William Frederick Jackson

Born at Middleton Junction, Jackson had relatively little formal training. After leaving school, he attended evening classes at Oldham School of Art. It was here that he first came into contact with young members of the Manchester School, who were attracted to the work of the Barbizon painters. He was made a member of the Arts Club in 1879 and after the exhibitions of the Manchester Academy in 1880 and 1881 he was made a member of the Manchester Academy of Fine Art. He became a member of the New English Art Club in 1886, but had little to do with its more progressive members such as Sickert and Steer. In the 1890s, he became a member of the Royal Society of British Artists (1894) and through his friendship with Edgar Wood was much involved in the Arts and Crafts Movement. He lived for a time in Wales, and then studied in Paris under the French academic painters Jules-Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) and Gustave Boulanger (1824-1888). Jackson spent four years in France and travelled widely in Europe, as well as visiting Morocco, before he returned to England and settled near Whitby. He exhibited frequently at the Manchester Academy, and at the Yorkshire Union of Artists annual exhibitions. After 1900 he also travelled in Russia, France and Italy. Jackson's brother Charles was an art dealer and owned a gallery in Manchester.Two other sketches by Jackson of the same subject arer included on the 1923 list, but they are at present untraced.