• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

S. KEELEY & Sons, 26 Whittall Street,

Maurice. I have sent for The Dictionary of British Artists from Amazon. I will have a look for Fitzgerald at the same time as I am looking for J.J. BAILEY. Any other details such as initials etc, just send them through to me. Regards Phil.
P1011065.JPG
Nice picture - I assume it had a connection to a house your ancestor lived in.
Hi Janice. Yes. It belonged to my mother who brought it with her from her parents house in Birmingham when she married my father in 1949. I think it originally belonged to her father's family. Hence the assumed date of around 1910 to 1920.
 
Phil,

Thanks, I don't remember the initials, but if I speak to my son over the Christmas period, I will ask him.

Maurice
 
Phil,

Thanks, I don't remember the initials, but if I speak to my son over the Christmas period, I will ask him.

Maurice

Hi Maurice.
The book British Artists 1880 - 1940 has arrived this afternoon and there are 15 people with the name FITZGERALD listed. Regards Phil.
 
Thanks Phil. A pleasant picture

Hi Mikejee.

I have located the Artist J.J. BAILEY in the book British Artists 1880 - 1940 and I am confident that I have the correct artist. He is listed as living in, firstly Handsworth during 1923 and afterwards Sutton Coldfield in 1937. He was a member of the Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham and exhibited a total of 13 paintings there between the years 1923 to 1937. All this fits well with the fact that my mother lived in Handsworth between 1926 and 1952. She was given the painting by her mother in 1949. The title of the painting I still do not know. However if it was one of his 13 paintings which were exhibited at the Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham then I may yet find out.
I would like to thank you and your fellow members for their various contributions to this thread which has allowed me to solve the mystery of this painting's origin.
 
Hi Phil,

I'm glad to hear that it was money well spent. As and when I speak to my son over the holidays, I will contact you.

Of course, you do realise that you are now the Forum's first source for finding out about local artists? :) :) :)

Maurice
 
May not be same one, but the there was a John Joseph Bailey listed in the 1923 Kellys (private address) living at 61 Leonard Road Handsworth. He has gone by the 1932 edition. Sutton Coldfield was not part of Birmingham in 1937. The name at no 61 in 1911 (for 1911 census ) was Harris.
 
Again, may not be same, but the a john Joseph Bailey lived at 73 Norfolk Road, erdington in the 1911 census (the nearest other of that name is in smethwick). He is 39, born in dublin, wife Florence (40) from aston manor, and he was an elementary schoolteacher in aston manor area
 
The electoral roll shows john joseph was at 61 leonard road till at least 1925, but had left by 1930
 
There are no other John Joseph Baileys listed in the electoral rolls 1920-1925 (though one Joseph John)
 
There are no other John Joseph Baileys listed in the electoral rolls 1920-1925 (though one Joseph John)

Hi mikejee.

Seems the John Joseph BAILEY living at 61 Leonard Road, Handsworth is our most likely candidate, especially as he had moved on by the 1932 edition of Kelly's. Incidentally, did Kelly's have him listed as an artist at that address in 1923 ?
 
No. that is why I said private address. Kellys lists commercial mentions and private addresses separately. He was not listed in the commercial list. As he was a schoolteacher, presumably , then at least, it was a hobby
 
No. that is why I said private address. Kellys lists commercial mentions and private addresses separately. He was not listed in the commercial list. As he was a schoolteacher, presumably , then at least, it was a hobby

Hi mikejee.

Oh !! I see, Logical then that it would have been a hobby, not his day job. Not a bad artist though, even if it was only a hobby.
 
Samuel Keeley was born in 1837 in Morton in Marsh, but lived most of his life in Birmingham. He was indeed a Picture Framer. His Brother John Keeley was an Artist and a member of the RSA. If you see a painting by John Keeley in its original frame, it sometimes still retains the sticker on the back from Samuel Keeley. Sam Keeley lived in Newton st, and later Whittall st, Birmingham. His wife Emma was a Wardrobe dealer.
Samuel Keeley was painted by well respected Artist William John Wainwright, and we still have this painting in the family. In William's autobiography he refers to Sam Keeley a few times, and did a little amusing sketch of him in bed with his nightcap on!
Samuels daughter Agnes Louisa Keeley married George S Smith, and their daughter Beatrice Lilian Smith was my Grandma.
 
Back
Top