BURROWS, Robert

1810 - 1883

Robert Burrows was born at Ipswich in 1810, eldest son of Robert Burrows (1782-31 January 1863), silversmith in the Old Cattle Market, Ipswich, and his wife Elizabeth Cordy, daughter of James Cordy of London. His younger brother was Sir John Cordy Burrows (1813-1876), the eminent surgeon and local politician. Robert was apprenticed to the family silversmith trade and in 1837 was trading with his father as Robert Burrows & Son and by 1847 Robert was carrying on the family business at 40 Silent Street, Ipswich, a 'Miscellaneous Warehouse' selling a diverse range such as 'watches, cutlery, pianofortes, guns, oil paintings, photography apparatus' etc., and was also a pawnbroker, having discontinued drapery and tailoring. On 1 November 1847 young Robert was elected, unopposed, a liberal Town Councillor and again, without opposition, in 1850 and 1853 but three years later, when opposed, was defeated. A member of the newly formed Ipswich Society of Professional & Amateur Artists in 1832, along with Samuel Read, Robert Burcham Clamp and Jabez Hare 1796-1851 who were instructed by Henry Davy. Robert Burrows exhibited at the Suffolk Fine Arts Association exhibition at the New Lecture Hall at the Mechanics' Institute, Ipswich in August 1850 two oil paintings, 'Scene near Ipswich' and 'Felixstow Beach', as Robert Burrows, jun. he also exhibited at the Royal Academy and at the British Institution. An artist and agent for the London Fire Assurance Co. at 4 St Peter’s Street, and St Stephen’s churchyard, Ipswich 1865-1868 but by 1875 had moved to 14 Silent Street. Burrows enjoyed friendships with other Ipswich artists including Edward Robert Smythe, who made a pencil drawing of Robert and his wife, Harriet Batterbee Bowman, daughter of an Ipswich brewer, whom he married at St Nicholas church, Ipswich on 21 May 1835. Burrows also had an interest in photography and a volume of his photographs are in the Suffolk Record Office, Ipswich. By 1869 he had taken up painting as his full-time occupation and in 1874, was living at 40 Silent Street, Ipswich and in 1881 at his last address at 9 Norwich Road, Ipswich. A regular exhibitor at the Ipswich Fine Art Club from 1879, exhibiting nine oil painting from 9 Norwich Road, Ipswich including ‘Moonlight’, ‘Sunset’, ‘Scene, Easton’, ‘Landscape’, ‘Oak and River, Gainsborough Lane’, ‘Sunset, Marlesford’, ‘Banks of the Orwell’, ‘Night’ and ‘Cottage Scene’ and he also exhibited at the Bury St Edmunds Fine Art Society in 1882 an oil 'Off Felixstowe' which was commended. His wife was buried in Ipswich cemetery on 20 May 1869, aged 59 and Robert died at his home Park Place, 9 Norwich Road, Ipswich on 10 November 1883, aged 73, he had no issue.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Ipswich
1851 556 Scene at Sproughton near Ipswich
1855 508 Scene on the Bank of the River Orwell

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Works by This Artist