Art I LOVE: Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, – A Bygone way of Life
a whitby street
I have always loved these sepia photographs by Victorian Frank Meadow Sutcliffe (b. 1853 – 1941). I have several framed prints. Although posed, there is a certain lack of self consciousness in a lot of these photographs. It did help that Sutcliffe actually knew these villagers. The fisher people are my favorite portraits. The character of these people shine through their faces. Theirs wasn’t an easy life, battling against the elements in order to live. They were hardy people though with loads of grit, as evidenced in their portraits.
Henry Freeman Lifesboat man and hero
Although born in Leeds Yorkshire, Sutcliffe seems to have been fascinated by Whitby and it’s people, capturing lots of its rural life and some of the surrounding villages on his camera. Sutcliffe had his studio in Whitby and lived just outside.
halcyon days
Sutcliffe chronicles a life that has all but disappeared. From capturing everyday working life to even the leisurely way people and animals moved down the lane. At work and at play, you get the feeling that these people communicated and cared for one another. There is a sense of community which I find quite charming.
A reassuring sense of community
Read all about this interesting photographer here
whitby harbour
June 24, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I was in Whitby just under two weeks ago, and loved the place. It’s interesting to see it as it was when it was more of a working town than a tourist town.
Wonderful photos–thanks for posting.
June 24, 2009 at 7:22 pm
You’re welcome Jane! There’s something about sepia photographs isn’t there? Somehow you don’t need the colour, you can just feel it lol!
Kind Regards
Lynda
July 1, 2009 at 12:45 am
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October 22, 2009 at 12:58 pm
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June 27, 2010 at 10:15 pm
I have 6 beautiful repos by Frank Meadowcroft Sutcliffe, “Catching Newts”, “The Dock End, Whitby 1880”, “Under the Wing of St. Mary’s Church”, “Fishermen by the Harbor Rail”, “Girls Scaning Mussels” and “The Ingathering”. These repos include the signature of “Frank M. Sutcliffe in the right bottom corner and “c The Sutcliffe Gallery” in very small print in the middle of the repos – the size of each is 15 5/8 inches by 11 1/4 inches. They are in a 1993 calendar issued by “Clark’s International LTD, trading as Larkhill Polymer Products, Yeovil, Somerset B.A.21, England”.
Could you kindly give me their value? Thank you very much – Ruth Rosser, Foley, Alabama, USA
June 27, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Sorry Ruth, but I don’t know what they would be worth. They sound lovely by the way! Here is the link to the Frank Meadowcroft Sutcliffe Gallery in Whitby, maybe they can help. Hope this helps. Thanks for visiting!
http://www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk/index.html
August 23, 2012 at 4:06 pm
I absolutely love the stunning photographs they really capture the atmosphere, they have inspired me in my paintings of whitby, so thankyou, just wish there were more old photos taken showing more history
October 9, 2012 at 2:49 pm
There’s definitely something special about sepia photographs – I love looking through ancestral ones but sadly, I don’t own many myself.