HARRAL, Horace Downey

1817 - 1905

Horace Downey Harral was born at Ipswich on 29 June 1817 and baptised at St Matthew's church, Ipswich on 25 July 1817, one of the several children of Thomas Harral (died 31 January 1853), editor of the 'Suffolk Chronicle', and his wife Frances née Williams (1786-23 November 1872). Horace was a wood engraver, photographer, and etcher and a pupil of Colchester born engraver John Orrin Smith (1799-1843). Horace was friends with the eccentric Ipswich born Charles Samuel Keene and both lodged at Southwold, Suffolk with Edwin Edwards and his wife Ruth. At Southwold Horace was seen digging out human bones from the cliffs, disinterring enough to make several skeletons. Harral was a prominent London wood engraver and etcher who, with his brother Alfred Harral, engraved numerous cuts for the 'Illustrated London News', the most noted being that of Harral's engraving of Robert Howlett's photograph 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel Standing Before the Launching Chains of the Great Eastern'. He exhibited his engravings at the Royal Academy. He produced an album of photographs of his friends and associates, which are distinguished by their technical assurance and theatrical air. In 1901, 'of independent means', a visitor at 31 Brixton Hill, Lambeth, London, the home of the Thomas family. Horace Downey Harral had a large shareholding in the 'Graphic' newspaper and was of Chobham Cottage, Chobham, Surrey when he died at Hastings, Sussex on 23 January 1905, aged 87 and his effect amounted to £54,856.0s.6d with executors Gilbert Wolfe Thomas, artist, and Henry Carmichael Scott, underwriter, this was a considerable sum of money in 1905 and he left £30,000 to charities including £500 to the East Suffolk and Ipswich Hospital. Charles Keene made an ink on paper sketch of Horace Harral which also included Edward Edwards which is in the Tate collection.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 4 Palgrave Place, Temple Bar
1862 928 The Watchman - engraving
         932Snow Storm - engraving
1865 877 The Orchard - engraving
         880 Landscape: Surrey - engraving
1866 812 A Weary Woman - engraving
         813 In the Wood - engraving
         828 The Nun - engraving
1869 1113 Summer on the Coast - engraving
1870 851 Summer Time - engraving
         856 Fishing Boats - engraving

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Works by This Artist