BLACKETT, Ralph

1835 - 1893

As Edward Ralph Blackett, he was born at Stokesley, Yorkshire on 26 March 1835 and baptised at Methodist Connexion, Stokesley on 17 June 1835, son of John Blackett (1806-1881) and his wife Elizabeth Thompson (c.1809-1887), second daughter of William Thompson, who married at Thirsk on 29 May 1834. In 1851, Ralph, as he was known, was apprenticed to his surgeon uncle William Owen of 'Nova Scotia', Finchingfield, Essex and attended Queen's University, Ireland, graduating M.D. and in 1855 was an assistant surgeon in the Madras Indian army. In 1857 he was elected House Surgeon at the Suffolk General Hospital, Bury St Edmund's, however about 1862 he came to Southwold, Suffolk. He married at Tasburgh, Norfolk on 27 April 1864, Agnes Gwyn (12 December 1835-11 December 1873), youngest daughter of Commander William Gwyn, R.N. and their three children were born at Southwold 1866-1868. After the death of his wife, Ralph married secondly at St Mark's Church, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire on 15 September 1875, Laura Jane Grey, eldest daughter of Charles Samuel Grey and Laura Mary née Elton and they had four children born at Wangford, Southwold 1878-1884. In 1891, a 56-year-old general practitioner registered M.D., living at High Street, Wangford with his 48-year-old wife Laura, and four of his children, the three youngest being born at Wangford. Blackett's only known painting was originally entitled 'Long Island Cliff, Southwold' which is in Southwold Sailors' Reading Room. Edward Ralph Blackett died at Wangford on 18 June and buried at St Peter's Churchyard, Wangford on 21 June 1893. In 1911, his 68-year-old widow was living at 15 Florence Terrace, Falmouth, Cornwall, with two of her surviving children, Eleanor Katherine 30, and Edith Laura 26, who were both unmarried. Laura Jane Blackett died in Cornwall on 24 March 1913.

George Gery Milner-Gibson-Cullum (1857-1921) in EAN&Q NS Vol.VI p. 117, attributes a book 'Shingleborough Society' (1874) to Dr Blackett but this book was certainly by Edward Waud (1806-1885) who was forced to leave Southwold after its libellous publication and the remainder of the stock of books were destroyed and he published 'Apology for Slander' in 1876

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Works by This Artist