Claude Lorraine Clark (also known as Claude Cardon)

Claude grew up in Islington with his two brothers and three sisters. Samuel taught the boys to paint and also to play the violin. Claude is first noted as "artist" on the family's census record of 1881 when he was 17. Seven years later he married Lotte Maud Whetstone and they moved to 10 Witherington Road, Islington. He remained at this address until 1895 when he moved to Rochester Square in Camden. In 1901 Claude was working from 1 The Studios in Camden Street, moving to 3 The Studios, Camden Street in 1908. He is known to have worked as a picture restorer for a time.

The early work of Claude Lorraine Clark is much like his father's. Typically he painted rural scenes with horses, loggers, blacksmiths, and farmyards full of animals.  There is one anomaly among his auction records: a painting named "A gaslit dance floor, Highbury". These early paintings were signed "Claude Lne. Clark" or with a monogram.

In 1892 Claude had a painting accepted by the Royal Academy, called "A family of three". This was painted under the pseudonym Claude Cardon. From this point on he used the name Cardon for all his paintings, and by 1903 he had registered to vote in this name. Claude exhibited again at the RA in 1893, 1899, 1900, 1908, 1912, 1913, and 1915. He also exhibited at Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery, the Manchester City Art Gallery, and with the Royal Society of British Artists at Suffolk Street, London. Claude painted in oil and also water-colour. His pictures as Claude Cardon continued to be mostly rural farm scenes, increasingly concentrating on calves, puppies, chickens and geese. He aso painted highland cattle and some continental street views. According to his grandson, not being elected to membership of the Royal Academy remained one of Claude's greatest disappointments. 

By 1911 Claude, Lottie and their three children had moved to 12 Cromwell Road in Whitstable, Kent, although he continued to maintain his studio in Camden until at least 1924. The whole family had by now adopted the name Cardon, although only Claude's son, Claude Leslie Clark, changed it officially by deed poll in 1937. His grandson says that Claude began to use the name Cardon because he wanted to distinguish himself from the many Clarks in the art and entertainment world. Both of Claude's brothers, Ernest and Cuthbert, were professional violinists; Cuthbert Edward Clark was the well-known musical director of the Empire Theatre in Leicester Square, London, and a composer of light music under the name of Cuthbert Clarke (for more information see Links page). Claude was also an accomplished musician, playing violin, viola cello, clarinet and piano. 

Claude spent his final years at 79 Canterbury Road, Whitstable, using a bedroom overlooking his garden as his studio. Claude died at home aged 72 on 20 January 1937.