UDEN, Ernest Boye

1911 - 1986

Ernest Uden was born at 116 Queens Road, Peckham, London on 8 July 1911, eldest son of Ernest Uden (6 March 1879-15 February 1940), an undertaker, in 1921 a house furnisher and by 1930 a commercial artist, and his wife Edith Mary née Jezzard (born 1 May 1880), who married at Faversham, Kent in 1903 and in 1939, were living at 22 Blendon Drive, Bexley, Kent. By 1935, young Ernest had taken Boye as a middle name, to avoid confusion with his father, who had also taken up as an artist. Young Ernest was educated at Aske's Hatcham College, New Cross, London and studied at Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts and Goldsmiths College. He married at Greenwich, London in 1939, Mildred Frances Hildea (6 February 1912-1985) and had two daughters, Hilary (born 1942) and Josephine (born 1946). In 1939, a commercial artist, living at 2 The Paragon, Greenwich, London with his wife Mildred, who was also a commercial artist, and during 1941-1945 was official artist with the National Fire Service, his resulting work being illustrated in 'War Pictures by British Artists' (1943). He went on to teach at Reigate School of Art and established himself as a successful artist, illustrator, and watercolour painter being commissioned to produce work for several well-known companies, including British Gas, Daimler, Bass, Dunlop, Ferguson Tractors, ICI and the Radio Times. A painter and commercial artist, as E Uden he exhibited at the Royal Academy and in an Exhibition of Painters by Fireman Artists at the Royal Academy in August 1941 he exhibited 'Burnt Out Warehouses', 'A Local Sub-Station', 'St Paul's seen from the Ruins of St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside', 'St Andrew's High Holborn', 'Thames' Side', 'A Congested City Thoroughfare', St Paul's from Cannon Street', 'Relief Crews Arriving at Millbank', 'St Clement Danes, Strand' and 'A large Fire by the River', he also showed at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour; New English Art Club and abroad. Ernest Uden and his wife moved to Kingsbury Cottage, Upper Road, Little Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk where they both died, Mildred in 1985, and Ernest on 22 June 1986.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 109 New Cross Road, London
1933 764 The Oast House, Gravesend, Kent -watercolour
from 162 Upton Road, Bexley, Kent
1935 1230 Broadcasting House - carbon and wash
from 22 Blendon Drive, Bexley
1936 1222 Off Oxford Street - chalk and wash
from 37 D.I.Y Fire Station, Red Lion Lane, London
1942 571 Ten Pump Call -watercolour
         617 A Fire in the Pool -watercolour
from 5 Kidbrooke Grove, London
1943 620 N.F.S. Repair Shop, Lambeth -watercolour
1944 871 St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury - pastel
         934 A "Shout" at Southwark -watercolour
         949 "Carrying Down" N.F.S. Drill -watercolour

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Works by This Artist