ROBERTSON, Henry

1848 - 1930

Henry Robertson was born at Deane Street, West Derby Liverpool on 5 August 1848, son of Charles van der Meulen Robertson (c1815-15 June 1867), a wealthy West India merchant, and his wife Harriet[te] Hope (23 December 1819-26 July 1860), second daughter of Samuel Hope (1 February 1781-15 October 1837), Charles and Harriet married at Crescent Chapel, Everton on 20 April 1843. In 1851, Henry was a 2-year-old, living at Birchfield, West Derby, Lancashire with his parents, 35-year-old Charles and 31-year-old Harriet and their other children, Harriet 3 and Caroline 1, who were both born at Liverpool, and they retained five indoor servants. In 1861, Henry was a 12-year-old pupil at Mansion Grammar School, Church Street, Leatherhead, Surrey under master Joseph Payne. Henry married in Scotland in 1877, Hamilton Campbell Robertson née Barclay, and next appears in 1881 as of 17 Burlington Road, Ipswich ‘artist & painter in watercolour’ with a 31-year-old Scottish born wife, and a year-old son, Marcus Henry, who was born at Gosport, Hampshire and who died later that year, and they retained two domestic servants. Despite his poor eyesight, a private income enabled Henry to pursue an artist’s career and he exhibited at the Bury St Edmunds Fine Art Society in 1882, watercolours 'After Work Hours' and 'Banks of the Orwell' which were highly commended and in 1889 at the Woodbridge Art Exhibition at the Assembly Room, Bull Hotel, Woodbridge he had on show several oil and watercolour works. A member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1883-1898 but had exhibited from 17 Burlingon Road, Ipswich in 1881 ‘Folkestone Harbour’, 'Town of Rye', 'Hastings Fishing Boat', 'A Twenty-Tonner Race', 'HMS St. Vincent Training Ship, Portsmouth Harbour' and 'Off the Port', in 1882 he exhibited eight pictures, in 1883 two oils and eleven watercolours, in 1884 fourteen pictures and in 1885 from 21 Burlington Road, a further twelve paintings and continued to exhibit regularly. In 1886 he became a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and exhibited at the Dudley Gallery; Manchester City Art Gallery; New Gallery; Royal Society of Painter-Etchers 1885-1898 and at the Royal Academy. In 1891, Henry was a 42-year-old artist in watercolours, living at 102 Christchurch Street, Ipswich with his 41-year-old wife and children Ludovic 9, Pauline 6 and Oliver Hope 1 who were all Ipswich born. Around 1900 they moved to Norwich where he was a member and exhibitor at the Norfolk & Norwich Art Circle 1900-1908, from Norwich and Hastings. In 1901 he was living at 71 Thorpe Road, Norwich with his wife and three children, Ludovic being described as a university undergraduate and by 1911 Henry was a 62-year-old artist painter in water colour, living at Redcot, Linton Road, Hastings, Sussex with his 61-year-old wife and unmarried children, 26-year-old Pauline and 21-year-old Oliver. Henry's wife died at St Leonards-on-Sea on 8 September 1922, aged 72 and Henry finally settled at Bromley, Kent. Henry Robertson died at 88 Bromley Avenue, Bromley, Kent on 8 Mary 1930, aged 81. Several of his works in and around Ipswich have been incorrectly attributed to Henry Robert Robertson (1839-1921).

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 102 Christchurch Street, Ipswich
1888 1392 Orford - watercolour
1892 1145 Stormy Weather - watercolour (purchased by the R A under the terms of the Chantrey Trust)
1894 1193 An Essex Creek - watercolour

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Works by This Artist