NEALE, John Preston

1779 - 1847

John Preston Neale was born at Worstead, Norfolk and baptised at Whitechapel, London in April 1779, son of John Neale of Coltishall, Norfolk and his wife Elizabeth Ann née Preston (1741-1820) of Rollesby, Norfolk. As a lad young John visited an uncle in Great Yarmouth when the excellence of his pencil drawings attracted the attention of a gentleman on the business of the General Post Office who offered him an appointment in the Government Department, and he spent the earlier years of his life as a clerk in the London Post Office. He began drawing insects and formed a lifetime friendship with Norfolk artist John Varley (1778-1842) and together they produced the first and only part of 'Cabinet of Nature'. Much of his work was drawn although he also produced the occasional watercolour or oil painting. A contributor to the Royal Academy exhibitions of topographical drawings and landscapes 1804-1844 also showing at the Oil and Watercolour Society 1817-1818. He was better known for his architectural drawings and worked for Britton's 'Beauties of England and Wales' and a major work, 'The Views of the Seats, Mansions, Castles, etc. of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland' was published in 6 volumes between 1819-1823. He married Ann Pote and had several daughters and a son Edward Pote Neale (1801-1871), who was later vicar at St Mary’s, Tattingstone, Suffolk. John Preston Neale, bookseller, print-seller and publisher, Bennett Street, Blackfriars, London was declared a bankrupt in November 1829 and his son Revd Edward Pote Neale, then curate at West Hackney, London was in Fleet Prison in 1836 for debt when it was said that his father was a substantial creditor. John married secondly on 8 May 1843, Sarah Matilda Stanes (1820-1898), eldest daughter of Lieut. James Stanes, R.N. John Preston Neale died at Tattingstone, near Ipswich on 14 November 1847, in his 68th year. His widow married again at Trinity Church, Tunbridge Wells on 16 April 1857, Revd Joseph Augustus Miller, curate at Windsor.

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Works by This Artist