James Price Landscape Painter

 During transcription of Shoreham burial registers now published online at Kent Online Parish Clerks Shoreham Burials 1813-1850 I discovered my first reference to a Shoreham based Landscape Painter called James Price. I wrote about his father's career here but the Covid 19 restrictions and the decision to close archives with staff working remotely inhibited my ability to research more about this man. There were a number of census possibilities but James Price is a common British name.

James lived with  the rest of his family in the 1841 census at Shoreham Rectory and is aged 30 and unmarried. He was born at Croydon on the 19 October 1805 whilst his father was curate at Croydon and is likely to have been baptised by his father at Croydon on 18 May 1806 although I have not had access to the original record. This eliminates another Price family found at the same period in the Croydon register who lived in the Mitcham part of the parish.

The Bank of England have in their art collection some of his landscapes possibly commissioned. The British Museum also has some of his work. There is one work which appears to be a view of Shoreham from the high ground of Filston Lane looking down the Darenth Valley with the Parish Church featured.

I was left with a conclusion that James might have entered employment at the Bank of England but the Bank of England Archive was closed and relevant record searches were not possible by Archivists working from home. I am extremely grateful to the Bank of England Archive staff who during a break in lockdown managed to locate in their admission registers confirmation of James's place and date of birth. At age 20 he was admitted to employment as a clerk of the Bank of England and was "single and free from debt" and described as living wholly with his father at the Rectory at Shoreham. This information is contained in reference M5/408 Committee for Examination of Clerks for Election:Qualification Reports (19 July 1814-13 February 1829) held at the Bank of England Archive.

He married  and the couple are found in the 1851 census at 3 Sydney Place Brixton. James aged 45 is a clerk in the Bank of England  and he and his wife Sarah born at Pentonville Middlesex have 8 children the youngest Eleanor Agnes is seven months old and they employ a nurse and two other resident domestic staff.

After his father's death and his mother's funeral James proves to be an elusive figure but his paintings have entered national collections and are also from many parts of England. He died in 1879 and is buried with both his parents at Shoreham. There is no entry in the burial register to indicate where he lived. However his death certificate records his death aged 73 at 14 Woodlands Villas Blackheath and his death is certified as due to General paralysis. His daughter Eleanor Agnes registered the death and appears to have cared for him in his later years.

James is one of the more interesting all male Bank of England Clerks in having a landscape art career which features in National collections.The art world record of him is incorrect having much later birth year in his brief biography.

It is interesting that he chose to be buried with both his parents at Shoreham and he appears to have identified completely with his home at The Rectory and life with his parents in the parish.

© Henry Mantell Downe Online Parish Clerk 2013-2021

Reverend Robert Price BA vicar of Shoreham

Transcription of a parish register can become arduous if the person making original entries was unfamilar with the concept of knib and ink. The Reverend Robert Price on the other hand was the transcriber's dream. He is the only person to enter Shoreham burials from 1817 until his death;the remainder of burials in the register that preceded his entries are also meticulously and neatly inscribed by a curate; after Robert's death sadly penmanship is a stranger! My transcript of the 1813-1850 Shoreham Burial Register is now  available at the Kent Online Parish Clerks Shoreham page Shoreham Burials 1813-1850. A second register of Shoreham burials is also available online Shoreham Burials 1850-1889.
Robert Price was born in London the only son of James Price a London merchant according to Diocese of Rochester records and Cambridge University Alumni information. He gained his BA at Cambridge in 1796 and the same year became Curate at Saint Martin Outwich where he married Grace Ross. He served from 1796-1810 at Saint Martin Outwich London.
Robert Price was ordained a Deacon by the Bishop of London on 14 August 1796 and a priest by the Bishop of Rochester on 19 September 1802. He became a prebend of Durham in 1804 and one of three Canons nominated in 1807 to have episcopal oversight of Salisbury Diocese.
He served from 1802-1816 as curate of Croydon until he was appointed Vicar of Shoreham and instituted there on 8 June 1816 by the Dean and Chapter of Westminster who gave him the living. He served for 29 years until his death on 21 December 1842. His wife Grace entered Bromley College established for the widows of clergy and remained resident there until her death on 22 February 1862 aged 78. I have previously transcribed Grace's funeral account from Dunns undertaking business at Bromley Market Square which was paid by her son James  and details her coffin and conveyance to Shoreham for burial see two items for Grace Price funeral. In Bromley the surgeon who attended her was outfitted for attendance at the funeral and the parish church bell was tolled as the hearse and attendant coach and pair left Bromley for Shoreham.
The family burial plot at Shoreham also includes their son James Price a landscape painter who died 24 June 1879 aged 74. On 16 December 1817 the Shoreham register records the baptism of William Price to Robert and Grace;Robert baptises his own son.
The family appear in the 1841 census as resident at the Vicarage Shoreham. James Price aged 30 is unmarried and still lives with his parents;his sister Grace is aged 25 and William is aged 20. The 1841 census records that neither James or Grace were born in Kent. Grace married in 1863 at Sealkote India Thomas Wilson BA.
It appears likely that both elder children were born  in London or Croydon,during their father's ministry in those parishes.

© Henry Mantell Downe and Farnborough Online Parish Clerk 2013-2020