HOLMES, Marcus Henry

1875 - 1951

Marcus Henry Holmes was born at Ipswich on 21 April 1875 and baptised at St Mary Stoke, Ipswich on the same day, third child of (John) Emra Holmes (4 July 1839-10 March 1909), collector of customs, and his wife Eliza Jane née Mawdesley (1846-23 January 1926), who married at Huntingdon on 17 September 1868 and started their married life at 5 Willioughby Villas, Ipswich before moving to Fowey, Cornwall in 1877. In 1881, Marcus was a 5-year-old, living at Bellevue, Fowey, Cornwall with parents 41-year-old Emra and 34-year-old Eliza Jane, with three siblings Edith Grace Mawdesley 11, Emra 7 both born at Ipswich and Robert Blake Worsley 2, born at Fowey. Marcus's namesake grandfather, Marcus Henry Holmes (1803-1854) and his great-grandfather George Holmes (c.1776-1851), were both professional artists active in the Bristol area and both were members of the Old Society of Watercolour Artists. Young Marcus was educated at Sangeen School at Christchurch, Bournemouth before studying at Aberdeen School of Art 1896-1899 and three years at Herkomer's Art School at Bushey, Hertfordshire also studying in Paris and in Florence. His parents had moved to Holland House, Franks Road, Dovercourt, Essex where the young 25-year-old artist Marcus was living in 1901. A member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1899-1907, exhibiting in 1898 from 23 Affleck Street, Aberdeen two watercolours, 'A Summer's Day at Pin Mill' and 'On the Orwell-A Misty Morning' and in 1899 from Hillcroft, Bushey, seven watercolours 'Old Wood Staples, St Clement', 'By the Steam, Pin Mill', 'Behind the Ancient House', 'Sunny Morning, Harwich', 'Rookery Pond, Dovercourt' and 'A Mudlark on the Orwell', exhibiting a further three works in 1900 and two in 1901. In 1903 he exhibited from Oundle, Northamptonshire five watercolours, 'In a Water Meadow', 'The Donde la Mere', 'Left by the Tide', 'Sunspots' and 'On the East Coast of Scotland' and in 1905, he exhibited from c/o Revd J. Collins, Dovercourt, Essex an oil painting, 'Emra Holmes, Esq.' and three watercolours 'The Mill on the Gipping', 'Early Autumn among the Sheaves' and 'The Rev T. Gray Collier, M.A.' after which he took a teaching position at Monmouth. His father died at Oundle, Northamptonshire in 1909, when his widow moved into her son's home at 'Kilmarnock', Old Hereford Road, Monmouth where artist Marcus was living in 1911. Marcus married at Monmouth St Mary in 1918, Ethel May Hancock (24 January 1885-1948) and they had an only son. Marcus was an art master and housemaster at Monmouth School 1907-1946 and an Oxford University extension lecturer on art history. In 1939, an art master, still living at 'Kilmarnock', Hereford Road, Monmouth with his wife Ethel May, also an artist, and in 1930 formed the Wye Valley Arts Club (later Society). He exhibited at the Royal Academy; Royal Cambrian Academy of Art; Royal West of England Academy and, as an Associate, at the Walker Art Gallery also exhibiting at the Paris Salon. Marcus Henry Holmes was of Kilmallock, Hereford Road, Monmouth when he died at Resthaven, Pitchcombe, Stroud, Gloucestershire on 20 February 1951, aged 75. (North Devon Journal 22 December 1881). He signed his works 'Marcus Holmes' printed letters.

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Works by This Artist