BURWOOD, George Vempley

1844 - 1917

George Vempley Burwood was born at Lowestoft, Suffolk on 12 August 1844 and baptised at St Margaret's Church, Lowestoft on 6 October 1844, son of George Burwood, a fisherman, and his wife Mary Ann. Young George married firstly at Ipswich in 1868, Eliza Miller (1844-1874), by whom he had a daughter Rosa and a son Arthur; and secondly at Cuckfield, Sussex in 1875, Martha Cox, by whom he had a further ten children. In February 1876 George Vempley Burwood of Kirkley, near Lowestoft, general cooper, fish label manufacturer and steam sawyer, held a meeting with his creditors. Burwood was proficient in working with wood, especially at model-building and it was this capability which sparked his taking up painting, initially as a ship's portraitist working in watercolour and oils. George was commissioned to make a model for Princess Alexandra which is now housed in the Lowestoft Museum along with other Burwood models and paintings. In 1881, the family were living at Lindfield Cottage, Mariner’s Score, Lowestoft where George was ‘a cooper & marine modeller’ and, although not a member, exhibited at the Ipswich Fine Art Club from Lindfield Cottage 1882-1885 including 'Smack 'Lahloo' returning from Sea' (1882), 'Scarborough Castle and North Bay by Moonlight', 'Herring Fishing off Lowestoft, Moonlight', 'Lighthouse and Pier, South Bay, Scarboro', 'Lowestoft and Yarmouth, Fishing Boats in a Storm', 'Scarborough Castle and South Bay, from the Nab Rock' (1884), 'To the Rescue-Wrecks on Lowestoft South Beach-Moonlight' and 'On a Lee Shore, Lowestoft South Beach, Looking North' (1885). His diorama of 'Lahloo' was exhibited at the International Fishing Exhibition 1881 and won a silver medal. Burwood was still living at Lindfield Cottage, Mariner’s Score, Lowestoft 1891-1911 being described as a ‘marine artist & sculptor’. George Vempley Burwood died at Lowestoft in 1917, aged 72.

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Works by This Artist