Charles Western – Victorian Landscape Painter

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Charles Western (1856 - 1901)

It is generally accepted in the family that Charles was the finest of the Western painters. Charles was a well-known Victorian landscape painter and he had pictures accepted by the Royal Academy (1893 – 1900), the Royal Society of British Artists (1885 – 1893), and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (1894 – 1899).

Charles, the first son of Richard Western and Mary Ann (nee Norman), was born on 26^th January, 1856, in Thorverton, Devon. By the time of the 1861 census, 5-year-old Charles was living with the family on Buckridge Farm, West Teignmouth, Devon. At that time, the family consisted of Richard and Mary, Charles, Evelina, and Mary Ann. Mary’s father, Thomas Norman, a Master Gardener was also living with them on the farm.

The next twenty years of his life are not well recorded in official records, but the family was residing in Islington by 1867 when his brother Thomas Norman Western was born. The family remained in Islington for the birth of three more brothers (1867 – 1877). The 1881 census shows a 25-year-old Charles Western, boarder, living at 9 Elford Rd, Islington. His occupation is given as coach builder.

Two years later, on 14^th May, 1883, Charles married Catherine Pailthorpe (the daughter of Richard Rowley Pailthorpe, a Railway Clerk). Charles and “Kate” (as she was more often known) were married in the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart church in Islington.

Charles and Kate next appear in the 1891 census, living at 62 Ronald’s Road, Islington. They have no children, and Kate’s mother-in-law Mary A. Pailthorpe is living next door. Charles showed a landscape painting (“Old Mill at Shere, Surrey”) in 1885 at the Royal Society of British Artists, and his occupation on the 1891 census is given as “Landscape Artist”.

Charles’ successful career was cut prematurely short in March, 1901. Kenneth George Western writes in a January 2001 letter. "[Charles] could have achieved considerable distinction had he not had the misfortune to break a blood vessel in an important area of the body whilst in full voice doing a song involving certain animal impersonations in a village hall concert. There was an old farmer who had an old son - (impression followed) - then bingo! lights out; so I was told."

His 28 March, 1901, death certificate states he was a 43 year-old "Artist, Picture Painter". The cause of death is "Left Hemiplegia, probably Embolus from heart, 4 days, coma 1 day". The informant is M.A. Pailthorpe, his mother-in-law. He was residing at 6 Blythwood Rd, Islington at the time of his death.

Geoffrey Taylor has catalogued a few of Charles’ paintings that sold at various exhibitions. It is interesting to note the increase in selling price over his short career, as shown below.

Year	Title	Exhibiting society	Cat. No.	Price
1885	Old Mill at Shere, Surrey	Royal Society of British Artists	95	8 8s
1892	Early Summer	Royal Society of British Artists	272	8 8s
1892	Friday Street Village, Surrey		570	10 10s
1893	On the Breezy Common	Royal Society of British Artists	261	10 10s
1893	Friday Street Village	Royal Academy	727	10 10s
1894	Home Farm	Royal Institute of Oil Painters	250	15 15s
1898	Homewards	Royal Institute of Oil Painters	169	25 0s
1899	The Grey of the Morning		844	Unknown
1900	The Top of the Hill		919	Unknown

Last updated 12 February, 2005

Copyright © 2004 – 2005 Trevor Western

Information on Charles’ paintings comes from Geoffrey Taylor.