HITCHCOCK, Herbert Fairfax
Herbert Fairfax Hitchcock was born at Brook Street, Ipswich on 4 August 1864, son of Ebenezer Hitchcock (22 October 1820-26 April 1865), a miller, maltster, and corn & coal merchant, at Ship Lane, Bramford, near Ipswich, and his wife Sarah née Harwood (1828-5 November 1905), who married at Battisford, Suffolk in 1847. Herbert studied at the Art Division of the Ipswich School of Science and Art, passing his examinations in outline drawing in 1889. In 1891, Herbert was a 26-year-old artist in oil, living at 156 Norwich Road, Ipswich with his 62-year-old mother and his sister, 26-year-old Ellen Sarah. He married at Tacket Street Chapel, Ipswich on 8 December 1897, Laura Selina Hitchcock née Jolly, the family must have been on intimate terms with the Jolly family as Laura and her sister Catherine were staying with them at Handford Villa, London Road, Ipswich in 1871. In 1901, a 36-year-old artist painter, living at The Street, East Bergholt, Suffolk with his 30-year-old wife Laura and in 1911, a 46-year-old ‘on private means’, living at Cemetery Lane, East Bergholt with his wife Laura. A member of Ipswich Fine Art Club 1893-1908 exhibiting from 156 Norwich Road, Ipswich in 1892 two oils, 'A Study' and 'Ye Olde Disciple', in 1893 three oils 'An Empty Interior', 'Pothouse Politices' and 'The Rev W. Hubbard' and a black & white 'A Duet' and was a regular exhibitor showing sixteen painting in 1894, six in 1896 and twelve in 1897 and in 1898 he exhibited from Brook Farm, Dedham, Essex fourteen pictures and the following year from Woodbine, East Bergholt, Suffolk thirteen pictures including two oils 'An Early Morn' and 'The Black Cat' and watercolours 'Bullocks on the Marshes' and 'Flatford' and he continued to exhibit but in lesser volume, in 1903 nine, 1905 eight, 1906 five and in 1907 just one oil, 'A Farm Yard, Devon' in 1908 'Barge Horse crossing the Stour at Dedham' and his last in 1909 an oil, 'By the Kitchen Fire'. Also, a member and exhibitor at the Woodpecker Sketch Club, later named the Norfolk & Norwich Art Circle 1906-1908 from Woodbine Cottage, East Bergholt. In 1939, Herbert Fairfax Hitchcock was an artist, living at Sunny Barn, Putticks Lane, East Bergholt, which was still his home when he died at the East Suffolk & Ipswich Hospital, Ipswich on 20 October 1947, aged 83.