MOWLE, Claude Ernest

1870 - 1950

Claude Ernest Mowle was born at Monk Soham, Suffolk on 5 September 1870, son of George Mowle (1841-1903), a carpenter, and his wife Clarissa née Morgan (1838-1915), who married at Laxfield, Suffolk in 1862. In 1871, Claude was a six-month-old baby, living at Monk Soham with his parents, 30-year-old George, an innkeeper and a carpenter, and 32-year-old Clarissa with four siblings, William George 7, born at Marylebone, London, Herbert J. 5, born at Diss, Norfolk, James Artis 3 and Clarissa Annie 2, both born at Marylebone, London. By 1881 they had moved to the adjoining village of Oakley with the addition of more children. Claude married at Marylebone, London in 1891, Sarah Alice Warnes (1870-1924) of Gorleston, Norfolk and in 1911, 40 year old Claude was a photographer and joiner, living at 176 Church Road, Gorleston with his 40 year old wife Sarah Alice and their six children, Edith May 17, Claude Herbert 16, William George 13, born in Gorleston and George Robert 7, born in Southend, Essex, Reginald Bertram 4, born in Ipswich and a newly born at Gorleston and by 1921 they had moved to 223 High Street, Gorleston. His wife died at Gorleston in 1924 and Claude married secondly in the same year, Hilda Elise Benns (28 June 1888-1984). As a professional photographer, together with Kenneth William Luck, an amateur artist from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, they worked in Gorleston and collaborated on ship portraits in the early part of the 20th century. Mowle photographed the boats, using these to solicit orders for the paintings executed by Luck, sometimes using lantern slides to project the photographic images onto his painting. Mowle framed and delivered the finished pictures, signed Mowle & Luck, selling them to the local fishermen for £1 a piece. In 1939, Mowle was living at 223 High Street, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth with his wife Hilda. Claude Ernest Mowle died at Gorleston in the first quarter of 1950, aged 79.

---

Works by This Artist