Frances Hutchinson of Howden

 After a busy few days including a lovely visit to Driffield show I am now trying to get ahead of myself and prepare a talk for Howden civic society in September.

I am going to talk about Frances Hutchinson who was the youngest daughter of the Rev William Hutchinson of Howden and who was a talented water colour artist.

She was born in 1862 and was studying at the Slade School of Fine Art in 1881 in London. She was living with three of her aunts, her mother's sisters and a cousin. 

But not present in the household as she was probably away undertaking a commission was her aunt Annie Dixon.

Annie Dixon was born at Horncastle in 1817 and began her professional career in 1840. For more than 50 years she exhibited beautiful miniature portraits annually in the Royal Academy.

She painted over a thousand miniatures, travelling about painting clients in country houses. She was patronised by Queen Victoria and the aristocracy. She painted Queen Victoria, the Prince Consort and all the Royal family. 

By special arrangement she painted the Princess Alexandra for a present to the Prince of Wales, for his first birthday after the marriage. She was sent away from Sandringham for the weekends that the Prince might not see her at church and discover the secret of the painting. 

By 1891 Frances was back at home in Howden, living at the Vicarage with her parents, sister and Aunt Frances. She was described as an artist in watercolours’.

Her sister Edith died in 1899. Her father died in 1902 and her mother in 1905. After her father's death the family had to leave the Vicarage but continued to live in Howden until after the death of Mrs Hutchinson.

Frances’ brother Arnold was a vicar and Frances and her three sisters then went to live with him, firstly at Overton near Blackpool and then at Caton with Littledale near Lancaster. 

 Their sister Caroline died in 1915 and Bertha in 1924. Arnold resigned the living and moved to York to  Penley Grove with Gertrude and Frances. Gertrude died in 1930 and Arnold in 1939.

 Frances, who had a live in companion and a housekeeper, lived through the war, dying in York in 1945 aged 83. She was buried at Howden. 

Frances painted many watercolours of Howden mostly around the 1890s and early 1900s. But she also painted views of other towns including Chester, Lincoln, Boston and Selby. Many of these were made into postcards printed by the Lincoln firm JW Ruddock in their Artist series.

Some of Frances' paintings are still in the possession of local people and four were made into prints by the civic society some years ago.

In the early 1980s there was an exhibition of some of Frances' work and also some paintings by her mother, sister and niece.  I am hoping that people may get in touch and allow me to copy them. I would love to particularly find a photo of Frances.

This was a view of Highbridge that Frances often painted, sometimes changing the figures shown

She painted several Market Place views including this one.

I have copies of some of her preliminary sketches - are there more?

Many people will have seen the work of Frances Hutchinson. It would be good in the town where she grew up and worked  to find out more of her.