THAIN, Louis
Louis Farman Thain was born at Lowestoft, Suffolk in 1870, son of William Farman Thain (c1835-17 October 1905), a basket maker, and his wife Martha née Hall (1831-26 February 1906), who married at Lowestoft in 1855. In 1881, Louis was an 11-year-old scholar, living at Willow House, Lowestoft with his parents, 48-year-old William and 51-year-old Martha, with siblings William Samuel 22, Frederick Bond 21, Edward Bond 18, Samuel 16, Agnes Emma 15, Annie Celia 13 and Ernest Farman 9, all born at Lowestoft. Louis studied at Lowestoft School of Scient & Art from 1885 and was a prize winner in 1890. He painted a farewell portrait of Christopher John Heppell (1834-1911), when Heppell moved from the Lowestoft Mission to Seamen to Sunderland in 1902 and Thain advertised from Clapham Road, Lowestoft in 1902 'will artistically sketch your Portrait, enlarged from Cabinet Photo, in Pastel, Chalk, Ink, or Pencil for £1. 1s.'. Louis married at Lowestoft on 20 March 1906, Fanny Chadd Giannella (1863-11 August 1925), widow of Joseph Giannella of Acquarossa, Switzerland, and third daughter of the late Richard Ford of Wells, Norfolk. In 1911, Louis was an artist on own account, living at 12 Cleveland Road Lowestoft with his 44(sic) year old wife Fanny, who was born at Southwold, Suffolk. He had separated from his wife and, armed with a revolver, shot his wife, who survived, and two of her friends, who both died, before turning the revolver on himself and he died by his own hand at Lowestoft on 10 July 1913, aged 48. In 1921 his widow was the manageress of 'The George Cannon' in Grove Lane, Camberwell, living at 49 Grosvenor Park, Camberwell.