Completed British 19th C, except portraits, British 20th C, except portraits, Scotland: Artists and Subjects 10 Did Dundee artist John Fraser Pollock (b.1855) paint this mill scene?

Stonefield Mill, Rockvale and Cottages
Topic: Artist

As there doesn't seem to be any information about the artist I wonder if this painting could be attributed to J. F. Pollock (John Fraser Pollock) of Dundee? I have found him on my family tree and he was working around this time. I think he was a member of one of the Art Societies in Dundee around 1890/1900. He was living in Nelson Street, Dundee around 1900, born in 1855 in Union. Glen, Aberdeen. May not be the same artist but thought I would make the suggestion.

Unfortunately I have been unable to find any other art work by J. F. Pollock so far, still on the lookout. Should I find some I will certainly add it to this discussion.

The collection note:

'Extract from accession file – 'c.1890, J. F. Pollock. The painting was possessed by Mrs Stewart of High Street Hawick and passed to the museum by Turnbull Antiques, Sandbed, Hawick on 28th April 1977. Acc 77/23.' That is all the information available I’m afraid – the antique business no longer exists and I’m presuming they had it because it came from a house clearance'.

June Hutton, Entry reviewed by Art UK

Completed, Outcome

Edward Stone,

This painting is now attributed to John Francis Pollock (1855–1923). This amendment will appear on Art UK in due course.

Thank you to all who contributed to this discussion. Please see below for all the comments that led to this conclusion.

9 comments

Roderick Macleod,

There are a few newspaper references to works by a J.F.Pollock. The Dundee Courier of 22/2/1888, page 3, refers to JFP coming 2nd in a 'competition emblemental of the trades and Industries of Dundee' in the Dundee Exhibition of Industry, 1887-88. There is a reference in the Times (?) of 27/12/1892 of three of his paintings shown in 'Old Dundee, a Pictorial and Historical Exhibition 1892' (Stewart's Close Looking towards Gellatly Street, watercolour 1876; 804 Tindal's Wynd, sepia; and 200 The Overgate, watercolour 1889). JFP's address is given in this catalogue as 18 Dock Street. The Southern Reporter of 5/9/1889 mentions that the Hawick Archaeological Society were promoting an exhibition of paintings...if any records of that exist, the mill scene painting might be listed? I have not examined the full reports - this just from a quick search of the web, including using the British Newspaper Archive search facility.

Osmund Bullock,

John Pollock's middle name is a bit of a puzzle. It is indeed recorded as 'Francis' on both his (22 Feb 1923) death registration, and on that of his second marriage on 30 Dec 1903. But he is without question the same man whose birth was recorded (as June Hutton mentions) as John Fraser Pollock on 5 March 1855 at Union Glen, Aberdeen (parish of Old Machar). In other records it is never mentioned: he is either 'John F.' or just 'John', and professionally he seems always to have been known as 'J.F.'

We will probably never know if the birth record was in error, or if he deliberately changed it. But the likelihood of the latter is increased by the fact that he *did* certainly change another detail of his life. His father Charles was a shopman in a stationery store, with a sideline as a 'Sprain Rubber' - an obscure quasi-medical activity, involving an alleged ability to "cure" sprains by manual manipulation (a 'gift' also possessed by his father before him). But by the time of his first marriage in 1880, John F. Pollock had decided to up his status somewhat by claiming he was the son of a fully-qualified doctor - a GP, in fact.

June Hutton,

This is indeed exciting if John Fraser Pollock and John Francis Pollock are one and the same person. His father, Charles is my 3rd Great Grandfather and the details I have for him are as above, therefore is it safe to assume that the painting was by John F Pollock of Dundee as mentioned in my first comment? I would be interested to know where I could view his other work...if that is possible.

Osmund Bullock,

I doubt that anyone can be certain the painting is by him; but in the absence of any other identified artist called 'J F Pollock' working in Scotland in the late C19th, it seems highly likely: the somewhat amateur, untrained style tends to support the attribution, too. If I have time, I will give details in another post of more biographical information, and this will perhaps make clearer his probably self-taught journey into the art world.

Matthew has obviously seen works by him, but I don't know where you can see any, I'm afraid - nor can I find records of any identified paintings by him sold at auction in recent years. Since he was based in Dundee throughout his active years, the obvious place to start would be Dundee Art Galleries and Museums, based at the McManus. There don't seem to be any oils by him in their collection (on Your Paintings), but there may perhaps be watercolours not listed online - I should get in touch with the curatorial staff via the website, http://www.mcmanus.co.uk . They may also have information about him.

Some details concerning Pollock's name and addresses from the Scottish Post Office Directories online via the wonderful National Library of Scotland at http://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/:
'J. Francis Pollock, artist' first appears in the Dundee Directory for 1888-89. From 1894-96 he has a house as well as a commercial (studio or gallery?) address. After a gap in 1901-02, he is listed as a 'decorative artist' from 1902-03 until his last listing in 1907-8. He had eight different addresses over the period 1888 to 1907, suggesting an unsettled life. But his name remains in the form 'J. Francis Pollock'.

Edward Stone,

The collection has been contacted about this recommendation.

Edward Stone,

The collection is happy to accept this attribution.