MERCER, Sidney Agnew

1904 - 1971

Sidney Agnew Mercer was born at 27 Brooks Hall Road, Ipswich on 19 June 1904, son of Joseph Mercer, a printer's draftsman, and his wife Martha née Agnew. Sidney was educated at a Presbyterian School in Belfast and in 1911, a 6-year-old, living at 60 Sandhill Gardens, Shankill, Belfast with his siblings, Mary Isabel (born 23 September 1905) and Marjorie. A painter of landscapes in watercolour, a designer & illustrator producing drawings for local media. He married at Sculcoates, Yorkshire on 27 December 1930, Mollie Lewis (1 December 1909-5 July 1971) and in 1939, a printing, marketing & advertising administrator, living at Acacia House, Beverley Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire with his wife Mollie. Elected to Royal Society of Arts in 1936 and formed Mercer Advertising in Hull which was destroyed by enemy action in the Second World War, during which time Sidney served as an officer in the RAFVR. He then moved to Harrogate, Yorkshire and purchased Brian Tattersall Advertising Ltd, of which he was managing director, producing murals including those in the Royal Hall, Harrogate, and posters for both LNER and British Rail and was considered the foremost full-service agency in Yorkshire at that time. He lived in Harrogate for many years and Sidney Agnew Mercer died at Woodlands, High Cleugh, Ripon, Yorkshire on 13 July 1971, eight days after his wife Mollie. The Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate first opened in 1991 takes its name from this local water colourist, whose sons made a significant donation to the museum.

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Works by This Artist