KIDDALL, Helen Dorothy

1888 - 1980

Helen Dorothy Kiddall was born at Louth, Lincolnshire on 10 August 1888, daughter of George Henry Kiddall (21 January 1858-6 December 1941), a banker’s clerk, and his wife Elizabeth Helen Tomkinson (1865-1931), daughter of William Backell Tomkinson, who married at Christ Church, Carnarvon, Wales on 31 September 1886. In 1891, Helen was a two-year-old, living at 164 Eastgate Street, Louth with her parents, 33-year-old George and 26-year-old Elizabeth, and an older sister Frances 3. Helen studied at Sir Arthur Stockdale Cope's School and at Louth Technical School from where in 1901 she won 2nd Prize in the South Kensington examinations and won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy Schools from February 1912. Her studied were interrupted by the First World War, when she went to work at Lloyds Bank at Alford, where her father was the manager, resuming her studied in 1919 working under many R.A.'s including John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) and William Orpen (1878-1931) and her 'painted head', winning the Hacker Prize and a silver medal in December 1920. In 1911, a 22-year-old student, boarding at a lodging house at 54 Penywhern Road, Earls Court, Kensington, London and a member and exhibitor at the Lincolnshire Artists' Society in 1923. A figure painter and an Associate of the Society of Women Artists from 1935 and exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery; Walker Art Gallery; Manchester City Art Gallery; Royal Academy; Royal Society of British Artists and the Society of Women Artists from London in 1921 and 1931, Alford, Lincolnshire in 1927 and from Felixstowe, Suffolk from 1932 where, together with her sister, were keen violinists. A member of Ipswich Art Club from 1932 and exhibited from 'Milverton', Garfield Road, Felixstowe in 1932 two paintings 'The Philosopher' and a watercolour 'Leslie Allison, daughter of Dr. Sidney Smith', in 1933 'Water Boy' and a watercolour 'Tommy', in 1935 a watercolour 'Spring at Winchester', in 1937 'Pieta' and 'Were you There?' in 1943 an oil 'African Girl' and in 1944 three works 'Pink Cyclamen', 'G. H. Kersey, Esq.' and 'Young African Boy' and in January 1940 had painted the last portrait of George Lansbury. In 1974 at the Club centenary, she exhibited an oil, 'The Mother' and her last exhibit was from 3 Garfield Road, Felixstowe in 1980 when 'The Unfinished Picture' was on display. In 1939, an artist, living at 'Milverton', Garfield Road, Felixstowe with her widower father, now a retired bank manager, Helen Dorothy Kiddall died at 3 Garfield Road, Felixstowe on 5 September 1980, she was unmarried.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Milverton, 3 Garfield Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk
1932 803 A Commission in Cambridge
1939 29 Cyclamen in Window
1940 110 African Boy
1943 358 Cyclamen
         450 The Olive Tree
1946 619 Veteran of Sixteen, Australian Army
         627 Primavera in Africa
1951 665 Knitting Lesson
1956 323 Mr Chinnerey’s Cyclamen
1959 17 Autumn Roses
         656 Roses
1961 703 African Girl
1965 834 Roses

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Works by This Artist