Samuel James Clark (also known as Samuel Joseph Clark)

"Dad. Samuel James Clark. Age about 21. Taken about 1862 in studio at home"

Handwriting of Samuel's daughter Jessica Clark Trafford

Samuel James Clark was born 26 April 1841, the first son of animal painter James Clark and his wife Elizabeth (nee London). He was baptized at St. John the Baptist, Hoxton, on 27 March 1842. Samuel spent his early years living in Hoxton and learning to paint from his father. He is first noted as "animal painter" on the family's census record of 1861. Early on in his career he began painting the farmyard scenes and country landscapes with working horses for which he has become so well-known. Many of his pictures show he was greatly influenced by the work of J F Herring. He used a variety of signatures, including S Clark, S J Clark (often with the J running down through the S), Saml. J Clark and S Jas. Clark. The latter could be the cause of auctioneers' assumption that his middle name was Joseph, since a smudgily-painted "Jas." could easily be mistaken for "Jos."

In 1863, at the age of 21, he married Maria Jane Thornton at St Mark's church, Myddleton Square, Islington. They had three sons, Claude, Ernest and Cuthbert, and three daughters, Kate, Maud and Lillian. The family lived at many different addresses in London over the next thirteen years, moving from Islington to Chelsea, Hampstead, Balham, Streatham and Brixton before finally settling back in Islington around 1880. Samuel taught his sons to paint and also to play the violin.

From 1885 to 1887, Samuel, Maria and their children lived at 22 Alexandra Gardens in Folkestone. This would have been around the time their son Cuthbert was sent to Boulogne in France for further education. A newspaper article in The Folkestone Express of 1st May 1886 reveals that Samuel was fined for not keeping his dog under control. The same newspaper also records that the family was the victim of theft of coal from their cellar in 1885.

From The Folkestone Express, 1st May 1886

The family returned to Islington in 1888, living at 79 Kelvin Road for at least the next five years. Some time in the late 1890's Samuel separated from Maria and set up a new home with a young mistress, Sophia Mabel Cooke. Samuel taught her to paint and she usually signed her work as Mabel Trafford. They lived in Tottenham and called themselves Mr and Mrs Clark Trafford, completing census forms in this fictitious name and registering their three children Betty, Jessica and James with the double surname. There are no records of Samuel painting under the name of Trafford, and he continued to register as Samuel James Clark on the electoral roll. See Mabel Trafford's own page for more information and examples of her work,

Samuel appears to have had an earlier mistress, during the late 1870's/early 1880's, whose identity remains unknown. Siblings Florence Mary Clark, Henry James Clark and William Clark all claimed, on their parish marriage records, that "Samuel James Clark, artist" was their father. There are no birth records for any of these illegitemate children. Their adult census records reveal that Florence was born in Dover in 1876, Henry in Hornsey in 1877, and William in Islington in 1883.

Like many other members of his family, Samuel does not appear to have exhibited with any of the major art societies. Some of his canvases bear the mark of London art materials supplier and picture dealer Arthur Rayner. From 1905 he is known to have sold his paintings through an auctioneer named James Lawrence Castiglione, who traded under the name of The London Fine Art Company. In 1912 Castiglione was charged with perjury and Samuel spoke as a witness at his trial* at the Old Bailey:

"Samuel Clark, 8 Beresford Road, Harringay, artist in oils. I have been a landscape-painter for 50 years. I have painted pictures for [Castiglione] and have sold him 20 to 25 in a year, the price varying from £1 to £15, averaging about £5 a picture." He went on to talk about his half brother James Albert Clark who worked as a picture restorer for Castiglione. During cross-examination Samuel continued: "My father was a well-known animal painter. I have painted several pictures for the Prince of Teck. [Castiglione] has always acted honourably towards me; I looked upon him as a friend as well as a patron. He has never asked me to sign anyone else's name to a picture or to make any false representation of any kind. I have received 100 guineas for a picture. [Castiglione] has paid me as much as £20 for a picture."

Castiglione was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

*www.oldbaileyonline.org Porteous and Castiglione Case reference number: t19120227-15a

Samuel's common law wife Mabel died of breast cancer in 1914, aged 41. Samuel continued to paint, and employed a house-keeper named Mary Burlton to care for young Betty, Jessica and James.

Samuel died at his home, 16 Vincent Road, Tottenham, on Guy Fawkes night 1928. His daughter Jessie recalled her father's last words were, "What's all that noise?", as nearby fireworks exploded. He was aged 87.