HARRISON, Charles Harmony

1842 - 1902

Charles Harmony Harrison was born at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk in 1842, son of Charles Whine Harrison (1819-24 December 1895), a stonemason, and his wife Catherine née Seagoe (1819-1889), a shoe binder, who married at Great Yarmouth on 30 October 1840. In 1851, young Charles was a 9-year-old, living at St Nicholas Road, Great Yarmouth with his parents, 32-year-old Charles and 32-year-old Catharine. Young Charles was apprenticed as sign-writer in Row 45 Workshop, Great Yarmouth where he developed his sense of colour and learning about mixing and applying paints, completing his education by reading, visiting exhibitions, and studying the methods of Norfolk artist Cotman and Crome. In 1870 a discarded box of watercolours was given to him when his artistic ambition was revived, and he embarked on a professional career. He married at St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth on 28 April 1866, a local girl, Elizabeth Phillis Porter (1842-8 December 1876) and in 1871, 29-year-old Charles Harmony was living at Norfors Walk, Great Yarmouth with his 29-year-old wife Elizabeth and two children Walter Charles 4 and Edith Kate 2. His wife Elizabeth died in 1876, aged 34, leaving five children, when Charles moved to London, hoping to perfect his painting and gain advice on the sale of his works but, after barely a year, financial problems caused a return to Great Yarmouth. He married secondly at St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth on 11 February 1878, 24-year-old Emma Read (9 March 1854-) and had further issue. An artist landscape painter and a member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1884-1891, exhibiting from 5 Seymour Place, Victoria Road, Great Yarmouth in 1882 four watercolours, 'A Herring Punt', 'Caistor', 'Lane, Fritton' and 'Fishing Luggers' and in 1883 seven watercolours, 'Yarmouth Smacks', 'The Waning of the Year', 'Snow Birds', 'Great Yarmouth from Bredon', 'Hen Blackbird and Starlings', 'Snipe, Jacksnipe and Stints' and 'The Edge of the Woods' and was a regular exhibitor. In 1974 his watercolour 'Beccles Church' was on show at the Ipswich club's centenary exhibition. He was also a member and exhibitor at the Norfolk & Norwich Art Circle 1886-1888 from Great Yarmouth and exhibited two works at the New Society of Painters in Water Colours. After turning 50 he fell to deafness, rheumatism, and depression and, due to a poor business sense and the burden of 13 children, was forced to churn out hundreds of small pictures for quick sale. Charles Harmony Harrison died at 69 South Quay, Great Yarmouth in November 1902, aged 60.

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Works by This Artist