Charles Eyles Original Oil/Panel 12in x 15.5in

River Scene with Geese by Water’s Edge

Charles Eyles, was born at Islington, London in 1851, son of Charles Eyles, a dentist, and his wife Sarah née Jones, who married at St Pancras, London in 1848. In 1861, 10 year old Charles was living at 26 Forster Street, Shoreditch with his parents, 40 year Charles and 40 year old Sarah, who was from Bath, Somerset, together with his sibling sister 7 year old Sarah. Charles was educated in London and commenced his career as a piano tuner and in 1871 was lodging at 30 Burton Street, St Pancras, the home of 40 year old James Russell, a commercial clerk, and his family. By 1881, a 30 year old landscape painter, lodging at 10 Hamilton Street, St Pancras, the home of 45 year old Jonas Earnshaw, a professor of music, and his family and ten years later was living with his cousin Henry Jones, a draughtsman, at 77 St George's Avenue, Islington. Charles married at Hackney, London in 1894, Emma Mary Lucas and they came to live at Ipswich where their daughter Christine was born in 1900. A member and exhibitor at Ipswich Art Club 1898-1901 before he moved to 31 Regent Road, Lowestoft where he was living in 1901, a 49 year old 'artist & dealer in pianos and a tuner', and where his son Derek Charles [q.v.] was born in 1902, he had two further children born at Wangford, near Lowestoft, Kathleen Margarite in 1904 and Geoffrey [q.v.] in 1906. In 1911, a 59 year old 'on private means', living at Rydal, Tennyson Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire with his 44 year old wife and his two sons and two daughters. He later lived at 'Wanboro', Cowper Road, Bournemouth but was of 40 South Grove, Highgate, London when he died at 60 Fitzjohns Avenue, Hampstead, London on 31 March 1930, aged 79. Both his sons Derek Charles (1902-1974) and Geoffrey (1906-1965) were noted illustrators and comic strip artists. Charles's 1898 painting 'Ipswich' is in the collection of Southwold Town Council.