Sir Charles and Lady Frances Holroyd
Artists resident in Epsom for some years around 1900

Left: Fannie Holroyd, 1898 etching by her husband, Charles.
© The British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) 
Right: Charles Holroyd, 1905 greyscale reproduction
(from “Women painters of the world”) of the original oil on canvas painting by his wife, Fannie.
Public domain (via Wikipedia). 

The Prince Regent was not the only distinguished resident of the surprisingly old 16 Waterloo Road, Epsom. A century after the Prince’s brief tenure in about 1800, the house was occupied by the significant artists Charles and Fanny Holroyd. (See also our article about early 1800s historian Sharon Turner.)

Charles Holroyd was born in Potternewton, Leeds on 9 April 1861, the son of prosperous merchant William Holroyd. After his secondary education at Leeds Grammar School, he enrolled in the Yorkshire College of Science to study Mining Engineering. In a radical change of direction, he moved to London in 1880 where he attended the Slade School of Art, studying under Professor Legros. He clearly did well: on completing his studies in 1884, he was engaged by the Slade as a teacher.

During this period, he obtained a travelling scholarship and studied for two years in Italy. While in Rome, he met fellow artist Frances (always known as “Fannie”) Fetherstonhaugh Macpherson. She had been born on 17 November 1863 in Moonee Ponds, Australia, the daughter of the Premier of the state of Victoria, John Alexander MacPherson, and his wife Louisa Elizabeth.

The couple returned to the UK and, on 7 September 1891, married in the church of St Peter’s, Bayswater. Charles was aged 30 and Fannie 26. The register entry records both of them as “Artists” sharing the address 23 Pembridge Crescent. They then moved to “The Studio,” Church Walk, Hampstead where their only child, Michael, was born on 21 September 1892.

In 1897, Charles was appointed the first keeper of the National Gallery of British Art (later renamed the Tate Gallery and, nowadays, Tate Britain). It was about this time that the family moved to Epsom. The first local directory (not an annual publication) to record Charles at 16 Waterloo Road is the one for 1899. The couple, now in their late 30s, were recorded there in the 1901 Census together with 8 year old Michael and two domestic servants. Charles is listed as “Civil Servant, National Gallery Of British Art/Artist” and Fannie as “Artist”.

The local directory for 1903 records the Holroyds still at 16 Waterloo Road. 1903 also saw the publication of Charles’s book on the Renaissance genius Michaelangelo (“Michael Angelo Buonarotti”, published by Duckworth). This scholarly work is still today regarded as something of real value. Indeed, it has recently been re-published.

In the 1904 New Year Honours, Charles was knighted, making him “Sir Charles” and giving his wife the courtesy title of “Lady Fannie”. Shortly after this, they moved from Epsom and, in 1906, Charles succeeded Sir Edmund Poynter as Director of the National Gallery.

Alongside this literary and administrative work, we must not lose sight of Charles’s art. He was an accomplished painter in oils. Particularly well-regarded was his 1886 “Death of Torrigiano”, as on the left below. However, his favoured medium was etching in which he showed exceptional ability coupled with a profound technical knowledge of the craft. “The Salute, Venice” on the right below was presented to The Tate in 1918 by the newly-widowed Lady Fannie.

Left: The Death of Torrigiano, oil on canvas by Charles Holroyd, 1886.
Right: The Salute, Venice, etching by Charles Holroyd, 1902.
In both cases © Tate (CC-BY-NC-ND-3.0 Unported)

(While an internet search for works by Charles Holroyd yields many other examples, the same is not true for Fannie’s art. There is, however, the reproduction of her portrait of Charles as at the head of this article.)

The 1911 Census records the family at Sturdie House, Beechwood Avenue, Weybridge. The now 49 year old Sir Charles is listed as “Artist and Director of National Gallery”. 47 year old Fannie is listed as “Artist” and 18 year old Michael is “at School”. The three were supported by three domestic servants.

They were still at that address when Charles died on 17 November 1917, aged 56. On 8 February 1918, administration of his £13,221 estate was granted to Dame Fanny Holroyd (implying that she had been given the female equivalent of a knighthood – but the record of that has proved elusive) and Michael Holroyd “Captain HM Army”.

Fannie was also “of” that Weybridge address when she died on 17 April 1924, aged 61 – although her death was in Syracuse, Sicily. The record of administration of her £23,661 estate being granted to her son Michael (now a “fellow of Brazenose College”) again described her as “Dame Fannie”.

Roger Morgan © 2021