CHURCHYARD, Ellen

1826 - 1909

Ellen Churchyard was born at Well Street, now Seckford Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk and baptised at St Mary’s Church, Woodbridge on 7 September 1826, one of the several artist children of Thomas Churchyard and his wife Harriet Hailes (1797-1865), daughter of Lieut George Hailes RN, of Henley, near Ipswich. Ellen was educated at a boarding school in Bury St Edmund’s. Noted for her meticulous paintings of flowers, nests and birds but was less able in her landscapes. In 1871, an ‘annuitant’ living in The Thoroughfare, Woodbridge but ten years later was a housekeeper to 74-year-old auctioneer, Benjamin Moulton in New Street, Woodbridge. She exhibited at the Woodbridge Industrial and Art Exhibition in 1887, a watercolour 'The Indolent Housemaid' also showing two oil paintings by her father Thomas. In 1891, Ellen Churchyard was ‘living on own means’ on her own account at New Street, Woodbridge where she died in 1909, aged 82, like her sisters she was unmarried.

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Works by This Artist