JAY, James Albert Buchanan

1838 - 1888

James Albert Buchanan Jay was baptised at Canon Pyon, Herefordshire on 23 September 1838, son of James Jay (1808-28 April 1877), of Litley Court, Herefordshire, and his wife Sarah née Hill, who married at Ocle Pychard, Herefordshire on 27 February 1827. In 1861, young James was a 22-year-old, living at Litley House, Hampton Deane, Tupsley, Hereford with his parents, 52-year-old James and 53-year-old Sarah, and siblings Caroline Elizabeth 25, Julia Madeline 14 and Laura Katherine Isabella 11, all born in Herefordshire, and they retained four indoor servants. Around 1858 he illustrated a book by George Liddell Johnson 'The Alphabet Illustrated' and Jay enrolled as a probationer at the Royal Academy Schools in 1863 and went on to become an equestrian painter, spending a considerable amount of time working in Germany. James married at St Mary's Church, Hastings, Sussex on 19 August 1869, Alice Marianne Hill (1847-3 November 1907) and in 1871 was a married 32-year-old 'gentleman' living at Singleton, Tupsley, Hereford with two servants, his wife was absent. In 1881 his 32-year-old 'artist's wife', who was born at Hull, was living at West Street, Hertford Brickendon, Hertford with their three daughters Katherine 10 and Violet Mary 6 and newly born Cecil, all born at Tupsley, when James was absent. As J. A. B. Ray, he won 2nd prize for his landscape oil painting at the Bury St Edmund's Fine Art Society exhibition in 1887 and although the exhibition was for 'local artists' other than an exhibitor at the East of England Dog Show at Colchester, Essex in 1882, when described as 'of Hertford', I have not found any other connection with East Anglia. He also exhibited at the Walker Art Gallery in 1881, at the Royal Academy 1878 and 1880 and three of his equestrian paintings were shown at Dundee 1885-1886. James Albert Buchanan Jay left England for Australia in the summer of 1888 in pursuit of commissions from racehorse owners but was of Hampton Park, Hereford when he died at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 7 October 1888 and buried in Vaucluse Cemetery, Sydney. His wife died at the Old Vicarage, Oswestry, on 3 November 1907.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 54 Parliament Street, London SW
1878 439 On the Road Home
from Norwood House, Beverley, Yorkshire
1880 292 Ware hare, Challenger!

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Works by This Artist