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Edwin Butler Bayliss was born in Wolverhampton in about
1873 or 1874 the eldest son of Samuel Bayliss, who had
been born in Bilston in about 1848, and Emma Bayliss (nee
Butler), who had been born in Bilston in 1849. In the
1881 census they lived at 7 Merridale Grove. Samuel was
described as a bolt and nut manufacturer.
In the 1891 census Edwin was 17 and at Rydal Mount School,
Pwllycrochan Avenue, Llandrillo yn Rhos, Colwyn Bay, where
the headmaster was Thomas G Osbourne. Rydal Mount School
was a day and boarding school and is now called Rydal
Penrhos School.
In 1901 Edwin was back living with his family who were
now at The Woodhouse, Tettenhall Road. He was 27 single
and described as an artist/sculptor. His father was described
as a bolt and nut manufacturer and ironfounder. It was
a large household with 11 members of the family there,
a lady's companion, a nurse a cook and three maids.
Edwin Butler Bayliss seems to have painted the Black Country's
industrial landscapes with an almost obsessive enthusiasm.
He produced work in oils and in aquatint but we know nothing
of his sculpture. His depictions of the industrial scene
did nothing to prettify the view and it is likely that
his paintings accurately capture the atmosphere of the
area. A number of his works are in the Wolverhampton Art
Gallery. They are not on permanent display but have been
brought out from time to time. In July 2005 they achieved
some fame when they appeared, in the Art Gallery's storage
racks, in a BBC TV programme presented by Richard Dimbleby.
This lead to some of the works being temporarily hung
on the staircase; and it is understood that some of them
will be hung at Tate Britain in an exhibition associated
with the television programme.
| Thanks to the Bayliss
family, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, and the Barber
Institute of Fine Art for help, information and
pictures |
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