NEWARK TOWN HALL MUSEUM - Key Persons
Fanny Easterfield was a local artist working mainly in watercolours of landscapes, and interiors. She was the youngest child of Hannah (nee Shaw) and Walter Easterfield, a Station Master at Northgate Station.
Her works were well known locally and she regularly exhibited at the Castle Museum, Nottingham. She was an active member of the Town and taught Sunday School for many years and supported the local branch of the League of Nations Union. Her interests included rowing and tennis and she was amongst the first members of Newark Tennis Club.
In August 2016, the museum held an exhibition on Fanny Easterfield. Following an appeal in the Newark Advertiser to borrow more works to display in this exhibition, only a couple of her pieces came forward. If you know of the whereabouts of her works, we would be most grateful for that information.
She trained as an artist at South Kensington School of Art, London, returning to Newark after graduating. She earned her living as a private tutor in drawing and painting, teaching many pupils from the Town. Her classes were not restricted to the studio but often involved excursions to the local museum to study paintings.
During her lifetime, she and her easel were a familiar sight around Newark. She created many scenes of local landmarks. These included Newark Castle, the Parish Church of St. Mary Magdalene and the old Roman Bridge at Claypole.
In 1905 some of her local views were made into postcards, four of which were published by J W Ruddock of Lincoln, as part of its 'Artists Series'. These were, the Castle from the Trent, the Parish Church and Kirkgate from its junction with Middlegate, the Castle grounds and Gilstrap Library and Trent Bridge.
Still Life painted by William Nicholson, aged 13 for one of his father's friends for which he received £5 - his very first commission.
'Five Pound Note' in pencil and wash, was done by Nicholson, aged 13, as 'thank you' for payment for 'Still Life'.
William Nicholson was the third generation of his family to live in Newark. His grandfather Benjamin, and his father William Newzam, were Mayors of Newark.
He received his early artistic training from the age of twelve, from William Harold Cubley.
The Town Council's Museum has a very fine collection of Nicholson's oil paintings and lithographs on permanent display.