Our latest exhibition at the Bingley Gallery presents a range of work by Bradford’s late great artists including Joe Pighills, Percy Monkman, James Hardaker, Walter C.Foster, Frances Watson Sunderland, Arthur McArthur, Myriam Burton, John Butterfield, James Arundel, Jack Prior, William Parker, GC Barlow, Edward Renard, Arthur Craven and many more. It’s a bit like a museum, …………but with the chance to buy a piece of our region’s art history.
I was largely introduced to the work of these artists through the website and publications of Colin Neville; ‘Not Just Hockney’, which provides comprehensive catalogue of the Bradford area’s artists past and present and I would like to thank Colin for his support for the exhibition, not least in allowing me to base my artists biographies on his text. Several other people offered further support, not least the grandson and biographer of Percy Monkman, Martin Greenwood, but also Dave ‘Dodo Bones’ Foster, the grandson of Walter C. Foster. Sadly Dave died during the preparation of the show, but his partner, Clio, was insistent on it continuing to include prints of Walter’s work, as Dave would have wanted. The show is dedicated to his memory.
Joseph Pighills 1902-84
Pighills was born and lived his whole life in Oakworth. Attending evening classes at Keighley College of Art, he developed his natural talent – and built a considerable reputation as a ‘painter’s painter’. When ill health required him to give up his work with an engineering company, his art provided a good living. Best known for his stormy views of the moorland near his home.
NB we also have a selection of limited edition prints from Joe’s son, which are signed, but were never distributed which are therefore in perfect condition
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP01 ‘Far Westfield’ watercolour 21×14.5 £220
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP02 ‘Middle Intake, Haworth’ snowscene watercolour14x19in £240
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP03 ‘Quarry Roads Haworth Moor’ watercolour 14×10.25in £200
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP04 ‘Hill End Stanbury Moor’ watercolour 14.5x10in £200
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP05 ‘Far Westfield’ unmounted print of watercolour 16x10in £40
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP06 ‘Stormy Moorland’ Unmounted print of watercolour 19x12in £60
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP07 ‘Haworth Parsonage’ print 25x31cm in dark wood frame_£100
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP08 ‘Grove Hill Dyke’ Nr Stanhope. Signed print 20.5x14in £120
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP09 ‘Stormy Moorland’ 19×12.5in Signed print lr £120
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP10 ‘Far Westfield Patchy Snow” Signed print 48.5 x32 in original frame62x52cm £100
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP11 ‘Far Intake Haworth’ watercolour 60x40cm framed to76x57cm £300
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP12 ‘Road to Bronte Falls, Haworth’ print 48x32cm framed to £64x49cm £100
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP13 ‘Far Intake Haworth’ Signed print 61x40cm framed to72x54cm £40
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP14 ‘Far Westfield’ watercolour 37x24cm framed to 55x23cm £280
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP15 ‘Stormy Moorland’ 48x31cm framed to 69x52cm print £100
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP16 ‘Moorland Scene With Blue Sky’ print framed to 42x28cm £60
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP17 ‘Boats at Maldon’ watercolour 18x11cm framed to 32x26cm £120
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP18 Bronte Farmstead watercolour 14x18cm framed to 30x31cm £220
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP19 View Over Hetton watercolour 37x26cm framed to 54x44cm £200
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP20 Honiston Pass watercolour 28x37cm framed to 44x54cm £180
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP21 Langdale Pikes watercolour 21x14cm framed to 32x38cm £170
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP22 ‘View to Far Intake’ watercolour 52x36cm framed to 75x57cm pic lr £300
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP23 ‘Grove Hill Dyke, Haworth’ watercolour 33x22cm framed to 48x38cm pic lr £180
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP24 ‘Old Quarry Haworth’ watercolour 25×12.5cm framed to 38x26cm £150
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP22 ‘View to Far Intake’ watercolour 52x36cm framed to 75x57cm £300
Joseph Pighills 1901-84 JP25 ‘Moorland Road, Bronte Country’ oil on paper 24x12cm framed to 40x227cm £190
Percy Monkman 1892- 1986
Born in Bradford, but later moving to Baildon, Monkman’s career working in a bank contrasted strongly with other strands of his life including entertainer, actor and prolific painter of urban Bradford as well as The Dales. His life history has been published by his grandson, Martin Greenwood.
NB a further eleven Monkman originas still to be added to the gallery
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM01 ‘Thorpe, from Burnsall Side’ 1959 gouache 48x36cm £220
Percy Monkman1892-1986 PM21 ‘Leafy Linton; Fountaine Inn’ watercolour 51×37 framed to 69x55cm lr £260
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM02 ‘Moor Edge, Baildon’ watercolour 40x28cm £80
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM03 ‘East Riddlesden Hall’ watercolour 50x32cm SOLD
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM04 ‘Dales Farm’ watercolour 48x43cm £100
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM05 ‘Dales View’ watercolour 36×26 framed to 53x45cm £50
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM06 ‘Dales Beck Looking Towards Ingleborough’ watercolour 32×24 framed to 49x41cmcm £70
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM07 ‘Thorpe Street Scene With Man and Dog’ 1955 watercolour 53x35cm framed to 68x55cm £180
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM08 City Hall Square, Bradford 1959 print_lr Framed to 64×51 £190. Unframed £120
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM09 Foster Square, Bradford 1959 print lr Framed to 64×51 £190
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM11 ‘Landscape Near Denholme’ 1928 watercolour framed to 51x43cm £220
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM12 ‘Hardraw Force near Hawes’ 1946 watercolour framed to 62x50cm £260
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM13 Cheepside Bradford 1960 pen and ink framed to 49x41cm lr £120
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM14 ‘Old Wilsden’ 1967 watercolour framed to 53x43cm £140
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM15 ‘Near Bank, Shelly’ 1975 pen and watercolour framed to 50x39cm £170
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM16 ‘Autumn day, Bolton bridge’ 1977 watercolour framed to 66x54cm £100
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM17 ‘Browgate, Bailldon’ 1978 watercolour framed to 68x50cm £150
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM18 ‘Trough Lane, Oxenhope’ watercolour framed to 63x50cm £190
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM19 ‘Moorland Above Wharfedale’ watercolour framed to 68x50cm £260
Percy Monkman 1892-1986 PM20 ‘Dales Village’ watercolour framed to 64x50cm £150
‘Percy Monkman An Extraordinary Bradfordian’ 226 pages with over 90 images Softback £18.50
James Hardaker (1901-91) Oil Painter
Born in Bradford and studied at the city’s College of Art. Before moving to Bingley where he ran an art gallery/shop/studio; first at Myrtle Place then in Park Road, a few doors down from the current Bingley Gallery.
John Sowden 1838-1926
A Bradford architect turned wealthy property developer who balanced this with the position of Master, then Head of Art at The Mechanics Institute. His own output of paintings was notable in quantity and quality, including portraits of the Bradford well-to-do and, famously, street characters over 300 of which are held by the Bradford museums Service.
John Sowden 1838-1926 JS01 Country Scene with Cows 34x25cm framed to 70x55cm £240 lr
John Sowden 1838-1926 JS02 Steeton Beck 41x18cm framed to 27x32cm_SOLD
Gordon Clifford Barlow 1930-2005
Bradford born, but later moved to Ilkley where he was turored by Herbert Royle. Gordon worked as a signwriter and decorator until his art proved successful to buyers and in exhibitions, including Paris and London.
Gordon C Barlow1913-2005 GCB02 ‘River Wharf at Bolton Abbey’ oil on board 24x20in framedto 30×26 Sold
Gordon C Barlow1913-2005 GCB01 ‘Cow and Calf, Ilkley Moor’ 24x20in reframed oil on board SOLD
Gordon C Barlow1913-2005 GCB04 ‘Burning the Stubble’ oil on board SOLD
John Butterfield 1913-97
After retiring from his own wool business, Clayton born Butterfield, ran a gallery to sell his own and other’s art, first at Heaton, then Thornton. Best known for his pen and wash Dales scenes
John Butterfield 1913-97 JB11 ‘This Was Bradfords Gold’ Watercolour & pastel 42x27cm framed to 60x46cm £220
John Butterfield JB12 ‘Arncliffe’ line and wash c1970 35x22cm framed to 51x39cm £100
John Butterfield 1913-97 JB04 ‘Arncliffe Bridge’ pen and watercolour 3x4in £40
Frances Watson Sunderland 1866-1949
Living all her life in Keighley, Sunderland studied at the town’s School of Art and went on to teach there also, although her art found favour in exhibitions much further afield. Many of her views are of the local landscape, but the Yorkshire coast was also a popular subject matter, with watercolours in her subtle colour palette.
Myriam Burton 1907-1997
Originally studied at Lancaster College of Art before working freelance. After raising her family and based in Lady Lane, Bingley, Myriam began to gain international recognition. Her work was accepted four years running at the Sociéte des Artistes Français (Paris Salon) for which she was made an associate and later awarded a silver medal by the prestigious society. Other work was exhibited in New York, Cannes, Vichy, Clermont Ferrand and at the Royal Academy and other London Galleries. Despite her remarkable success, Yorkshire galleries remained distinctly cool to her talents.
Myriam Burton MB01 ‘Haworth Church’ oil on board framed to 39x33cm SOLD
Myriam Burton MB02 ‘Dowley Gap Canal Bridge’ oil on board framed to 41x30cm £180
Walter C Foster 1887-1929
Occasionally, surviving family members have helped raise the profile of some of the earlier artists. David Foster has, through the press, video and social media, not to mention the issuing of new prints, made his grandfather, Walter C. Foster’s bold watercolours more widely known. Walter, born in Bingley in 1887, got his break by gaining a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London. Returning to Yorkshire, he first taught art at a series of schools before becoming Headmaster at Shipley School of Art. Little of his work seems to have been sold before his untimely death in 1929, aged just 42. and much remained stored in the family’s attic until his grandson, rediscovered it.
Walter C Foster WCF01 ‘Before the Storm, Moors Above Bingley’ Unlimited Giclee Print 20x14in £80
Walter C Foster WCF02 ‘Stooks, Beckfoot’ Unlimited Giclee Print 19×14.5in £80
Walter C Foster WCF03 ‘The Copse, Mouse Wood’, unlimited Giclee Print 14.5×19.5in £80
Walter C Foster WCF04 ‘Old Cottingley Bridge, unlimited Giclee Print 17.5×14.5in £80
Walter C Foster WCF05 ‘On the Way Home’ Unlimited Giclee Print 18x15in £80
Walter C Foster WCF06 ‘Bridlington 1912’ Unlimited Giclee Print 17.5×13.5in Reserved
Walter C Foster WCF07 ‘Bridlington Harbour 1909’ Unlimited Giclee Print 17.5x15in £80
Walter C Foster WCF08’Whitby St. mary’s ‘ Unlimited Giclee Print 17.5×13.5in £80
Walter C Foster WCF09 ‘Cobles on the Quay, Whitby’ Unlimited Giclee Print 15x20in £80
Walter C Foster WCF10 ‘Logga Head Yard, Whitby’ Unlimited Giclee Print 14x18in £80
Edward Renard 1854-1915
London born Renard studied at the National Art School (which later became the Royal College of Art) in 1882 he was appointed as Head of the Shipley School of Art founded by Titus Salt and was a major figure in the formation of the Yorkshire Union of Artists.
William Hartley Waddington 1883 – 1961
Born into an affluent family of wool merchants, Waddington lived his early life in Manningham. After graduating from the Slade School of art he moved to the Lake District to paint and teach art.
Arthur Mc.Arthur 1827-1892
Research by the gallery suggests he was born in France moving to Leicestershire then Nottingham but was based in Bradford in the early 1870s. Many of his views of ‘old’ Bradford date to this time. Some of the works held by the gallery have been found to have numerous notes about the subject in the margins.
James Arundel 1875-1960
Bradford born artist with a career which included building contractor (including lighthouses!), poet, broadcaster and professional painter whose work was widely exhibited including the Paris Salon and Royal Academy. His paintings can be found in the collections of Bradford Museums and Galleries, Calderdale Council, Ferens Art Gallery, Harrogate, the Hepworth Wakefield, Kirklees Museums & Galleries, Manchester City Art Gallery and Salford Art Gallery.
Arthur Craven 1934-2013
Born in Sutton-in-Craven he moved to live near Haworth. Although he had studied at Keighley Art College for three years, he subsequently worked as a motor mechanics at a local garage. After his national service in the RAF he became an ambulance driver, and it was only later that he became a full time painter, running a gallery in Haworth, then later in Scott St., Keighley. The village of Haworth and its surrounding moorland often feature in his work.
Fred Cecil Jones 1891-1956
The son of two artists, Bradford-born Jones Studied at both Bradford and (later) Leeds Colleges of art. During World War One he was stationed on the western front, serving as a reconnaissance artist, earning the nickname ‘Detail Jones’. After the war he combined painting with teaching at The Pudsey School of Art. Many of his urban vistas continued to show his characteristic level of attention to detail.
Fred Cecil Jones FCJ01 ‘Cottage with Smoke and Geese Outside’ 1914 Watercolour 13.5×9.5in lr £300
Fred Cecil Jones FCJ02 ‘Panoramic Landscape with Winding Road, Cottages and Wooded Hills’ Watercolour 15.5x13in lr £300
Fred Cecil Jones FCJ03 ‘Clouds, Body of Water, Trees’ Watercolour 16x13in lr £300
William Parker 1922- 2017
Keighley born William (Bill) Parker had shown artistic promise from an early age and studied the subject at Keighley Mechanic’s Institute, but, as with many of our artists, the need to earn a living led him to other work; in his case in a local mill. War service with the Chindits in Burma was followed by work in India until the partition, when he returned to live in Haworth. Painting was fitted around his working day until retirement in1984 when he turned more seriously to his paintings. There’s a homely charm to his work, depicting as is does the landscape he loved.
William Parker WP06 ‘Dales Stream’ c1995 watercolour 37×27 framed to 58x48cm £200
William Parker WP04 ‘Top Withens’ c1975 watercolour 37×27 framed to 58x48cm £240
William Parker WP05 ‘Far Westfield’ c1975 watercolour 37×27 framed to 58x48cm £240
Bill Parker WP01 Farmhouse near Stanbury. Watercolour 36×26 framed to 49x40cm Sold
Bill Parker WP02 Keighley Parish Church. Watercolour 18×13 framed to 29x24cm sold
Bill Parker WP02 Keighley Parish Church. Watercolour 18×13 framed to 29x24cm pic only Sold
Joseph West 1881 – 1958
Born in Farnhill, the son of a labourer, West moved to Silsden and earned a living as a house painter but attended classes at the Glusborn School of art and later studied painting through the Yellow Door School of art (Colin Neville suggests this was probably by correspondence). By 1911 he gave his profession as painter artist, with a studio in Cavendish St, Keighley, then later in Silsden, whilst his own reputation as an artist increased.
David Fell 1927-2002
Born to a working class Bradford family, Fell struggled for many years to, convert his desire to paint into a professional career. After a promising early start as a commercial artist, he worked as a lorry driver. A further 20 years passed before he was able to set himself up as an artist, with a share of the Wadsworth Gallery in Haworth. With a heavy dependence on commission work, his subject matter was broad. Much of his art is in the waterline style with pen work on watercolour.
Devid Fell 1927-2002 DF01 ‘Burns Hotel, Sunbridge Road, Bradford’ line and wash framed to 18x20cm lr £50
Ebenezer John Woods (Jack) Prior 1914-1988
When his family wool stapling business went into liquidation, Prior converted his painting hobby into a profession. Although largely self-taught, he achieved considerable success, building a strong reputation and, apparently earning a better living than he had in his previous day job. His chosen technique was watercolour and water features in many of his paintings.
ch art.
Jack Prior 1914-1988 JP01 ‘Aysgarth Falls’ watercolour 30x20cm framed to50x41cm £110
Jack Prior 1914-1988 JP02 ‘Grange Bridge Borrowdale’ watercolour 26x18cm framed to40x33cm £90
Wilfrid Burnet Tapp 1880 -1976
Born in Thornton with a fascination for painting from early years, Tapp kept his art a hobby, whilst following a teaching career. After retiring to Kettlewell and finally Bingley, his later years gave him more opportunity to paint the local landscape in both watercolour and oils.
Wilfrid Burnet Tapp (1880 -1976) ‘Alva Cottage, Kettlewell’ Watercolour 39x29cm framed to 58x49cm lr £120
Barry Claughton 1935-
Leeds based artist. Well known for his watercolours of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. Originally an art teacher he became a full-time artist in 1989.
Barry Claughton1934- BC01 ‘The Washburn Valley, Emmerdale’Oil on canvas, framed to 75x59cm lr £260b
Barbara Shaw
Afraid I know very little about thes artiist, except that she lived in Bradford 2. A visor recalled her being a member of the Bradford Art Group.
