ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

THE PAINTER


A painting titled 'The Doctor' always hung in my Dads room
as a child I thought it dreary, only dull colour there did bloom
But I was told it was my heritage though at that time I did not care.
We were told Dads sister Madelaine was the child painted there.
I could never ever find the facts to prove this family tale
It was a legacy, just handed on. These stories oft’ prevail.
I never knew this Uncle, he of titles and of fame
all I knew was Uncle Samuel was a man with our last name.

'The Mystery of Edwin Drood ' the last novel Dickens penned
was illustrated by my uncle. A great man even then.
In September 1870 it sold for eighteen pence
and on its cover Uncle portrayed the mysterious events.
'The Houseless and Hungry ' depicted the despair felt when people meet.
Women in shawls clutched babes to breasts on cold and windy streets
their men slouched shivering and grim leant on the workhouse walls
and children hungry, desperate, cold, gazed out from eyes appalled.

'Dolly', 'Jessica ' and 'Venetta' showed lovely ladies of his day.
Were they models, friends or lovers ? .. None here know and none will say.
But their beauty he's depicted. Fleshy tones and eyes so bright
with a penchant perhaps for redheads? 'Alfresco Toilette' will delight.
'The Village Wedding' shows a happy day. Farmers in smocks and boots
and a young lad with two baskets no doubt full of wedding loot.
An officer of the Engineers in red Uniform and shako hat
has a femme fatale on each arm and he looks darn pleased with that.

The blushing Bride, her eyes downcast, carries her wedding bouquet.
New husband, scrubbed up nicely. Flaunts Topper and boutonniere gay
Leads his wife past thatched roof cottages and country gardens sweet,
as they head to their wedding breakfast. The newlyweds the neighbours greet.
He painted Kings and Princes, he painted rich and poor
Was raised in Northern England as my Dad was before
we emigrated out here and my Dads one link with home
was the picture that he carried , where ever he did roam.

Uncle Samuel Fildes the artist, was knighted by the Queen
in 1906 . That no doubt was the culmination of a long held dream.
He breathed his last breath in 1927 and from this world departed.
From stories like his are legends made, and family pride imparted.

Maureen Clifford © 12/11

That's an amazing heritage Maureen. Do you have a copy of the book. I think you have described the book illustrations but didn't actually say that you have seen the book. Unless my pea brain has missed something.

No Neville I don't have a copy of Edwin Drood and knew nothing about it until I started doing this genealogy thing, Uncle Luke (aka Samuel Luke) did the illistrations for Dickens but the story was unfinished as Charles Dickens died before ending it. It was made into a musical as well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mystery_of_Edwin_Drood

It is an amazing heritage with 2 of Uncle Lukes boys both coming to prominence. Denis Quenton Fildes also an artist with paintings in Buckingham palace. Sir Paul Gordon Fildes was a noted microbiologist and pathologist and one of the pioneers of medical science receiving a militiary OBE in 1919 for services to the war effort

.http://www.google.com.au/search?q=luke+ ... CBkQ_AUoAQ&


I can safely say I now know far more about my dad's family now than he ever did. It is just a shame he is no longer with us to be able to share the info. He knew very little about his family. His father died when Dad was 15 ...he used to be a test driver for Leyland Motors and was killed in a head on collision with a tree when a trucks brakes gave way coming down a hill . The responsibility for looking after his mother, brother and sister then fell on Dad's shoulders. To the best of my knowledge Dad did not even know that his own Father had 10 siblings...we never heard mention made of any of them, believing that when my brother goes that was the end of the line.

At some stage there was a Catholic connection with a Catholic archbishop who I haven't yet found in there somewhere and my Grand dad supposedly trained for the priesthood before marrying my Gran, and the family weren't happy about the marriage for some reason. Dad was very anti catholic - so whether the whole family had become estranged over the religious issue and his Dad had broken away completely from the rest of the family and thus never mentioned them I don't know. That secret died with him. before I was born.

But I am like a dog with a bone now - digging