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SKELTON, Joseph Ratcliffe, RWA. PDF Print E-mail
One of the Foundation Members at the 1904 Meeting. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, he was fairly well known as an artist in watercolours and oils, specialising in figure painting. He also achieved some success as a black and white illustrator. He exhibited very extensively, including the Royal Academy, Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and the Royal West of England Academy. On entering the Tribe, he was held in very high esteem by the other members and they predicted a very great future for him, but during his short stay in Bristol he did not achieve the success expected. Never enjoying the best of health, he became somewhat depressed and left Bristol to try his luck in London. Nothing definite can be traced as to the exact date he left Bristol but, as he did not contribute to the Bongie Portfolio, it can be assumed that it was prior to 1908. It is much regretted that the Tribe do not possess even one example of this Founder Member`s skill, but it is on record that the Tribe purchased one of his paintings entitled “Sabot Market, Concarneau”, the present whereabouts of which is not known. In London, still dogged by ill health, he was no more successful than in Bristol, although he did obtain commissions as an illustrator of brooks for J. A. Arrowsmith Ltd. Presumably he maintained his membership of the Tribe for, in 1912, when he was living at Weller Farm, Sunbridge, near Sevenoaks, he sent five of his paintings to the Savages` Exhibition. He later moved to St. Charles Square, London, but neither his luck nor his health improved, and in November 1927 he died in very straightened circumstances, leaving a widow and an invalid son. In accordance with the Savage custom, the Committee decided to include three of his paintings in their next Exhibition to help relieve his widow`s financial difficulties. (Cecil Broome)