Francis Meadow Sutcliffe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Meadow Sutcliffe
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| Born | 6 October 1853 Headingley, Leeds, England
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| Died | 31 May 1941 (aged 87) |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Known for | "Water Rats" |
Francis Meadow (Frank) Sutcliffe (born October 6, 1853 – died May 31, 1941) was an important English photographer. He was one of the first artists to use photography in a new way. His pictures show what life was like in the seaside town of Whitby, England. He also photographed the areas around Whitby in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His work gives us a clear look at life during the Victorian era and Edwardian era. People sometimes called him the "visual storyteller of Whitby."
Frank's Early Life
Frank Sutcliffe was born in Headingley, Leeds. His father, Thomas Sutcliffe, was a painter. His mother was Sarah Lorentia Button. Frank was the oldest of eight children. As a child, he often slept in his father's art studio.
He had a basic education at a small private school. After that, he started learning about the new technology of photography. In 1870, his family moved to Whitby. His father hoped to get more art jobs there. Sadly, his father died just one year later when Frank was 18. This meant Frank became the head of his family.
His Photography Career
Frank Sutcliffe earned a living as a portrait photographer. He first worked in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Then, he moved back to Whitby and stayed there for the rest of his life. He lived in Broomfield Terrace in Whitby before moving to Sleights, Yorkshire.
His father had introduced him to famous artists like John Ruskin. Frank's photography business was in Skinner Street. It was in a building that used to polish jet gemstones. This business kept him in Whitby and the Eskdale valley. By taking pictures of the everyday people he knew, he created a full and honest view of a late Victorian town. He showed the people who lived and worked there.
His most famous photograph is called Water Rats. He took it in 1886. The picture shows children playing in a boat. Edward VII, who was then the Prince of Wales, even bought a copy of this picture.
Frank Sutcliffe also wrote a lot about photography. He wrote for several magazines. He also had a regular column in the Yorkshire Weekly Post newspaper. His photographs are now kept by the Whitby Literary and Philosophical Society. They are also in other national collections.
Sutcliffe helped start the Linked Ring Brotherhood. This was a group that wanted to show photography as a true art form. In 1941, he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society. This was a big honor for his work.
When he was 70 years old, he became the curator of the Whitby Gallery and Museum. A curator is someone who takes care of a museum's collection. He held this job until he passed away in 1941, at the age of 87.
Frank's Family Life
Frank Sutcliffe married Eliza Weatherill Duck on January 1, 1875. Eliza was the daughter of a local shoemaker. They had one son and three daughters. They lived in their home in Sleights. Frank died in Sleights on May 31, 1941, when he was 87. He was buried in Aislaby churchyard.
Gallery
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Portrait of Polly Swallow, 1889
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Girl on the shore, 1889
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Three happy boys, 1889
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Fisher girl, 1890
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Whitby, 1890
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Whitby winter
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Whitby, 1890
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Farmers Whitby / Dinner Time, c. 1889-91
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Whitby, 1890
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Farmer people Whitby
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Waterrats, (Sea Urchins), 1886
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Women, c.1890
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Women, c.1890
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Fisher people, c. 1898
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