James Ayton Symington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Ayton Symington
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| Born | 1856 Leeds, England
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| Died | 6 February 1939 (aged 82–83) |
| Nationality | English |
| Other names | J A S |
| Occupation | Illustrator |
| Years active | 1886 – 1914 |
| Known for | Illustrating adventure stories |
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Notable work
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The illustrations for the 1905 Dent re-issue of Robinson Crusoe |
James Ayton Symington (born around 1856, died February 6, 1939) was an English artist. He was famous for illustrating books and magazines. He was born in Leeds, England.
He worked closely with a publisher in Leeds named Richard Jackson. After he got married in 1889, he moved to London.
Contents
Early Life and First Works
We don't know much about James Symington's early life. He first appeared in public records in 1886. This was when a newspaper in Leeds announced a book he illustrated.
The book was called The Rivers of Yorkshire by George Radford. It featured 12 etchings by Symington. An etching is a type of printmaking. The newspaper said he was a "Yorkshire etcher of rising popularity."
Symington illustrated other books for Richard Jackson. These included Yorkshire by the Sea and Jackson's New Illustrated Guide to Leeds. He also worked on Some Historic Mansions of Yorkshire.
Family Life and Moving to London
In 1891, James Symington was living with his wife, Kate. She was born in 1859. They had one son named Arthur Ayton, born in 1898. Arthur later became a civil engineer.
The Symington family lived in different parts of London. They lived in Putney, then Kew Gardens. In 1912, James Symington got permission to build a house in Stanmore, North London.
Even though he lived in London, Symington kept his ties to Leeds. His son was born there. In 1934, Symington gave seven drawings of Yorkshire windmills to the Leeds Museum.
His Artwork
Symington illustrated many magazines and books. He mostly stopped working after 1914, around the start of the First World War.
Magazine Illustrations
Symington drew pictures for many popular magazines. He was a regular artist for:
- The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News
- Good Words
- The Windsor Magazine
- The Universal Review
- Atalanta
- The Art Journal
- Young England
- Silver Link
He also drew for story papers, which were like comic books or short story collections for kids. These included:
- Chums
- Young Folk's Tales
- Cheer, Boys, Cheer
- The Boy's Own Paper
Symington was known for drawing country scenes. His art often appeared in sales of original artwork from the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.
Examples of Magazine Art
Here are some illustrations by James Ayton Symington. They are from an article about lawn tennis in The Windsor Magazine from 1895.
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Tennis in Dublin
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Serving
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Tennis at Wimbledon
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Smash
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Backhand
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Tennis in Liverpool
Book Illustrations
Symington illustrated over 90 books! He worked on three main types of books:
- Adult novels
- Books about places, showing landscapes, cathedrals, and towns
- Children's adventure books, which were a big part of his work
He illustrated books by many famous authors, including:
- Honoré de Balzac (a French novelist)
- Daniel Defoe (who wrote Robinson Crusoe)
- Evelyn Everett-Green (who wrote historical romances)
- G. A. Henty (known for adventure stories for boys)
- Thomas Hughes (who wrote Tom Brown's School Days)
- Frederick Marryat (a navy officer who wrote adventure books for kids)
- L. T. Meade (who wrote many stories for girls)
- H. G. Wells (famous for his science fiction stories)
Examples of Book Art
These 18 illustrations are by J Ayton Symington. They are from The Wonderful Wapentake, a book of stories and essays from 1894. These landscape pictures show his typical style for books about places.
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Page 000
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Page 014
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Page 046
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Page 065
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Page 084
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Page 091
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Page 112
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Page 129
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Page 144
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Page 151
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Page 165
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Page 170
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Page 176
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Page 187
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Page 192
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Page 198
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Page 229
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Page 240
Later Life and Legacy
James Symington passed away on February 6, 1939, in Epsom, Surrey. He was buried in Lawnwood Cemetery in Leeds.
His illustrations for the 1905 edition of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe were highly praised. One reviewer said they were "superior to rival editions." Another newspaper called them "tasteful coloured illustrations." This book was even offered as part of a set of classic children's books in 1934.
