MARTIN, Edith Philadelphia

1848 - 1937

Edith Philadelphia Martin was born at St George's Hanover Square, London in 1848, second daughter of Francis Offley Martin (22 March 1805-4 December 1878), a barrister-at-law, and his wife Mary Smith, fifth daughter of the Very Revd Samuel Smith, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, who married at Chesterton, Cambridgeshire on 25 January 1844, she was the sister of Frances Augusta Martin. In 1851 the family were living at Stondon Place, Stondon Massey, Ongar, Essex and ten years later at New Street, Hampton, Surrey. Edith married at Kingston Parish Church, Surrey on 8 April 1874 her cousin Commander Henry John Martin (5 October 1842-25 January 1876), a naval officer of Falmouth, Cornwall, who died at 44 Onslow Square, London in 1876, aged 34, and was buried at Hemingstone, Suffolk, and on his death, Edith came to live at his family home at The Cottage, Church Road, Coddenham, Suffolk. In 1881, Edith was living at Coddenham, a 33-year-old 'income from investments & naval pension' with her 6-year-old daughter Edith Mary Verner, who was born at Falmouth, Cornwall on 27 January 1875 and her 66-year-old widowed mother Mary and they kept four indoor servants. Edith and her sister Frances, in 1885 each received a then substantial legacy of £3,000 from their uncle Richard Trott Fisher. Edith studied at the Ipswich School of Science and Art, passing her examinations in 1886 and 1888, and as Mrs H J Martin, a member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1883-1886 from The Cottage, Coddenham, exhibiting in 1882 a watercolour 'Still Life', in 1883 an oil 'The Cottager's Pride' and five watercolours 'Crocuses', 'Primroses', 'Coddenham Church', 'An Autumn Afternoon' and 'Cottages at Coddenham', in 1884 four works 'Marechal Niel Roses', 'Group of Flowers', 'Coddenham Church' and 'Coddenham Vicarage' and four in 1885 'Weald Hall, Essex', 'Cowes Regatta and Southampton Water', 'Ryde Pier and Spithead' and 'Study of an Elm'. As Mrs H. J. Martin she also exhibited at the Bury St Edmunds Fine Art Society in 1882 a watercolour 'Primroses'. Edith Philadelphia Martin died at Hemingstone Hall, Coddenham on 24 January 1937, aged 89, leaving an only daughter Edith Mary Verner Martin who died unmarried at Fonnereau Road Nursing Home, Ipswich on 2 July 1966.

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Works by This Artist