Tuesday 9 August 2016

Jackson Duo

a black and white photocopy of Alexander Wallace Jackson, artist, Otautau Museum
Alexander Wallace Jackson (1881-1856)
Photo from his divorce file via Archives NZ
If you have been following our research into the Jackson couple who painted portraits in the early 1900s, we finally have a photo to share thanks to the Christchurch High Court and Archives NZ.

Alexander Wallace Jackson (1881-1956) was an oil painter in Christchurch. There is some suggestion that he was born in England and was a South African War veteran, but we have not confirmed this.

He married Honor Banfield in 1911 at St John's, Christchurch. He was active in the St Albans and Edgeware communities in the 1920s especially the St Albans Burgesses Association, the Edgeware Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Clubs, the St Albans School Committee and St Albans Swimming Club. He later worked as a bookseller, news agent and civil servant.

Unfortunately, we couldn't find a picture of Honor Banfield (1881-1967) though we suspect her sisters and parents' photos are held at the Nelson Provincial Museum. With so little information collected at the time the photos were taken, this cannot yet be confirmed. We do know she was born in Riwaka, north of Motueka, and moved to Christchurch with her parents between 1906 and 1911. Honor and Alexander married in 1911 and divorced in 1938. In that time, they appeared to have operated their art business. She painted in oils and was a relief carver. They had no children. Honor remarried in 1943 to John Carson. 


From the Press, Volume LX, Issue 18108,
25 June 1924, Page 8
The popularity of photography probably put a lot of portrait artists out of business. So finding these old gems all these years later has been really enjoyable.

What would you do if you owned a portrait painting? Would you restore it? Would you sell it? 

And if you have a painting signed by A W & H Jackson, drop us a line. We'd love to see it and put it in our virtual exhibition.

Note: We're open Sundays, 2pm-4pm and by request.

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