Well painted original watercolour by listed Yorkshire artist Tom Whitehead (1886 - 1959), painted circa1953.

Titled depicting the view along High Street, with the building of Orchard Farm on the left, in the market town of Broadway, Worcestershire. This watercolour is painted at dusk - Whitehead painted a similar view in 1953, painted during the morning sun, in both the foliage shows the same degree of growth, so it is fair to assume the date is the same.

Signed lower right.

Watercolour and pencil on heavy, wove paper. In a later stained and gilded wood frame with single mount.

Watercolour in good original condition, with fresh strong colour, some very light foxing in the sky area (see photo). Frame with some very slight nicks and scratches, mount clean (see photos). 

Image 27.5cm x 40.5cm, frame 43cm x 55.5cm.

One of a small collection of the artist's work I have listed.

Comes with our Certificate of Authenticity - guaranteed authentic and original.

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Tom Whitehead 1886 - 1959

British landscape, portrait and figure painter mainly in watercolours, etcher.

Tom Whitehead was the son of James Whitehead and Mary Ann (nee Crowther) and was born in Brighouse on June 5th, 1886. The family lived at 212 Hey Street, near what is now Wellholme Park. Whitehead attended Halifax School of Art. Showing great talent, he was awarded a scholarship of two years study and a maintenance allowance to attend the Royal Academy of Art in London – one of only three scholarships offered annually. He studied there from 1905-6. After his time at the Royal Academy, Whitehead returned to Halifax where he lived for the rest of his life, building up a successful reputation as a portrait painter. He was commissioned for many portraits including leading figures in Halifax, notable townspeople and former mayors.

Whitehead also produced many landscapes and street scenes, travelling the country to capture what he saw. He exhibited widely, including at the Royal Academy, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Leeds City Gallery, Bradford's Cartwright Hall, Smith Art Gallery in Brighouse and Bankfield Museum.

During the First World War, Whitehead was a conscientious objector and was imprisoned at Wakefield Prison, Wormwood Scrubs where he undertook hard labour, and finally Dartmoor where he completed a portrait of a fellow conscientious objector.

Later in life Whitehead married Annie Olive Towle (née Margison and known as Olive) who was a professional violinist. The Whiteheads initially lived on York Crescent, Halifax, but later moved to 19 Willowfield Road. Whitehead died in May 1978, soon after a large exhibition at Bankfield Museum. Today, Calderdale Museums holds a large collection of Tom Whitehead’s personal archival material and works spanning his long career.

Orchard Farm is a Cotswold farm and country house in Broadway, Worcestershire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building and is at the centre of a private estate. The house was restored and extended twice during the early 20th century.

Wool merchants built Orchard Farm around 1620. Nearly a century later, in 1720, the Walker family restored and expanded the house, keeping with the traditional style.

In the 19th century, the estate fell upon ill fortune and was divided into two smaller dwellings, until the farm was acquired by Lady Maud Bowes-Lyon. Bowes-Lyon hired architect A. N. Prentice to restore the residence, expand the home, and design an English garden around the property.

Thomas E. Wells purchased the farm in 1904 and hired artist Alfred Parsons to redesign the gardens. In 1910, Wells died at the estate; the funeral was held at the home, conducted by Francis Xavier Morgan, and attended by then 18-year-old J. R. R. Tolkien.

In 1945, nearly 9 acres of arable fields and orchards owned by Orchard Farm were compulsorily purchased under the Housing Acts 1936 to 1944 to provide extra houses for the village.

Orchard Farm remained in the Wells family until 1953, when Professor and Mrs. Goiten purchased the estate. The house has since been split into two separate houses and the barns and outbuildings have also been converted into independent homes.

Notable residents: Lady Maud Bowes-Lyon, Sir Thomas E. Wells, Sir Gerald Nabarro.