John Leighton (1822 - 1912)

Ancestors

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Residence 1.2 Occupation 2 Work as artist 3 Leighton Family Tomb 4 See Also 5 Sources

Biography

John was born on the 15th September 1822 the son of John Leighton and Sarah (Baynes) Leighton. His birth was registered in a non-conformist register and his place of birth was given as 6 Devfours Place, St James Westminster, Middlesex.^[1]

Many of his relatives were members of the Sandemanian church in Islington, Middlesex.

1841 Census on the 6th June 1841 John was living in High Street, St Pancras, Middlesex with his parents John and Sarah, and his siblings James, Emma, Henry, Eleanor shown as Ellen, and Alfred.^[2]

1851 Census on the 30th March 1851 John an artist, was living in High Street, St Pancras, Middlesex with his parents John and Sarah, and his siblings James, Emma, Henry, Eleanor and Alfred.^[3]

1861 Census on the 7th April 1861 John an artist, was living in Ormonde Terrace, St Pancras, Middlesex with his parents John and Sarah, and his siblings James, Emma, Henry, Eleanor shown as Ellen, and Alfred.^[4]

1871 Census on the 2nd April 1871 John a painter, was living in Sudbury Park, Harrow, Middlesex.^[5][6]

1911 Census on the 2nd April 1911 John a retired artist, was living at 12 Ormonde Terrace, Regents Park, Middlesex.^[7]

John died on the 15th September 1912 on his 90th birthday and his death was registered in Hendon, Middlesex.^[8][9]

The Globe newspaper published the death notice:

Leighton.—On the 15th Inst, at 32, Pinner-road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, John Leighton, F.S.A., late Ormonde. Regents-park, N.W., on his 90th birthday. ^[10]

His will included the donating of various paintings

MR. JOHN LEIGHTON'S WILL BEQUESTS OF PICTURES REVOKED. Mr. John Leighton, F.S.A., the famous designer, who died September 15, on his birthday, left estate the gross value of £830, with net personalty £751. By his will dated December, 1908, the testator made, among others, the following bequests; The portrait of himself by Edward Armitage, R.A., the Society Antiquaries of London; To the National Portrait Gallery, the portrait of his grandfather James Baynes, by John Wood, pupil Sir Thomas Lawrence, the portrait of Hogarth himself, and the portrait Thomas Baynes, as well as two engraved portraits of Michael Faraday; To the trustees of the National Gallery, the oil painting James Baynes, entitled Harlech Castle”; To the trustees of the National Museum South Kensington, should the same be unsold by his executor, a shield design representing the four seasons; To the trustees of the Museum at Harrow, school shield design, subject ‘‘The Seven Ages of Man.” the codicill his will, dated February, 1912, he states:— I revoke such portion only last will and testament as has reference to certain pictures specified and named therein.” ^[11]

The Leighton, Baynes and Faradays were all members of the London Sandemanian church.

Residence

(6.6.1841 - 30.3.1851) High Street, St Pancras, Middlesex
(7.4.1861) Ormonde Terrace, St Pancras, Middlesex
(2.4.1871) Sudbury Park, Harrow, Middlesex
(2.4.1911) 12 Ormonde Terrace, St Pancras, Middlesex
(15.9.1912) 32, Pinner Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex

Occupation

Artist (30.3.1851 - 2.4.1871)

Work as artist

John was an English Artist notable for his book illustrations and book cover designs. He published a book in 1852 "Suggestions for design...for use by artists and art workmen". He wrote under the pseudonym of Luke Limner.^[12]

Leighton Family Tomb

The Leighton Family Tomb is in St Mary's Churchyard, Church Hill, Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex and was designed by John Leighton. It was built about 1867 following the death of Emma Leighton, his sister. The tomb is a Grade 2 listed building and is described, including pictures, on the Historic England Website.^[13]

Hood's Jingles and Jokes for the Little Folks, 1865

The tomb is highly decorated and includes the book cover from the book by Thomas Hood (1799-1845), Jingles and Jokes for the Little Folks. Both men were descended from Sandemanian families.

See Also

Wikipedia article.^[14]

Article by the British Library on cover designs by John Leighton ^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ John Leighton's birth, England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977 FamilySearch
2. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1841 FamilySearch
3. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1851 FamilySearch
4. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1861 FamilySearch
5. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1871 FamilySearch
6. ↑ 1871 Census FindMyPast
7. ↑ 1911 Census FindMyPast
8. ↑ John Leighton's death, England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007 FamilySearch
9. ↑ * Death Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office". GRO Online Indexes - Death (accessed 20 February 2022). Leighton, John (Age at death: 90). GRO Reference: 1912 Jul-Aug-Sep in Hendon Volume 03A Page 259.
10. ↑ Globe - Thursday 19 September 1912 accessed from the British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001652/19120919/085/0008 accessed by Trevor Pickup on 3 April 2019
11. ↑ Globe - Monday 14 October 1912 Accessed from the British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001652/19121014/136/0012 Accessed by Trevor Pickup on 19 April 2021
12. ↑ John Leighton's "Suggestions for design" GoogleBooks
13. ↑ https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1433435
14. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Leighton_(artist)
15. ↑ https://www.bl.uk/eblj/1998articles/pdf/article15.pdf