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Elected Artist Member in 1907 8 Season, he was then seventy years old and no doubt was introduced to the Tribe by Brother Savage Brooke Branwhite. It would appear that they were related, Branny’s father having married the widow of Robert’s eldest brother. At the time of his election he was already a well¬ known artist, being a member of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours (RWS.) with landscape painting his speciality. In view of his age, it is not surprising that there is little record of his activity in the Studio. but we do possess two of his works No. 135 and 299. the second being a presentation to the Tribe, which seemed to be the custom of members who were unable to do Evening Sketching, He also contributed to the Bongie Portfolio. He lived at Downend at a house named Ovenhurst which achieved a certain amount of notoriety due to the fact that it was decorated to Robert’s design throughout. He was a keen entomologist and had a very large collection of the insect world. Like so many of the early members he was a dedicated artist, and never gave up painting. In April 1918, when he was eighty, he made the long journey from Downend to Hampton Park to see his old friend, Brother Savage Wilde Parsons. There they had a painting session after which he was suddenly taken ill and within four hours he had died, shortly after, Wilde Parsons sent the Tribe this painting framed and a note on the back explaining its origin. (Cecil Broome)
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