FENN, George

1810 - 1877

George Fenn was born at Beccles, Suffolk in 1810, and baptised at St Michael's Church, Beccles on 6 April 1810, son of George Fenn, of a family of auctioneers at Colchester, Essex, a firm which George later joined, and his wife Redelpha (1782-23 September 1855). George was a pupil of John Frederick Herring and commenced his artistic career as an assistant in the studio of Edwin Cooper and on Cooper's death in 1833, Fenn described himself in the 'Bury Post' of 16 January and the 'Ipswich Journal' of 19 January 1833 as 'Pupil of the late Mr Edwin Cooper of Beccles & Mr Herring of Newmarket, Begs this Publicity to announce that he has established himself at Beccles as an Animal Portrait Painter & will feel much obliged if any favouring him with a call to inspect some of his Productions'. He exhibited at Norwich Society of Artists in 1833, seven pictures including 'A Brace of Greyhounds, the Property of Mr. R. Beaumont', 'Young Nimrod, the Property of Mr. Wm. Woods' and 'Galloade, the property of the Right Hon. the Earl of Stradbroke' also exhibiting at the Beccles exhibition in 1839 also showing at the Royal Academy a painting ‘Hound Puppies bred by G. Freestone, Esq.’ which was engraved by Thomas Fairland (1804-1852) in the same year. He lectured on painting at the local Beccles Institute in 1842 and was elected Mayor of Beccles in 1856 when he advocated the drainage of the corporation marshes by steam power which proved to be successful. He married at Beccles on 12 January 1837, Mary Ann, eldest daughter of Robert Newman of Beccles and in 1851, a 40-year-old auctioneer, estate agent, surveyor and farmer, living at Goose Green Lane, Beccles with his 32 year old wife Mary Ann, born at Worlington, Suffolk and their seven children, Agnes Hannah Newman 12, Arthur George 10, Edwin Horatio 9, Herbert 5, Allan 4, Kate Fanny 3 and Alice 1, all born at Beccles and by 1871 they had moved to Ingate Road, Beccles. His sporting works included a watercolour ‘Two Men Fishing’ and studies of racehorses and hunters with their grooms, trainers or jockeys included ‘A One-Horse Gig on a Country Road with a Groom holding another Horse and Gig’ dated 1839. George Fenn died at Beccles on 9 November 1877, aged 66, being survived by his wife.

Royal Academy Exhibits
No address given
1839 418 Hound Puppies, bred by G. Freestone, Esq.

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Works by This Artist