Completed British 19th C, except portraits, Northern Ireland: Artists and Subjects 57 What more could we establish about the artist Arthur Fitzpatrick?

STF_WAG_OP683
Topic: Artist

The artist was evidently a genre painter, presumably Irish. One online source gives his vital dates as 1836-1886 https://bit.ly/3gHaRNx. This artist exhibited only one picture at the Royal Academy, in 1868, no. 183 titled ‘The Middy Ashore’. https://bit.ly/3FnbS7Z More works by this artist https://bit.ly/39BXZ7u | https://bit.ly/3kEJW7y | https://bit.ly/39DcsQG | https://bit.ly/3i4KnWZ | https://bit.ly/2XHQf10. Dated works appear to be all 1860s, with one dated 1870.

Jacinto Regalado, Entry reviewed by Art UK

Completed, Outcome

This discussion is now closed. Arthur Fitzpatrick’s vital dates have been established as 1830–1883 and Pieter van der Merwe’s new artist biography will now be reviewed with the Editorial team and then incorporated on to the Art UK site.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the discussion. To anyone viewing this discussion for the first time, please see below for all the comments that led to this conclusion.

56 comments

Alistair Brown, Art UK added: ‘Graves' RA listing for the 1868 work, no. 183, has the artist living at 233 Stanhope Street. Graves' BI listings has him showing there 1863-1867, all from 101 Stanhope Street, Hampstead Road’. The following commercial site has the artist being born in Belfast in 1836 and states that a work is in the collection of the Ulster Museum, but this doesn't appear to be on Art UK https://bit.ly/3acw3re

1871 census: Arthur Fitzpatrick, artist, born in Ireland, aged 35, living at 5 Lee Place, Lee, Kent, with wife M. A., aged 29, her sister Eliza Dunn, age 25, daughter Lala aged 2, and domestic servant Martha.

Christ Church, St Pancras baptism register shows on 1 July 1873 the baptism of his son Lawrence Owen to Arthur and Mary Ann Fitzpatrick, living at 32 Gloucester Rd. Arthur is described as artist.

The ‘Kucher Beach’ family tree on ancestry.co.uk, states that: aged 31 he married Mary Ann Dunn in Cobham, Kent, in 1865, his father being Hugh Fitzpatrick; that their daughter ‘Lalla’ was born in 1869 in Lewisham, Kent; that they had a son Arthur Hugh in Lewisham in 1871; and a son Lawrence Owen in 1873; that he arrived in New York on 11 August 1873; that Arthur Hugh died 2 Jun 1929 at 1910 East Orange, Essex, New Jersey, USA; that his daughter Lalla died in Queens, NY, In 1933.

Jacinto Regalado,

Andrew, do you mean that the painter emigrated to America in 1873?

Oliver Perry,

The Stanhope Street addreses seem to be a red herring: they relate to the London born fairy painter John Anster Fitzgerald and his family.

Marcie Doran,

According to a record (attached) on Ancestry, Arthur Fitzpatrick was baptized on April 6, 1830, at Down, Drumgath, Ireland. His father was Hugh Fitzpatrick and his mother was Mary Hagan.

On the 1841 England Census (see attached), Hugh (b. abt. 1796) and Mary (b. abt. 1801) and their children (Owen, Arthur, Margaret, Mary and Lawrence) plus Ann Jones and Elizabeth Jones, were living on Dale End in Birmingham. All members of the family were born in Ireland. Arthur’s age is given as 10 [born abt. 1831].

Marcie Doran,

On the 1851 England Census (see attached), Hugh and Mary, and their children (Margaret, Mary, Arthur, Lawrence and Catherine) live at 11 Essex Street in Birmingham. Arthur’s occupation is partially illegible - possibly “Glass [Stanier?]”. This record indicates that he was born in “County Down, Ireland”. His age is given as 19 [born abt. 1832].

On the 1861 England Census (see attached), Arthur is a boarder in the home of Emma Ashley on Spring Street in Birmingham, with an occupation of “Artist Engineer”. His age is given as 31 [born abt. 1830].

Patrick Hickman,

In those days I would not have thought that young children of the age show would have had musical instruments especially a banjo? They also appear to be well dressed with solid footwear indicating they were from a well to do family? The artist may have been Irish and connected to those few wealthy people living in Ireland or England during this period however I may well be incorrect, but my gut tells me something is not right with the painting and its subject matter.

Alison Golding,

Marcie, Birmingham was a major glass-making centre in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and Fitzpatrick being employed in the manufacture of stained glass fits well. The (somewhat later) pre-Raphaelite glass manufactured in Birmingham demonstrates that artistic ability was needed in the manufacture of high-quality stained glass.

Well done, Marcie, finding his origins and earlier career. Looks like he struggled to find a successful artistic life in England.

Jacinto, one assumes he emigated, as two children died in the USA. I could only report information from another secondary source. I have no access to US records, but someone who does can try and track his American life!

Marcie Doran,

I had no idea about the glass industry in Birmingham, Alison. Thank you. Arthur’s brother Lawrence gave his own profession as “artist” in Birmingham in the 1861 England Census.

Arthur’s wife Mary Ann was the daughter of George Dunn and his wife Eliza Dunn (née Mason according to that family tree on Ancestry). She was baptised on October 13, 1842, at Old St Pancras, St Pancras, Camden, England. On the 1851 England Census, Mary Ann is living at 4 Chalcott Road, St. Pancras, with her parents and younger siblings (Eliza, Emily, Josephine and George). Her sister Caroline was born in 1853.

Mary Ann’s sisters accompanied Arthur and his family to New York in 1873 (see first two attachments - her sisters were on the next page). I have not been able to find Arthur or his wife in any of the US Census records, although their children and Mary Ann’s sisters are listed.

The third attachment is the 1871 England Census record that Andrew mentioned.

I tried to trace the donor and could not find a link to the artist.

Martin Hopkinson,

The leading figure in the French royal stained glass centre at Choisy le Roi just outside Paris, George Bontemps, fled to England at the fall of Louis Philippe settled in Birmingham in 1848 and worked for Chance Brothers - their work there needs to be investigated
I will look through my notes on this firm for whom one of my ancestors worked
but this artist does not look like the sort to have played more than a very minor part in the very active field of glass in the town

S. Elin Jones,

I’d probably hesitate a little at presuming that Arthur Fitzpatrick was involved in architectural glass based on the words ‘glass stainer’, especially given his age. There were many other kinds of manufacturers specialising in the use of glass in Birmingham during that period. I can think of a number of ways that the term could be interpreted other than the ‘stain’ of silver nitrate on glass as used in architectural glass, depending on the product being produced and the processes used to make them.

Jacinto Regalado,

Does the artist appear in the 1881 England census, in case he returned from the US? If so, does he appear in the 1891 census, as he supposedly died in 1886?

Marcie Doran,

I think I have found mention of the Art UK work in a newspaper. In a April 16, 1863, article in the Birmingham Daily Post his work “Musical Union” is at the Suffolk Street Exhibition in London. This must surely be the Art UK work. I have attached the full page and an extract.

In an October 18, 1866, article in the Birmingham Daily Post his work “Labour of Love” is at the Society of Artists’ Exhibition. I have attached an extract - some glitch is preventing me from posting the full page.

Jacinto Regalado,

Thanks, Marcie. Could you check for him in the 1881 and 1891 census?

Marcie Doran,

I have had no luck finding Arthur in those records, Jacinto. I searched UK Census records, UK probate records, and US records for “Fitzpatrick” and “Fitz Patrick”.

My guess is that they lived in New York City in the 1870s/1880s. In the 1880 United States Federal Census, Eliza Dunn was a housekeeper in New York City and Emily Dunn was a nurse in Westchester, New York. I could not find any other family members in 1880.

I have attached the 1900 United States Federal Census record for a dwelling in Manhattan, New York. It shows Lalla Millman (née Fitzpatrick), her brother Arthur, her son Elton and her aunt Eliza Dunn. The head of the household is Mary Ann Rafter (née Sullivan), whose late husband Michael Rafter was born in Ireland. This record does not show either of Lalla’s parents and they do not live nearby.

Jacinto Regalado,

Unfortunately, there is no Art UK equivalent in the US to check for works by Fitzpatrick, assuming he continued painting there, which may not be the case (at least not as a way to earn a living). There is nothing by him at the Met, the Brooklyn Museum or the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Jacinto Regalado,

According to its website, the Ulster Museum has no work by this artist.

Marcie Doran,

There is a reference to Arthur Fitzpatrick on this New Zealand website - “Illustrations from English literary and religious periodicals” - part of “the George Henry Wood collection of prints”. https://tinyurl.com/3shhume3

Jacinto Regalado,

Unfortunately there's no image of the print that I can see, but it is apparently from the 1860s, like most everything else known by him. I could not find it in the British Museum.

Jacinto Regalado,

There's nothing by him in the National Gallery of Ireland.

Oliver Perry,

There is a work called "Somebody Coming" listed in Christopher Wright 's British and Irish Paintings in Public Collections", as being in the Ulster Museum, though it doesn't appear online.


Jacinto Regalado,

Does Art UK have a contact at the Ulster Museum who could be asked about their reported holding of a work by Arthur Fitzpatrick?

Jacinto Regalado,

If Ulster has said work, it should be put on Art UK, especially given the paucity of publicly available material on Fitzpatrick.

Marcie Doran,

An article in the ‘Salisbury and Winchester Journal, and General Advertiser’ of Saturday, June 15, 1867, notes two of Arthur Fitzpatrick’s paintings in the fine art exhibition of the Bath and West of England Society (now the Royal Bath and West of England Society). His address is shown in the article as Mornington Crescent. Google indicates that this is a street in London. I have attached an extract and the full page.

Jacinto Regalado,

Assuming Fitzpatrick died in 1886, is it possible to check for his death that year in the UK? I assume it would also be possible in the US, though I have no experience with that sort of search.

Jacinto Regalado,

I have found some intriguing American evidence from the 1870s suggesting that (an) Arthur Fitzpatrick "late of London" ran a stained glass firm in Stapleton, Staten Island, New York and exhibited such work at the International Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. He advertised himself as being a pupil of A. Wesley Pugin and receiving some presumably related prize or diploma in London in 1871. The first link below refers to what he exhibited in Philadelphia in 1876; the second shows advertisements:

https://bit.ly/2WXDgbo

https://bit.ly/3DIvBxF

Marcie Doran,

Yes, your discoveries are fascinating. Here is a link to the names of the stained glass works that A. Fitzpatrick and Co. exhibited at the International Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. https://tinyurl.com/4ced2kcb

Here is a link to a notice (fourth notice under ‘Decoration’) in ‘The Nation’ of April 26, 1877, that indicates that the “medal and diploma were awarded to A. Fitzpatrick and Co. for the best Church Windows”. https://tinyurl.com/4zjtnxm8

I have not found a record of his death, Jacinto.

This is indeed interesting. Note that the firm of Arthur Fitzpatrick & Co was well established by 1874 and supplied the glass to the $222,000 church of St Mary's, Boston. From The Pilot, Volume 37, Number 44, 31 October 1874 (https://newspapers.bc.edu/)

"From Our Special Reporter. Dedication of a Magnificent Church. St. Mary’s, New Haven, Conn.

New Haven, Oct. 26, 1874. ... Mr. James Murphy, of William S. Brazer, of 9 Hamilton place, Boston, did the fresco painting. Mr. Lambert Hollis, the Belfast artist, now of 129 Tremont street, Boston, supplied the beautiful figure paintings which gare seen in the Church. Arthur Fitzpatrick & Cos., of New York, furnished the stained glass windows, and Michael Fitzpatrick, of New Haven did the wood painting."

This seems a remarkable achievement for an artist of minor accomplishments to have been responsible for a year after arriving in New York.

His company was indeed included in the list of about 4,000 exhibitors who received ‘awards’ at the 1876 Philadelphia Centenary Exhibition (Archive.org).

On 22 July 1877 an advert appeared in the Morning Star and Catholic Herald, where Arthur Fitzpatrick is offering stained glass, interior designing and painting, described himself as an ’artist' and exhibitor at the Royal Academy in London, the holder of ‘the Fine Art Diploma of London, 1871,’ and receiver of the medal and diploma of the 1871 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition for the best stained glass. He is selling ''The Prize Windows'. (See attachment.)

A years later Arthur Fitzpatrick was putting very small advertisements in the American Architect and Building News, Vol. 3, No. 311, 1878 as "Arthur Fitzpatrick, Artist, (Pupil of A. Welby Pugin), Received Diploma of London, 1871, Interior Art Designing and Painting in all branches. Stapleton, Staten Island." (Archive.org)

As for A.W.N. Pugin, this well-know pioneer of the gothic revival set up a stained-glass partnership in about 1845 with John Hardman of Birmingham, his friend, and collaborator, principally to make stained glass for the Palace of Westminster. Hardman’s father (d.1844) was a stained-glass maker and his son had specialised in ecclesiastical metalwork. By 1850 stained glass had become the largest part of the Pugin-Hardman’s partnership. As well as work for Westminster, Hardman’s workers spent time at Pugin’s own St. Augustine’s Ramsgate (begun 1845). Pugin did not have pupils as such, but if Fitzpatrick did work for Hardman’s at the time (he was in Birmingham as a ‘glass-stainer’ in 1851), he would doubtless have come across and worked on Pugin’s designs. Pugin died in 1852; the Hardman firm continued. (See Rosemary Hill, ‘God’s Architect’, 2007)

This all seems plausible evidence for the Staten Island stained-glass maker being our Arthur Fitzpatrick, despite the question of how he was able to set up an initially successful stained glass company so quickly.

Attached with apologies are the reports on the award to Fitzpatrick on his stained glass at Philadelphia (google books) and his advert in the Morning Star and Catholic Herald. Note that his possible past employers, Hardmans, were 'commended', which Fitzpatrick was not.

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Jacinto Regalado,

I suppose the 1886 death date may be off, just as the 1836 birth date apparently was. Still, it appears he did not return to the UK, unless it was after the 1891 census. Perhaps later censuses could be checked, though it seems more likely he died in the US.

A couple more snippets.

Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser - Monday 16 October 1865 Marriages: "Fitzpatrick-Dunn.—On the 11th inst., at the parish church, Cobham. Kent, by the Rev. A. Wigan, rector Luddesdown, Arthur Fitzpatrick, Esq., of Cobham. to Mary Ann Dunn, also of Cobham. eldest daughter of the late George Dunn, Esq., of Albert Villa, Regent’s Park."

London City Press - Saturday 31 July 1869. A notice of sale of the stock-in-trade of a picture dealer included Arthur Fitzpatrick among the names of several well-known artists of the period.

Marcie Doran,

I think that the artist Arthur Fitzpatrick passed away on May 22, 1883, in Tompkinsville, Staten Island (see attached). His wife Mary Ann Futzpatrick likely passed away on June 16, 1891, in New Dorp, Staten Island (see attached). I have also attached the 1890 Staten Island, New York, City Directory that shows only Mrs. Arthur Fitzpatrick at 37 Brewster Street and a map showing some of the relevant locations. His business was in ‘Stapleton’.

Details of wedding in Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser - Monday 16 October 1865 "Arthur Fitzpatrick, Esq., of Cobham. to Mary Ann Dunn, also of Cobham. eldest daughter of the late George Dunn, Esq., of Albert Villa, Regent’s Park."

Details of wedding in Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser - Monday 16 October 1865 "Arthur Fitzpatrick, Esq., of Cobham. to Mary Ann Dunn, also of Cobham. eldest daughter of the late George Dunn, Esq., of Albert Villa, Regent’s Park."

Jacinto Regalado,

Stapleton is a neighbourhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City. It is located along the waterfront of Upper New York Bay.

Details of wedding in Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser - Monday 16 October 1865 "Arthur Fitzpatrick, Esq., of Cobham. to Mary Ann Dunn, also of Cobham. eldest daughter of the late George Dunn, Esq., of Albert Villa, Regent’s Park."

Re Oliver Perry 8 Oct. 101 Stanhope Street, Hamstead Road is the address given by Algernon Graves for Fitzpatrick’s exhibits at the British Institution for all his exhibits 1863-7 and 233 Stanhope Street, Mornington Crescent is his address in the actual Royal Academy catalogue 1868. In 1868 it gives J.A. Fitzgerald as at 6 Hollywood Road, West Brompton. None of J.A. Fitzgerald’s nine addresses for his BI exhibits in Graves are Stanhope Street.

Looks plausible, Jacinto. I now have a list of 24 of his exhibited and or otherwise recorded paintings, mostly signed.

Sorry about the repeated postings. AD ha been playing up uploading things today.

Jacinto Regalado,

In the catalogue for the 1876 International Exhibition in Philadelphia, Arthur Fitzpatrick & Co. is listed for both stained glass (page 31, No. 201) and for oil painting (page 28, No. 30):

https://bit.ly/2YBMCKZ

Jacinto Regalado,

I expect the move to America with the switch to stained glass was related to the better financial prospect of the latter field (ecclesiastical glass), in which Fitzpatrick could expect a competitive advantage over the native practitioners given his prior training. He certainly advertised explicitly to that effect, and at least initially he was successful. I suspect his health may have failed him, for he apparently died at 53, only 10 years after his arrival in the US.

Well spotted in the Philadelphia catalogue, Jacinto. Note that this entry is in the Applied Art section not in Oil Paintings, so would have been an example of his decorative painting as described in his 22 July 1877 Morning Star and Catholic Messenger advertisement: "STAINED GLASS and Interior Art Designing and Painting ... THE FINEST CHURCH WINDOWS, OIL PAINTINGS TO ORDER. Figure subject Pictures for Altars, Stations of the Cross, Banners and CHRISTIAN ART for Catholic Churches in all branches."

The Manhattan census entry of 1900 provided by Marcie (11/10/2021 15:27) is confusing. It seems to say that the head of household where Lalla Millman (nee Fitzpatrick), her brother Arthur, and their aunt Eliza Dunn were then living was Mary Rafters (widow) born in NY in 1853 and also Lalla's 'sister'. That cannot be the case, nor sister-in-law since Lalla's maiden name was not Rafters. It also -and consistent with that claim - says that Lalla's brother Arthur was Mary Rafters' 'nephew' and Eliza her 'aunt'. (Could Mary Rafters have perhaps been Mr Millman's sister, albeit ther's no sign of him?) Also to be explained is why Lalla and Eliza are given as immigrants to the USA in 1884 (when both first arrived in 1873) and Arthur, who also did so as an infant in 1873, is recorded as an immigrant only in 1897, though in his case that might only be when he permanantly settled there after a return to the UK in youth.

None of this is directly relevant to the already dead Arthur Fitzpatrick senior, but it's at least worth noting it appears a tangled family tale. Wherever Mr Millman was by 1900, Lalla was clearly supporting herself then as a 'Saleslady'.

Perhaps someone could kindly post up Johnson & Greutner's list of Fitzpatrick's SBA exhibits, since he clearly showed there in the 1860s.

Apologies: the Manhattan census of 1900 is attached Marcie's post at 09/10/2021 17:12, not as stated immediately above.

Attached is a shot at Fitzpatrick: now having now sighted his SBA entries. The slightly odd thing in them is the second appearance of a painting called 'The Musical Union' in 1868 as well as 1863, but it looks like the latter (signed and dated) is the one we are dealing with here even if it did reappear at the SBA - at nearly three times the price - five years on.

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Jacinto Regalado,

Pieter, the St Mary's for which Fitzpatrick provided stained glass is not in Boston but in New Haven, Connecticut.

Sorry but this is the para I was looking at:

11/10/2021 10:59
This is indeed interesting. Note that the firm of Arthur Fitzpatrick & Co was well established by 1874 and supplied the glass to the $222,000 church of St Mary's, Boston. From The Pilot, Volume 37, Number 44, 31 October 1874 (https://newspapers.bc.edu/)...

I see now that it goes on to place it at New Haven and will correct.

Marcie Doran,

That’s another excellent write-up, Pieter. Here’s some additional information based on records on Ancestry:

Lalla Fitzpatrick married August Millman (d. 1894) in 1891. Arthur Hugh Fitzpatrick (d. 1929) married Clara Cowie in 1908. Lawrence Owen Fitzpatrick married Margaret McKinley (d. 1902) in 1898.

I wasn’t able to find out how Mary Anne Rafter (née Sullivan, widow of Ireland-born Michael Rafter) (shown on the 1900 US Federal Census) was related to the Fitzpatrick family, although I did find an Ancestry tree for her family.

Lalla was recorded living at 67 Brewster Street on the 1920 US Federal Census - back in the neighbourhood on Staten Island where her parents had lived.

Thanks everyone for your hard work researching this artist! I have added his biography to our Collections Database. Im not sure how to add it to Art UK's info on the artist but Ill add it there once Ive found how.

Best wishes
Clare Marlow
Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Thanks to a joint effort by Jacinto, Marcie and others to find significant documentary evidence of the life and career of Arthur Fitzpatrick, Peter has put together biography of the artist which I think satisfies the original question. Thanks to all and I recommend this discussion is now closed.

Clare - Art UK will also file the summary biography for reference until a more rigorously in-house edited version reappears as a formal artist 'profile' on the Art UK site.

You can of course use it how you like: the sole purpose of these 'bio drafts' is so that no-one has to plough all the way back through (eventually) long-out-of-mind and archived discussions to do their own versions unless they really want to, or need to backtrack the sources of information that are mostly omitted from them.