Charles Fell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Fell
Fell (year unknown)
5th Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand
In office 1 May 1874 – 8 January 1875
Personal details
Born	Charles Yates Fell 5 August 1844 Nelson, New Zealand
Died	9 June 1918(1918-06-09) (aged 73) Nelson
Resting place	Wakapuaka Cemetery
Relations	Alfred Fell (father) Arthur Fell (brother) Walter Fell (brother) George Fell (brother) Alfred Fell (son) William Richmond Fell (nephew) Arthur Atkinson (father-in-law) Maria Atkinson (mother-in-law)
Profession	barrister

Charles Yates Fell (born August 5, 1844 – died June 9, 1918) was a talented person from New Zealand. He was a lawyer, a politician, an artist who painted with watercolors, and a photographer.

Early Life and Family

Charles Fell was born in Nelson in 1844. His father, Alfred Fell, was a merchant and one of the first people to settle in the area. Charles also had a brother named Arthur Fell, who became a politician in England. His grandfather, Henry Seymour, even had a place named after him: Seymour Square in Blenheim.

Charles went to school in Nelson, first with Rev Meyrick Lully and then with Archdeacon Paul. In 1859, he and his parents moved to England. There, he attended King's College School in London. Later, he studied at St John's College, Oxford, from 1863 to 1867, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1869, he married Edith Louisa Bainbridge in London.

Becoming a Lawyer

After finishing his studies, Charles became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court. He worked in England for a short time. Then, in 1870, he decided to return to New Zealand.

In 1880, he started a law firm called Fell and Atkinson with Arthur Atkinson. For many years, Charles was the Crown Solicitor, meaning he represented the government in legal cases. He also served as the Registrar for the Diocese of Nelson and was a governor of Nelson College.

After his first wife passed away in 1879, Charles married Edith Emily Atkinson in 1881. She was the daughter of his law partner, Arthur Atkinson.

Political Role

Charles Fell became the Mayor of Nelson on November 23, 1882. He took over after Edward Everett resigned. Charles served as Mayor until December 21, 1887, when John Sharp became the new Mayor.

Creative Talents

Charles Fell had many artistic interests. He started painting with watercolors when he was at King's College. However, he didn't become serious about painting until later in his life. He was a trustee for the Bishop Suter Art Gallery in Nelson. He helped with the gallery from when it first opened in 1896 until he passed away in 1918. In 1918, he even went on a sketching trip with another painter, Henry Morland Gore, to the Maitai Valley. He was also a member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts.

Some of his paintings, like St Johns Farm, Prades (from 1916) and Mountain Village, are kept at the Suter Art Gallery. Another painting, Country Scene, Nelson, is owned by a private collector.

Before he focused on painting, Charles was also a photographer. He was especially good at taking pictures of landscapes and people. Some of his photographs are now part of the collection at the National Library of New Zealand.

Besides art, Charles was also a talented musician. He was known for his musical skills and actively supported the Nelson School of Music.

Sports and Hobbies

Charles Fell was also a very good athlete. He was known as a fast runner (a sprinter). He was also the "stroke" for his college rowing team at Oxford, which means he set the pace for the rowers. He was also an expert horse rider. In Nelson, he loved sailing and was an enthusiastic yachtsman.

Later Life and Legacy

Charles Fell passed away in Nelson on June 9, 1918. He was buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery.

His son from his first marriage, Alfred Fell, played rugby for Scotland while studying at Edinburgh University. He also served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. His son from his second marriage, Charles Richmond Fell, followed in his father's footsteps and joined the law firm Fell and Atkinson. Charles also had six daughters. One of his daughters, Sylvia Brockett, also painted watercolors and designed stamps. Her stamp designs are now in the collection at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.