FISK, William George

1861 - 1938

William George Fisk was born at Ipswich in 1861 and baptised at St Stephen's Church on 25 August 1861, eldest child of William George Fisk (1839-7 November 1891), a house decorator, and his wife Lucy Anne Abbott (1838-1922), eldest daughter of J. Abbot of Ipswich, who married at Trinity Church, Marylebone, London on 2 July 1860. In 1881, young William was a 19-year-old house decorator, living at 23 Tower Terrace, Ipswich with his parents, 42-year-old William and 42-year-old Lucy, and his seven siblings, Alfred James 17, Frederick George 15, Agnes Clara 13, Charles 11, Lucy Ann 9, Gertrude 8 and Francis 1, all born at Ipswich. William studied at the Ipswich School of Science and Art and in 1884 won his certificate for perspective, freehand and model drawing and in September 1885 passed his examinations at the school and winning prizes in 1893 for painting from life. His father died at Ipswich in 1891, when young William took over the running of the family decorating business. In 1901, a house decorator, living at New Cut East, Ipswich with his 62-year-old widowed mother and four of his siblings. William married at St Mary-le-Tower Church, Ipswich on 9 July 1902, Lavinia Crossley (23 March 1861-15 May 1928), youngest daughter of William Platt Crossley, then headmaster of Christ's Hospital School, Ipswich, when William was noted as manager of the Lyceum Theatre, Ipswich. In 1911, a 49-year-old builder, living at Northenden, Bristol Road, Ipswich with his 33-year-old wife and two daughters, Dorothy 6 and Peggy 3, both born at Ipswich. His commitment to his business did not deter him from his artistic enthusiasm and he exhibited at the Bury & Suffolk Fine Art Society in 1889 'A Lad in Distress' and was a member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1887-1938, sometimes being recorded as Fiske, exhibiting some seventeen works including as W. G. Fiske, jun. from 23 Tower Place, Ipswich in 1885, 'The Ostrich', in 1886 an oil 'The Village Blacksmith' in 1887 'In Distress' and in 1890 a watercolour 'Thinking' and in 1937 as W. G. Fisk, from The Bungalow, Rushmere, Ipswich 'Study of a Head'. William George Fisk died at 103 Valley Road, Ipswich on 4 September 1938, aged 77.

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Works by This Artist