Charles Holme (ed.)

The Gardens of England in the Northern Counties. London: The Studio, 1911

This publication is part of the Chambers Collection which consists of works that John Chambers used for design inspiration.  This particular picture was illustrated by Ernest Arthur Rowe.

Ernest Arthur Rowe 1862-1922

Ernest started as an apprentice lithographer and went on to train as an artist at the Royal Institute of Painters.  At 23 he started as a professional painter and studied at Lambeth School of Art in the evenings.  He had a meagre existence.  In the 1890s he became interested in garden painting which was more successful.  He contracted T.B. so would go abroad for the winter painting in Italy, France and Spain.  He would paint famous British gardens in the summer.  Queen Mary purchased at least 15 of his paintings.

Chambers Collection

John Chambers 1869-1945 was the chief designer of Pilkington’s Tile and Pottery Company. He started at Wedgewood and Doulton potteries before becoming a freelance designer who was known for his ‘Persian Style’.  Many of his designs were in ‘Studio’ and ‘The Art Journal’.  He retired in 1938 and died in 1945.  Some of his Lancastrian Pottery is displayed in the Peter Scott Gallery and his books are housed in Special Collections.  These vary from children’s illustrated books to botanical journals.  Pilkington’s developed the ‘Lancastrian Lustre’ glaze.

All items from the Chambers collection can be found in Onesearch.