BILLITER, Jane

1829 - 1915

Jane Billiter was born in London on 8 November 1829 and baptised at St John, Horseleydown, Bermondsey on 30 December 1829, daughter of William Billiter and his wife Jane née Jarvis (6 October 1806-5 March 1851), who married at Milton Lilbourne, Wiltshire on 12 February 1828. Following the death of her husband at Bermondsey on 3 September 1831, Jane Billiter, the elder, married again, at Burbage, Wiltshire on 11 June 1840, John Bradley Geard (1809-1896) and in 1841, young Jane was an 11-year-old, living at Bancroft Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, with her step-father, 30 year old John Bradl[e]y Geard, a brewer, and her mother Jane, now Geard, who was born at Bratton, Wiltshire in 1806 and died at Friars Road, Ipswich in 1851, when husband John was described as 'clerk in iron foundry'. As a young girl Jane showed notable talent in sketching and watercolour painting and was privately trained by one of the Cotman brothers probably Henry Edmund Cotman. At least three of her paintings have survived, 'Rose', 'Morning Glory' and a third which are in the possession of the Moffat family. Jane married at St Nicholas church, Ipswich on 6 October 1859, Henry Sparrowe Colchester (17 January 1830-2 August 1894), when the 'best man' was Henry Eddowes Keene. They went to live at 2 Ashburton Villas, Lewisham, Kent where their son Henry Billiter, jun. was born in 1860. In 1861, Henry Colchester was a 31-year-old broker's clerk and closely related to Charles Edward Colchester. By 1881, Henry was a 51-year-old produce broker living at 38 Manor Park, Lee, Kent with his 51-year-old wife Jane, and their seven children, many of whom were keen and capable watercolour painters, a skill no doubt passed on by their mother. Henry Sparrowe Colchester, who was born at Ipswich in 1830, died at 15 Northbrook Road, Lee in 1894 and in 1911, Jane Colchester was living at 'Edgeworth', Hayes Lane, Kenley, Coulsdon, Surrey, with three of her children. Jane Colchester died at 'Homestead', Aviary Road, Pyrford, Coulsdon on 17 September 1915, leaving an estate valued at £51,247.

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Works by This Artist