PARDON, James

1792 - 1862

James Pardon was born at Clerkenwell, London on 18 May 1792 and baptised, along with his twin sister Elizabeth, at St James Clerkenwell on 17 June 1792, son of James Pardon (c.1765-1818) and his wife Elizabeth née Baines (1772-1818), who married at St Andrew Holborn on 5 October 1789. According to his advertisements, James studied at the Royal Academy Schools and was a portrait artist, and first exhibits at the Royal Academy as James Pardon, jun., in 1812 from Shoreditch, London and from Canterbury, Kent 1814-1825 when his address and occupation are noted in directories as 'portrait painter and carver/gilder' at 51 St Peter Street, Canterbury. James married at Yoxford, Suffolk on 31 December 1826, Elizabeth Field and their daughter Agnes, was baptised at Yoxford on 23 December 1827. He advertised in the 'Ipswich Journal' of 27 February 1827 'Yoxford. Mr. Pardon, portrait, miniature, and animal painter, and drawing master...will attend schools, or give private lessons in drawing and painting'. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and, giving no address, at the Norwich Society of Artists in 1830, five portraits 'Portrait of Miss Marianne Davy', 'Portrait of the Rev. J. Ward, Vicar of Stoke Ash, Suffolk', 'Portrait of Rev. A. Collett', 'Portrait of the Artist's Daughter' and 'A Family Group' and at the same venue in 1833 but from Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk, two further 'Portrait of Orbell Ray Oakes, Esq., Bury' and 'Portrait of a Lady'. He also exhibited at the Society of British Artists and at the Birmingham Society of Artists in 1837 about which time he moved to the Midlands. In 1841, an 'artist', lodging at Kirk's Row, Limehouse, Stepney, London, but his wife and daughter were staying at New Road, Shifnal, a town between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury. James had opened a portrait studio at Shrewsbury and in 1851, a 57[sic] year old artist portrait painter, a visitor at Darlington Street, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, the home of 31 year old schoolmaster, John Fox Warner and his family, with his wife and daughter living at College Hill, Shrewsbury, his various addresses were due to commission paintings which is confirmed by an advertisement in the 'Ipswich Journal' of 9 June 1857 'Mr Pardon, portrait painter...Professional visit to the town...has had 20 years practice since his last visit...11 years since he had resided in Bury...Specimens may be seen at Mr. Spanton's [tailor] 29 Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmund's'. In 1861, a 67-year-old artist portrait painter, living at College Hill, St Chad, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with his 67-year-old wife Elizabeth, born Wangford, Suffolk, and 32-year-old, now married daughter, Agnes Scoltock, born Yoxford, three lodgers and a servant girl. James Pardon died at College Hill, Shrewsbury on 12 November 1862, aged 68[sic]. He is also incorrectly known as James 'Canterbury' Pardon.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 219 Shoreditch
1812 391 Portrait of Miss Adams
         609 Portrait of a Lady
from St Peter's Street, Canterbury
1814 575 Portrait of himself
1817 848 Portrait of Miss M. M. Collins - miniature
1819 197 View of Canterbury, from St Stephen's
1820 372 Distant View of Canterbury, from Col. Wells's Park, Hambledon
1822 685 Portrait of a Lady
1825 724 Portrait of Mr Cuddy, musician of the 15th Hussars
from Yoxford, Suffolk
1828 913 Portrait of Sir Charles Blois, Bart.
1829 Portrait of J. Bird, Esq., author of The Vales of Slaughden, Dunwich, &c., &c.

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Works by This Artist