TAYLOR, Bertha

1867 - 1954

As Bertha Biddell, she was born at Hawstead, near Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk on 27 January 1867 and baptised at All Saints' Church, Hawstead on 28 January 1867, only daughter of William Biddell (8 August 1825–25 October 1900), a farmer of Hawstead Hall and a brother to Herman Biddell, and William's first wife Ellen Blencowe (1829-27 January 1867), daughter of Arthur Blencowe, who married at Bradfield Combust, Suffolk on 5 February 1857 and in 1861 were living at Knew Hall, Bulls Hill, Hawstead. Bertha's mother died in 1867 and on the 30 June the following year her father married at Lavenham, Suffolk, Mary Ann Scott (1829-23 February 1924), widow of Walter Rossiter Scott (6 March 1826-9 February 1866) of Lavenham Hall and in 1881 the Biddells were living at Lavenham Hall, when William was described as an M.P., land agent & farmer of 680 acres. Bertha was painting as Bertha Biddell from at least 1884 until she married at Lavenham Church on 25 April 1900, Revd Henry [Harry] Taylor, curate at Lavenham and in 1901, they were living at 10 St Mary's Square, Bury St Edmund's. In 1911, Bertha was a 40-year-old, living at The Vicarage, Great Barton, Bury St Edmund's with her 39-year-old husband and four daughters, Bertha Mary 10, Hilda Biddell 7, Ruth Biddell 6 and Elizabeth Biddell 4. Her 43-year-old husband died at Great Barton Vicarage, Suffolk on 22 January 1915. As Mrs Bertha Taylor, she exhibited at the Ipswich Art Club from Lavenham Hall in 1937, a watercolour 'Lavenham Church'. In 1939, a landowner & farmer, living at Lavenham Hall with unmarried daughters, Hilda Biddell (23 June 1903-1983), a braille corrector for the blind, and Ruth Biddell (3 February 1905-1971), in the land army. Bertha Taylor died at Lavenham Hall on 18 December 1954.

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Works by This Artist