WTN Boyce and family

WTN Boyce and family

Postby jjc » Fri Nov 13, 2015 10:52 am

Hello everybody; just joined this excellent board and hope to be able to post some of the many photos I have of the Tyne and associated shipping scenes from the 1950s and early 60s, and also a few from back around 1900. These all taken by my grandfather John (Jack) Ritchie, who was born in South Shields in 1890 and retired back there in 1960, living just off the Lawe Top in Roman Road until his death in 1967. As a child I spent all my summers there from 1960 to 1967, so have many happy memories and recall many of my grandfather's stories including rowing a boat through the north pier after it was breached, taking a trip to London on the coal boat Cormoat, which was captained by his brother in law. He also recalled seeing the whole of the Grand Fleet moored off the mouth of the Tyne pre-WW1.

He also used to take me to the south beach at particularly low tides to see the wrecks of the Salween and the Constance Ellen, which I imagine are still there, covered in sand. I also remember the grounding of the Aldofotis II next to the groyne in the late Sixties. It was there for ages and was dismantled in situ I recall. We used to fish at the Mill Dam, looking out at the big old whalers that used to be moored near there - Southern Harvester is the name I remember.

As well as his photographs, I inherited from him three watercolours by WTN Boyce, who was a very active marine watercolourist living in Trajan Avenue until his death in 1911. I have since acquired quite a few other paintings by WTN Boyce and a couple by his son Septimus, all of shipping in or around the mouth of the Tyne. I will try to scan some of them and post them here in due course.

I also have a couple of paintings by BB Hemy, also active as a marine painter in South Shields before the First World War; he died in 1910.

Apart from some basic information about both Boyce and Hemy that is repeated across various art sites, I have been able to find out very little about either painter and am keen to do so, so am wondering if an members here have any knowledge about them, or know any living descendants of either man? I'm particularly interest in WTN Boyce as I suspect my grandfather knew him and bought the paintings directly from him. Many thanks.
jjc
 

Re: WTN Boyce and family

Postby northeast » Fri Nov 13, 2015 11:45 am

Welcome to our site 'jjc' and looking forward to some of the interesting material you mention.
If you search in the Tyne section you will find photos of the ADELFOTIS II (note spelling) and possibly some of the others.
Hoping someone can help you re the painters.
northeast
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