HAGGAR, Reginald George

1905 - 1988

Reginald George Haggar was born at Ipswich on 25 December 1905, second son of Ernest Edward Haggar (10 November 1876-21 July 1944), flour miller & merchant’s clerk, and his first wife Jane Thirza née Kidby (1876-1935), who married at Little Bealings, Suffolk in 1900. Ernest married his second wife, Matilda Bornichen (20 August 1878-27 May 1845) at Ipswich in 1938 and in 1939 they were living at 27 Rendlesham Road, Ipswich. In 1911, Reginald was living at 11 Bramford Road, Ipswich with his parents, 34-year-old Ernest, born at Ipswich and 35-year-old Jane, born at Little Bealings and his 8-year-old brother Arthur Lewis, born at Ipswich. Reginald was educated at St Matthew's Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Ipswich and was a florist's errand boy before studying at Ipswich School of Art 1920-1926 and the Royal College of Art 1926-1929. A watercolour painter and a significant British ceramic designer and in 1929 appointed assistant designer at Minton's pottery at Stoke-on-Trent, becoming art director six months later, a post he held until 1934. Working in watercolours and on ceramics, his designs reflected both the radical and lyrical elements of the Art Deco style. A member of Ipswich Art Club 1925-1958 but had exhibited from 27 Rendlesham Road, Ipswich in 1923, a pen & ink 'Ipswich, The Town Hall' and a pencil 'Orford Castle', in 1927 six works 'Paola and Francesca', 'The Young Bird Fancier', a wash-colour 'In Shady Vale, Belstead', an etching 'The Golden Lion Inn, Ipswich' and two watercolours 'The Old Graveyard, Helmingham' and 'Evensong'. In 1937 he exhibited from 'Ronson', Stone Road, Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent 'Hanford, Stoke O/T', 'Trees in Trentham Park', 'Bawdsey', 'The Hills of Dunster, Somerset', 'The Old Mill, Woodbridge' and 'St Michael's Church, Stoke' and in 1943 had six works on display, 'Morston Church, Norfolk', 'Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk', 'Bird's Eye View of Sennen Cove', 'Blakeney Creek', 'Blakeney across the Marshes' and 'Twilight, the Little Fishing Fleet', in 1944 a further three 'Seighford, Staffordshire', 'Handford and Distant View of Newcastle' and 'Stone, Staffordshire' and was a regular annual exhibitor. In 1943 he also exhibited at Tibbenham's Art Gallery, Upper Brook Street, Ipswich 'Sennen Cove and Whitesand Bay' and 'Dartmouth', which were both also exhibited at the Royal Academy. Haggar was head of Stoke-on-Trent Art School 1935-1941, holding a similar position at Burslem School of Art until 1945. He painted many pictures of the north Staffordshire area and was heavily involved with the Society of Staffordshire Artists and the Northern Ceramic Society and was a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours and an associate of the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He also exhibited at Manchester City Art Gallery; Royal Academy; Royal Society of British Artists and the Royal Scottish Academy from Stoke-on-Trent. He published many books on pottery and the potteries including: ‘English Pottery Figures 1660-1860’; 'English Country Potters'; 'The Masons of Lane Delph'; 'A Century of Art Education in the Potteries'; 'Staffordshire Chimney Ornaments' and 'The Concise Encyclopedia of Continental Pottery and Porcelain'. He married at Stone, Staffordshire in 1932, Dorothy Frances Wood (25 July 1904-1987) and in 1939, a designer of pottery & tiles, living at 'Ronson', Stone Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire with his wife Dorothy, they had no children. Reginald George Haggar died at Wetley Abbey Nursing Home, Leek, Staffordshire on 4 December 1988. Reginald was important in the cultural life of Stoke-on-Trent and an annual Reginald Haggar Memorial Lecture is held every November, usually at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery Collection hold his working notebooks together with many other of his works.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 'Ronson', 337 Stone Road, Hanford, Stoke on Trent
1938 954 Dartmouth - watercolour
1939 703 Sennen Cove and Whitesand Bay - watercolour
1943 530 Cottages at Ash Green, Trentham - watercolour
1945 835 The Old Corn Mill Yard, Mayfield, Staffordshire - watercolour
1946 920 Withypool, Somerset - watercolour
1947 1095 The Village Street, Alfriston, Sussex - watercolour
1948 959 The Black Bear, Wareham - watercolour
1949 907 Blacksmith's Shop, Tissington - watercolour
         954 Fishing Boats at Rye - watercolour
1950 677 Mermaid Street, Rye - watercolour
         779 Bird's-eye View of Corfe - watercolour
1951 680 Lavenham Church - watercolour

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Works by This Artist