David Law (buried 1902)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Law
First name: 
David
Other Christian names: 
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
Yes
Burial number: 
377
Born: 
25/4/1831
Died: 
28/12/1901
Buried: 
01/01/1902
Occupation: 
Engraver, Landscape painter, Etcher
Distinction: 
Famous Etcher
Heene Hallmark: 
Yes
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
SES
Cemetery row: 
13
Cemetery plot: 
16
what3words location: 
https://what3words.com/driven.alien.cubs
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Endowed grave: 
No
Headstone inscription: 
In loving memory of David Law born at Edinburgh April 25th 1831 died Decbr. 28th 1901 "I am the resurrection and the life" In loving memory of Alfred John Law born July 6th 1855 died Janry 9th 1909

Life story

Life story

Heene Hallmark

David Law 1831 -1901

Famous for J.M.W. Turner Etchings

Dittisham on the Dart
Dittisham on the Dart

 A nineteenth century painter, watercolourist and etcher, born in Edinburgh in 1831, David Law was apprenticed to a steel engraver at an early age. In 1845 he was admitted into the Trustees' Academy, Edinburgh, where he studied under Alexander Christie and Emslie Dallas for the following five years. In 1851, he gained employment in the Ordnance Survey Office in Southampton, and engraved maps for the following twenty years. 

At the age of over forty David Law decided to dedicate himself completely to artistic pursuits and moved to London. By 1873 he was exhibiting his art at many major institutions, including the Royal Academy. He was elected to membership of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in 1881 and the Society of British Artists in 1884 becoming its Treasurer in 1887 during the Presidency of Whistler. 

He became most famous for landscape etchings, particularly river views of the Thames and elsewhere. A number of his etchings were commissioned by the leading art journals of the day. Such is the case with Dittisham on the Dart, which was published by the Magazine of Art, London.

In 1853, David married Eliza Ann Wight in South Stoneham, in Hampshire. Son Alfred and daughters Annie and Eliza Amy were born there. 

David's son, Alfred, had married on May 21st 1887, at St Andrew's Church, Holborn to Alice Maud Green, 28, a spinster from Chiswick, the daughter of a licensed victualler, William Green. At the time of the 1891 census, Alfred and Alice M, Law were living at 251 Finchley Road, Hampstead, along with two female servants. Alfred was shown as a pianoforte salesman. 

David was living at Fernlea, St Michael's Road, Worthing when he died. In 

1901 Alfred, a widower, was living in a Boarding House in Bloomsbury, a Pianoforte Salesman. Alice died in Hendon in the last quarter of 1896 and by 1901 Alfred, still of the same occupation, and correctly shown as a widower, was living in a boarding house in Bloomsbury 

Sisters Annie and Amy were living together, on their own means, with one servant, at Almona, 14 Shelley Road by 1911. It was there that brother Alfred died in 1909 and Amy in 1912.

Burial researcher: 
Liz Lane

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
25/04/1831
Address at birth: 
Edinburgh, Midlothian (County of Edinburgh), Scotland
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Eliza A
Spouse one last name: 
Wight
Marriage one date: 
00/00/1853
Marriage one address: 
Hampshire, England

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
28/12/1901
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
Fernlea, St Michael's Road, Worthing, Sussex, England
Obituary

 

Banbury Advertiser 2nd January 1902

DEATH DAVID LAW. David Law. the well-known etcher and watercolour painter, died on Saturday Worthing, after having been failing health for some time. Law, who was about 65 years of age, was Scottish born, and many of his best works represented Scottish landscapes. His period of great popularity was at time when etching was in high fashion, between 1875 and 1890; he then produced large number of prints after his own drawings, or after Turner and other masters, some such as "Warwick Castle" and "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" (Turner), were extremely successful!

Mr Law belonged to the older fashions of art but remained perhaps easily first in the school of landscape etchers. Many of his original plates - that is, etchings put direct on the plate without the intermediate stage of drawing acknowledged as masterpieces on the Continent. Among the favourites of these are Abbey and some big river scenes.

Personal effects
Probate pounds: 
£7,155

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1871 census: 

In 1871, the family was living in Hamilton Terrace, Southampton. David was described as an Engraver (Ordnance Survey Dept.). Son Alfred, was a 15-year-old Engraver, and daughters Annie and Amy, plus a General Servant were in the Household.

1881 census: 

By 1881 they were living in Regents Park Terrace, in Middlesex. Son Alfred John, was now a Pianoforte Tuner and daughter Annie, was a Landscape Artist and Painter. They had one Housemaid, from Wickham.

1891 census: 

In 1891, David was a Visitor at a Lodging House at 1 Western Road, Littlehampton, with Edith Grace Law.

1901 census: 

By 1901, now widowed, David had moved to Fernlea, St Michael's Road. Described as a retired Artist (Painter), daughters, Annie and Amy, were with their father, as well as Minnie Gates, a 16 year-old Domestic Servant, from Worthing.