3. James Ward Westmorland Artist
James married Ann Berry in 1819 in Natland near Kendal. The archivist at Kendal kindly looked up the marriage for me but there were no additional details, although I believe that there was a notice regarding the marriage in the Westmorland Gazette of 6th February 1819. Nothing further is known about Ann Berry, they had no children. We are told that from childhood James loved drawing and painting and that he may have received tuition from portrait painters working in Kendal. I have also been told by Caroline Morris, nee Metcalfe – Gibson, whose family own several paintings by Ward, that James was encouraged and helped financially, by the Gibson family of Crosby Ravensworth, particularly George Gibson (1755 – 1835) who was a considerable benefactor to the parish. He reputedly built the organ for the church, which is still in use to this day. There is a large portrait of George Gibson, painted by James Ward, still in the church, although it is in a poor state. The inscription reads – “This likeness of Mr George Gibson who restored the church (1811) in this parish is presented by the Revd. George Frederick Weston M.A. to the vicar of Crosby Ravensworth and his successors (Vicars) to be and continue in the vicarage house in perpetuity.” The Metcalfe - Gibson family have a better one of him. James Ward also painted George’s sister – in – law Mary Bousfield. This was an early painting, dated 1808, before James went to London and the sitter looks pallid and sad; interestingly the portrait now hangs in the very house where Mary lived two hundred years ago. There are portraits of two further nephews, Thomas Gibson, (1778 – 1869) and Arthur Gibson (1785 – 1878.) who would have been James’ contempories. The Metcalfe – Gibson’s have taken part of their surname from the Gibson family, to whom they are related: six brothers were born in Crosby Ravensworth in the latter part of the 18th century, but although they all did very well, none of them had children of their own. Ted Relph, an authoritative local historian who has produced several books about Crosby Ravensworth, has used an early painting of St. Lawrence’s Church by James Ward in his latest book in which he has edited the diaries of the Rev. George Williamson who was the vicar there from 1747 – 1782, there are many references in the diaries to the Gibson and the Ward families. I believe there is another painting of St. Lawrence’s Church in private hands in London
Mr Nick Rogers, the Collections Manager at the Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal has kindly supplied me with information from their James Ward File. There has been an enquirer in the past called C.Sanger, who was well informed in some respects, but less so in others. He referred to the artist as ‘our James Ward’ which might indicate a relationship. The date on the correspondence is December 1977/January 1978. C. Sanger mentioned that Ward was advised by N.W. Carus – Wilson of Casterton Hall, Westmorland when he first arrived in London.
Mr. Rogers has supplied me with a list of portraits by James Ward which can be found at the Town Hall in Kendal.
6. William Longmire M.D. Mayor of Kendal 1855 - 6 and 1861 – 2.
Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 ins. Painted 1830.
17. John Richards, Mayor of Kendal 1836.
Oil on canvas, 49 x 38 ins. Painted 1837. (Very bad bitumen cracking ‘crocodile skin!’
20 Thomas Harrison, Town Clerk of Kendal 1832 – 1879.
Oil on canvas, 31 x 25 ins. Painted 1830. (Some bitumen cracking.)
22. Thomas Harrison, Mayor of Kendal 1805 – 6. 1815 – 16, and 1828 – 29.
Oil on canvas, 29 x 29 ins. C.1830.
34. Thomas Scarisbrick, Organist of Kendal Parish Church.
Oil on canvas, 29 x 29 ins. C.1830. (Very dark, much bitumen cracking.)
36. M. Dowker esq.,
Oil on canvas. 22 x 17 ins. C. 1830
178. Francis Webster, Architect (1767 – 1827.)
Oil on Canvas. 291/2 ins. x 291/2 ins. C. 1825. (Bad bitumen cracking.)
These are signed, on the back as was James Ward’s custom, J Wd RA
Mr Rogers has added the information that they have a drawing (pencil and wash) at Abbot Hall, viz:
AH 341/64 Ullswater
Pencil and wash seven and five eighths x eleven and one half inches
S (lr) J Wd RA
Coll: Mrs E.M. Ward
Miss M. Pilkington
Which was purchased from the Sabin Galleries as by James Ward RA 1769 – 1859.
The money was donated by Miss Pilkington. It looks as though she was sold a pup!
Mr Rogers has also provided me with a photograph of the portrait of Mary Noble at her spinning wheel, which is on long loan at Abbott Hall, but it is described as in very bad condition with much bitumen cracking.
I am told by the librarian at the Royal Academy that James Ward entered the Royal Academy Schools, School of Painting, on 10th January 1812 at the age of 27. At that time the term of studentship was ten years. His subject changed from landscape painting to portrait painting. Algernon Graves has compiled A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their Work from 1769 to 1904 to The Royal Academy Exhibitions. It includes the address of the artist at the time the work was exhibited, with the catalogue number for each item and the title.
The entries for James Ward showed that he generally exhibited one work in each annual exhibition from 1817 until 1831 as follows:-
1817 7,
Newman StreetSir C. Macdonald Lockhart Bart
1818 63,
Upper Charlotte StreetMrs Gulliver in her 104th year.
1819
J. Gandy Esq.
1820 20, New Bond Street
444 R.J. Hanley Esq.
1822
64 Portrait of a clergyman
1823
40 Mary Noble of Penrith in Cumberland in her 107th year
1826 43, Gerrard Street
215 The Village Ballad Singer
1828 83, Dean Street
460 Portrait of a clergyman
1829
195 Jane Shore at the Door of Alicia
“It was not always thus, the
Time has been
When this good house
Has poured forth all its
Dwellers to receive me.”
Jane Shore Act V Scene 2.
1831
182 Venetian State Prisoner
351 Trudging to School.
James Ward twice painted an anonymous clergyman who may have been his brother, The Rev. Anthony Ward. He also painted ladies of very advanced years, I have come across references to the painting of Mary Noble several times, so that may be one of his best known works, it is presently on a long loan at the Abbot Hall Gallery in Kendal. It portrays a very old lady working at her spinning wheel.
The later paintings of actresses and ballad singers etc. may indicate that he was turning to more imaginative, romantic subjects.
James Ward also exhibited at the Society of British Artists.
In 1827, whist living at 43, Gerrard Street, Soho, he showed
Portrait of Mr Hust, fifty years member of the Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks. (120)
In 1828, when living at 83, Dean Street, Soho he exhibited two paintings that he had shown previously at The Royal Academy, that of the late Mary Noble and the Portrait of a Clergyman. (503 and 470)
In 1829 he exhibited
Portrait of James Gray Esq. (248)
The Cumaean Sybil. (313)
In 1831, which was the year that he left London he showed
The Prodigal Son. (2*)
Dead Game. (104)
Boats off the Coast of Flanders. (485)
After a Storm. (wc. or min) (535)
Sunset after a Storm. (wc. Or min) (775)
I am told that Ward exhibited at the Carlisle Academy between 1817 and 1831 but I have no details.
JAMES WARD AS A YOUNG MAN
After James Ward moved down to London in 1809, he took lodgings in Cecil Street and lived at several addresses in that part of London which is now called Soho. He became friends with various artists who were working there at the time, in particular John Jackson who introduced him to James Northcote R.A. Northcote was a noted conversationalist and from the time of his first meeting with him in 1810 until Northcote’s death in 1831 Ward made notes of their conversations. These manuscripts and notebooks were part of a bequest to his nephew (my great grandfather) Rev Thomas Holme, who was Ward’s executor. At the time of Ward’s death Thomas Holme was headmaster of the grammar school in Alston, Cumberland. Originally no lesser person than John Ruskin planned to edit James Ward’s manuscript. Ill health prevented this however, (the situation regarding Ruskin and the circumstances in which the book was finally published are explained in the preface.) Eventually “Conversations of James Northcote R.A. with James Ward on Art and Artists” was published by Methuen in 1901, over fifty years after James Ward’s death. The editor was Ernest Fletcher, the younger brother of Sir Lazarus Fletcher who became the Director of the Natural History Museum. He had been a friend of Ruskin’s due to their mutual interest in mineralogy. Sir Lazarus was Rev. Thomas’ son – in – law eventually marrying not one but two of his daughters, Agnes and Edith! The dedication reads, “ TO MY ELDEST BROTHER LAZARUS FLETCHER F.R.S. AND AGNES WARD HIS WIFE BY WHOSE REQUEST I UNDERTOOK THIS WORK AND WHOSE LOVING DESIRE IT WAS THAT THE STORY OF A GREAT FRIENDSHIP SHOULD NO LONGER REMAIN UNTOLD I DEDICATE IN MOST TRUE AND AFFECTIONATE REGARD THIS BOOK.
SIR LAZARUS FLETCHER
Although this book is long out of print I was able to obtain a copy through the library interloan scheme. Two of the illustrations are paintings by James Ward, a portrait of James Northcote which was said to be in the possession of Lazarus Fletcher and a self portrait which was said to belong to the Rev. G.F. Holme M.A. He was George Frederick a son of the Rev. Thomas Holme . I have to confess that as a family historian I was hoping for more autobiographical details, and I would guess that much of the content is no longer particularly relevant. The notebooks, eight small volumes, being diaries, commonplace books and records of the Northcote conversations, are now in the possession of the Royal Academy, having been presented to the academy in 1970 by the Rev. A.W. Jones of Lincoln Theological College. I have been told that it may be possible to view them if I make an appointment but I have been warned that elements of the diaries are recorded in an unidentified variety of shorthand and Ward used personal symbols for some words and names.
After James Northcote’s death in 1831 James Ward decided to return to Westmorland and resumed his interest in landscape painting. Together with a will that he made at about this time, he drafted a letter to his landlord terminating his tenancy. “I hereby give notice that it is my intention to quit and deliver up to you the quiet and peaceable possession of the apartments in the dwelling no. 83 Dean Street, Soho which I hold of you at the end of my next current quarters tenancy thereof. Dated this day of ….” There was no date and he simply initialled it.
The draft will is a long one with difficult handwriting and a lot of legal jargon. Essentially James left his books, prints and pictures to his brother Anthony Ward. The rest of the will is concerned with setting up a trust for the benefit of his sister Agnes Holme. Originally he appeared to have two trustees in mind, his brother Anthony and another, but then changed his mind to have Anthony alone. He seemed particularly concerned that only Agnes should have the benefit of the income produced by the trust, “for her separate use and free from the debts or control of her present or any future husband.” This could have indicated animosity to George Holme but it was more likely to be part of the legal ramifications that surrounded the trust. He made detailed provision for Agnes’ children should she predecease him. He also made a note that a fair copy of the will was in the hands of Geo Gibson Esq. Kent terrace, Kendal. A copy of this draft will was given to me by Sandra Allen, widow of Robert Holme Allen who was the grandson of the Rev. Robert Weston Metcalfe Holme.
At the time of his death in 1850 James Ward was living at Highgate in Kendal; however his death certificate showed that he actually died at the home of his brother – in – law George Holme in Ravenstonedale, who was present at his death. He had had to make another will in 1840 because his sister Agnes died in 1838 and his brother Anthony died in 1840. Anthony had left everything to his wife Mary during her lifetime, after her death it was to revert to his brother James and his heirs. Mary Ward lived until 1854. James Ward’s will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury which indicates that he had goods or property in both London and Westmorland and possibly that his estate was substantial. I was able to find his will on the website of The Public Record Office www.documentsonline.pro.gov.uk Catalogue Reference:prob 11/2128 image reference 140. Unfortunately this does not give the value of the estate. However the Death Duty Records, which were then to be found at the Family Records Centre provided the answer. (Folio Ref. 25. IR 26.1917 and IR 26/2017) These give a fair amount of information but they are not too easy to understand, particularly, as in this case, not only was James’ Will considered but also his brother Anthony’s. As I understood it these were the final figures:-
Value of Anthony Ward’s Estate before duty £815 6s 4d
Value of James Ward’s Estate before duty £1822 11s 3d
Less Duty £79 2s 4d
Total £2558 15s 4d
James left all his freehold estate to William Holme, the second son of his sister Agnes Ward. He left his personal estate to be divided between his sister Agnes’ children when they became twenty one, with the exception of William, who was excluded from the personal estate. The will was dated 24th December 1840. In a codicil dated 18th January 1845 he specifically allowed his nephew William Holme a share, with the rest of his family, in the personal estate willed to him by his brother Anthony, after Anthony’s widow’s death. George and Agnes Holme had ten children, three died in childhood. The survivors were Thomas, baptised 1817, William baptised 1819, Elizabeth baptised 1820, Anthony baptised 1823, George Ward, baptised 1825, Christopher baptised 1828 and Mary baptised in 1830. I do not know anything about Anthony and Mary. Thomas, George Ward and Christopher became clergymen. William farmed, first at Asby, then in Crosby Ravensworth, although eventually he sold the property that James left him and went to live in Lancashire near his brother Thomas. Elizabeth had an illegitimate child, who she called Edward and went to live with her brother William. The Executors of James’ will were the Rev. James Thornborrow Ward, vicar of Askham in Westmorland, who was his cousin and The Rev. Thomas Holme who was his nephew and a beneficiary of his will.
REV. THOMAS HOLME IN LATER LIFE.
James Ward has a flat tomb in the Eastern part of St Lawrence’s churchyard, Crosby Ravensworth, it is decorated with an artist’s pallet and brushes. The inscription reads – “Here lieth James Ward, artist who died December 15th 1850 and was interred here at his own request.”
The Westmorland Gazette reported his death on the 21st December 1850 adding this obituary. “The claims of Mr. Ward to high merit in his profession will be well known to most of our readers. As a portrait painter he was remarkable for the lifelike truthfulness and vigour of his style.”
There remains one mystery. My great grandfather Revd Thomas Holme of The Vicarage, Moorside, Oldham, Lancs. left his youngest son the Revd. Robert Weston Metcalfe Holme ‘The Family Portraits.’ He did not elaborate about these but it seems impossible to doubt that they were by James Ward. Revd. R.W.M. Holme is dead and now only his grand daughter – in – law Sandra Allen has a vague recollection of some age – darkened portraits, (probably the dreaded bitumen,) that were unsigned, (James Ward usually initialled his paintings on the back.) However if anyone has ever come across some rather dark portraits of Ward or Holme families by James Ward I should be very interested to hear.
Recently Sandra has found a photograph of the room where the photographs hung. As she explains, they are in the background, so they appear dark and blurred, however, it does give an idea of their size and frame. Furthermore Sandra has also remembered that her husband told her that the single figure was either a self portrait or a portrait of James' father Thomas Ward and the double one was definitely his grandparents James Ward 1727 - 1807 and his wife Agnes Rigg. This takes us back to the 18th century.
Stephen Keen Painted by James Ward 1827
This portrait is reproduced by kind permission of Kevin Standage. Stephen Keen was a wealthy maltster in Lambeth, he is Kevin's great great great great grandfather.
Fell End in Crosby Ravensworth Westmorland.