BIRD, Charles Frederick

1849 - 1928

Charles Frederick Bird was born at Poplar, London in 1849, son of Alexander Henry Bird (1815-December 1877) and his wife Charlotte née Ellis. In 1871, Charles was a 22-year-old upholster, living at 12 Duke’s Head Street, Lowestoft with his parents, 54-year-old Alexander, a carver & gilder, and 53-year-old Charlotte. Charles married at St Margaret's Church, Lowestoft on 14 August 1874, Mary Ann Elizabeth Foulger (1852-1938) of Carlton Colville, Lowestoft and in 1881, a 30-year-old carver & gilder living at 106 High Street, Lowestoft with his 28-year-old wife Mary Ann and three children, Florence 6, Charles 4 and William 2. Charles was a self-taught artist and exhibited from 106 High Street, Lowestoft at the Ipswich Fine Art Club in 1881 three painting, 'The Evening Hour', 'Corton Beach' and 'On the Scheldt', in 1882 five paintings 'Fishing Boats Leaving Lowestoft Harbour', 'Breakwater', 'Sparhams Ways', 'The Shrimp Boat' and 'Running into Harbour', in 1883 four paintings ‘Tanner’s Creek-Fishing Boats’ and watercolours 'Cottage at Oulton’, ‘Calm after the Storm, Nov. 28, 1882’ and ‘A Foot Bridge at Blundeston', he also exhibited two works in 1884 and three in 1885. He also exhibited from Lowestoft at the Woodbridge Industrial and Art Exhibition in 1887, a drawing 'Horning Ferry' and in 1886 at the Bury St Edmund's Fine Art Exhibition 'Dutch Sloops of Southwold'. By 1891, he had moved his business along the road to 114 High Street, living with his wife and four sons and two daughters and was still there ten years later being described as picture framer and wood carver. In 1911, a master picture framer & maker, living at 181 London Road, Lowestoft with his 59-year-old wife Mary Ann, born Carlton and children, Annie Sarah 29, Alexander Harry 27, Claude Walter 21, all born at Lowestoft but by 1921 they had moved to 20 Old Park Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Charles Frederick Bird died at 20 Old Park Road, Hitchin on 2 June 1928, aged 78, his executor son Charles Edward Bird (1876-1953) who studied at Lowestoft School of Science and Art passing examinations in 1883 was also described as an artist and is sometimes conflated with his father.

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Works by This Artist