in 1877.  In 1891, the family lived in Alfred’s studio in Marylebone, London.

Encouraged by his father, Charles became a professional artist, and soon had a successful practice producing nautical scenes, both watercolours of coastal life and large oil paintings of historical or contemporary naval subjects. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy and several of his paintings are now in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in London. Charles first exhibited at the Royal Academy at the age of 16 before contributing regularly to the magazines “The Illustrated London News”, “The Graphic” and “The Sphere”.   He was a fried of Sir Thomas Lipton, grocery magnate and travelled with him on each of the five Shamrock boats that Lipton entered for the America’s Cup races.

Charles also exhibited at the New Watercolour Society and various other venues and was elected a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours in 1900.  He was a keen yachtsman and lived in Itchenor on the Sussex coast in the UK. Charles died at his home on 12th September 1934.

The little boy in the painting is Alfred Dixon’s young son, Charles Edward Dixon, in an actual incident when he had been lost and picked up by the police. Having escaped the clutches of the law, the boy grew up to become a famous painter of water traffic on the Thames. The “Morning Post” carried an amusing review of the painting when it was exhibited at the RA in 1876: ‘The smallest figure upon this canvas is by far the most important personage of the scene. He is a mite of a child, certainly not more than three years old, who, having lost his way, has been taken by the police to a station- house, where he now sits at the end of a long bench, the very picture of infantile sorrow and bewilderment. There is something exceedingly tragi-comic in the disconsolate woe-begone air and manner of this tiny wanderer, as, with head slightly drooping on one side, he looks furtively from under his little hat at the gigantic policeman who has “run him in,” and who, standing in awful majesty, with his back to the fire, surveys him with some such expression of haughty patronage as an elephant might be imagined to bestow upon a flea. That august “Bobby” has not as yet quite fathomed the “Gainsborough” mystery, and he is still some what at sea about the Clerkenwell explosion: but on the present occasion he has on hand a case fairly within the compass of his professional abilities. He is proud of his capture, and evidently intends to make the most of him. So the prisoner is to understand that violence on his part will be of no avail to him, and that the best thing he can do is to submit patiently to his fate. Never surely were greatness and smallness brought into more ludicrous contrast; but it might hurt the consequence of the “force” to be told what is nevertheless the fact, that the captive excites far more interest than does his captor. The group of sergeants seated at the table, and so zealously employed in making out their sheet of night charges as to be apparently unconscious of the presence of their burly brother in arms (or rather in truncheons) and of his prisoner, is highly characteristic, and the whole scene is depicted with a quaint, quiet humour not to be resisted. This is a clever and original work, full of drollery not unrelieved with a touch of homely pathos, so that one hardly knows whether to bestow tears or laughter on the lilliputian wayfarer who is “miles away from home”. Why so good a picture should have been placed above rather than upon the line is a mystery past finding out by any one not in the confidence of the Hanging Committee.’

Sources:
http://www.maasgallery.co.uk/british-pictures-2015/british-pictures-2015/british-pictures-20159-1239
Find my Past and Wikipedia

Charles Ernest Butler (1864 – 1933) – British artist

Charles Ernest Butler, born in 1864 at St Leonards on Sea, Sussex, UK, was a portrait and landscape painter. He also painted mythological and other figure subjects.

Charles studied at St Johns Wood School of Art and also attended  Royal Academy schools. Charles exhibited his work at The Royal Academy (R.A.) in London, The London Salon and the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. He died in 1933.

His painting “Blood and Iron”, painted in 1916 was exhibited at the Royal Academy. The painting depicts Kaiser Wilhelm II on horseback, followed by his army. He is turning back and looking indifferently at the civilian victims at his feet. Hovering behind the Kaiser, the Angel of Death urges him along his path of destruction. In the background, a city — thought to be Louvain, in Belgium — is ablaze. In the foreground, Christ is helping the fallen.

Blood and Iron (German: Blut und Eisen) is the name given to a speech made by Otto von Bismarck on 30th September 1862, when he was Minister President of Prussia.

Sources:

https://www.iandodgsonfinearts.co.uk/artists.php?artist=244

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/11november/features/features/the-art-of-sacrifice

James Clark (1858–1943) – British Artist and Stained Glass Designer

James Clark was born on 25th March 1858 in West Hartlepool, in the north-east of England, the eldest son of William and Ellen Clark.  His paternal grandfather came from Lanarkshire.  James’s father, William, went to work in the shipbuilding industry in Hartlepool and later, after spending time in South Africa, he set up a pawnbroking business in Hartlepool. James first trained as an architect, entering the office of the prominent local architect James Garry when he was twelve years old. His father paid for him to have watercolour painting lessons and in 1875 James gave up his architectural career for life as an artist, moving to London in 1877.

James won a scholarship to study at the National Art Training School, finishing his training in Paris, eventually attending the Ecole des Beaux Arts, where he studied under Léon Bonnat.

James married his childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth Hunter, in 1882 and the couple had three sons and three daughters.

James became famous shortly after the start of the First World War, when he painted “The Great Sacrifice”. The painting was reproduced as a souvenir print for the Christmas edition of “The Graphic”, a British weekly illustrated newspaper published from 1869 until 1932.  The prints were eagerly purchased, with one reviewer saying it had "turned railway bookstalls into wayside shrines." Framed copies were hung in churches next to Rolls of Honour, and clergymen gave sermons on the theme of the painting.

The original oil painting was purchased by Queen Mary, wife of the British monarch King George V and hangs in the church at Whippingham on the Isle of Wight, where it is a memorial to Prince Maurice of Battenburg, who was killed in action at Zonnebeke, in the Ypres Salient, on 27 October 1914.
James also painted “The Bombardment of the Hartlepools”.

After the war, James Clark designed a number of war memorials and several stained-glass windows, in both Britain and Canada, reproduced his painting, for instance, the 1916 memorial window in St Margaret’s Church, Mountain Ash, Cynon Valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.

James and Elizabeth were living in Reigate, Surrey in 1939 and James died there in January 1943.

"The Bombardment of The Hartlepools"

Sources: 

http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/clark/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clark_(artist)
http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/clark/paintings/9.html

Victor Rousseau (1865 – 1954) - Belgian sculptor, writer and poet

A chance find on the Facebook Group Cemeteries & Memorials of the Gret War, was a post about the Belgian Gratitude Memorial of The First World War that is situated on the Embankment in London, UK.  The main sculpture was the work of Belgian sculptor Victor Rousseau.

Victor Rousseau was born in Feluy, Hainaut, Belgium on 15th December 1865 in “La Sonnette.”  His parents were Emile Rousseau and Philomène Duquesnes and his family were stone masons.   Victor took refuge in Britain during the First World War, returning to Belgium when the war was over.

Victor died at his home in Vorst (Forest), Brussels, on 17th March 1954. A street in Feluy was named after Victor.

Between 1935 and 1953 Victor wrote his memoirs, “Country pictures from my childhood,” as well as numerous “Notes” and over 300 poems.

I am now trying to find poems written by Victor Rousseau.

Photograph of the Belgian Memorial in London reproduced here by kind permission of photographer Kim Haslam - Photos ©️Kim Haslam 2019


https://www.facebook.com/groups/1609379815967794/



https://www.seneffe.be/theme_loisirs/archives/tourism/historique/vie-locale/victor-rousseau/victor-rousseau-en



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w…/Anglo-Belgian_Memorial,_London

Christina Broom (1862 - 1939) - photographer - Britain's "first female press photographer"

 "the UK's first female press photographer".

Christina Livingston was born in King's Road, Chelsea, London, on 28th December 1862,  the seventh of eight children born to Alexander Livingston (1812-1875), a master bootmaker and his wife, Margaret Fair (1826-1884), who were from Scotland.

In 1889, Christina married Albert Edward Broom (1864–1912). They had a daughter, Winifred Margaret, who was born 7th August 1890. After the failure of the family ironmongery business and other business ventures, Christina borrowed a box camera and taught herself the rudiments of photography. She set up a stall in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, selling postcards of photographs that she had taken. She maintained the stall from 1904 until 1930.

When the family moved to Burnfoot Avenue, she used the coal cellar as her dark room. She was assisted by her daughter Winifred, who left school early in order to help her mother. Albert wrote the captions for the postcards.

Christina was appointed official photographer to the British Army's Household Division - at that time comprising the 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) - who were responsible for ceremonial duties. From 1904 until 1939, Christina had a darkroom in the Dvision Headquarters at Chelsea Barracks.  She also photographed local scenes, including those at the Palace, as well as The Boat Race and Suffragette marches.

Albert died in 1912 and Christina and Winifred moved to Munster Road, Fulham. Christina took the professional name of Mrs Albert Broom.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Christina's photographs were published in magazines such as the “Illustrated London News”, “The Tatler”, “The Sphere” and “Country Life”.

Christina died on 5th June 1939 and was buried in Fulham Old Cemetery.

Collections of Christina’s photographs are held at the Museum of London, the National Portrait Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, London, the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, the Royal Maritime Museum, Greenwich, the Guards Museum, London; the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Local Studies Library; the Hammersmith and Fulham Archive and the National Army Museum; Maidstone Art Gallery, Kent; and the Harry Ransom Center and the Gernsheim Collection, University of Texas, both at Austin, Texas, United States.

Source:  Wikipedia

With thanks to Historian Debbie Cameron for her research into Christina Broom.

Colin Unwin Gill (1892 –1940) – British artist – WW1 war artist

Colin Unwin Gill was born at Bexleyheath in Kent, UK on 12th May 1892.  His parents were George Joseph Gill, who worked for the Metropolitan Water Board, and his wife, Sarah Sharey Gill, nee Driver.  Colin’s siblings were Alan Streatfield Gill, b. 1896 and David Ashdown Gill, b. 1904. By 1911, the family were living in Sevenoaks, Kent.  Colin was a cousin of Eric Gill (1882 – 1940), who became a sculptor

Colin studied art at the Slade School of Art, and in 1913 became the first recipient of the Rome Scholarship in Decorative Painting to the British School in Rome.

When war broke out in 1914, Colin was commissioned into the Royal Garrison Artillery and was posted to the Western Front as a Second Lieutenant with the 17th Heavy Battery.  In 1916, he was seconded to the Royal Engineers in order to work as a camouflage officer.  In March 1918, Colin was sent back to Britain, suffering from exposure to poison gas, where he recuperated in the Hospital for Officers on the Isle of Wight.

In May 1918, Colin volunteered to work as a war artist but was turned down and continued to work as a camouflage instructor.  He returned to France on 7th November 1918 visiting Mons hours after it had been retaken by the Allies.

In 1919, Colin married Phyllis Seyler Andrews.

After the war, Colin  returned to the British School in Rome. In 1939, he received a commission to paint murals at the Johannesburg Magistrates' Courts and died  in South Africa on 16th November November 1940.

WW1 Paintings: Portrait of a Gunner and Heavy Artillery.

Will Dyson (1880 – 1938) - Australian artist, writer and poet

Known to friends and family as Bill, William Henry Dyson was born in Alfredton, now in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, on 3rd September 1880. His father was George Dyson, a hawker who became a mining engineer, and his mother was Jane Dyson, née Mayall.  Educated at state schools in Ballarat and South Melbourne, Will became an artist like his brother, Ambrose (1876 – 1913), and went to work for the “Adelaide Critic”.

In 1910, Will married Ruby Lindsay.  Ruby came from a well-known family of artists. The couple went to live in London and Will found work with the “Weekly Despatch”. He also drew some coloured cartoons for "Vanity Fair" magazine, which he signed with the pen-name "Emu". Some time later, he began to contribute to the British newspaper “The Daily Herald” (1912 – 1964). His work soon became popular and in 1914, Will published some of his work in a publication entitled “Cartoons”.   In 1915, he was made an official Australian War Artist on the Western Front.

Will was not concerned with his personal safety and was wounded twice while sketching on the Western Front.  Exhibitions of his work were held in London.  In November 1918, Will published a book of his work entitled “Australia at War”.

Ruby died in March 1919 and Will was overcome with grief. Not long after his wife's death, Will drew a cartoon, entitled "Peace and Future Cannon Fodder", which was remarkable in its uncanny foresight.  Published in “The Daily Herald” on 13th May 1919, the cartoon depicted David Lloyd George, Vittorio Orlando and Georges Clemenceau (the Prime Ministers respectively of Britain, Italy and France), together with Woodrow Wilson, (the President of the United States), emerging after a meeting at Versailles to discuss the Peace Treaty. Clemenceau, who was identified by his nickname "The Tiger", is saying to the others: "Curious! I seem to hear a child weeping!" A child in tears stands behind a pillar and a poster proclaims "1940 Class".

In 1920, Will published some of Ruby’s work – “Drawings of Ruby Lind (London, Cecil Palmer 1920) and he also published a volume of his poems – “Poems in Memory of a Wife”.

Will then took up dry pointing and he quickly mastered the possibilities of that medium. In 1925, he returned to Australia for five years and worked for th “Melbourne Herald” and “Punch”.  After a successful exhibition of his dry point creations in New York, Will held an exhibition in London.  He worked again for "The Daily Herald" while there.  Will died on 21st January 1938.  He and his wife are buried together in Section D10 of Hendon Cemetery in London NW7.

“Surrender” a poem by Will Dyson

Now wrap you in such armour as you may,
And make your tardy peace with suffering,
Since grief must be your housemate to the end ...
Nor is it meet that in these bloody years
Such traffic you should make of common wounds.
What is your grief above our mortal lot
That in a world where all must carry scars,
You clamour to the skies as though were fall’n
A prodigy to earth in this your woe.
Now make your peace, and go as you have gone:
The world was so before this grief befell,
But you, the broken, have in breaking learned
A wisdom that you lacked when you were whole.
... in your veins no flavoured stuff doth flow
That fate should beat upon your head in vain.
... Now bend thee to the yoke,
And teach thy heart no longer to rebel.

Source:
https://www.aph.gov.au/~/~/link.aspx?_id=811A1C57DBF74CFD96552241F3ED363A&_z=z