Part 393: The Fenton Families
In 1889 W. J. Lawrence listed some prominent English scene painting families – the Greenwoods, Grieves, Stanfields, Callcotts, Dansons, Fentons, Gordons, and Telbins. This installment looks at the Fentons (The Theatre Magazine, July 13, 1889).
There were two sets of theatrical families with the last name of Fenton during the 19th century; both families included performers, but one was distinguished for their scenic art contributions. It is the descendants of James Gill Fenton that W. J. Lawrence was referring to when discussing English scene painting family. James Gill Fenton was listed as a prompter and stage manager. He had four children Caroline (b. 1819), Frederick (b. 1820), Charles (b. 1822), and Charlotte (b. 1825). It would be the two boys who would continue as scenic artists and later be listed as well-known scene painters.
James Gill Fenton (1794-1877) was a scenic artist and stage director to Edmund Kean. He was also noted as prompter and stage manager. He passed away in 1877 at the age of 83.
Charles Gill Fenton (1822-1877) began his acting career during the 1830s playing small parts in pantomimes. From 1844-1859 he played principal roles and began performing in Shakespearean productions at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Between 1863 and 1873, Charles was listed as an actor and scenic artist at the Strand Theatre. In 1866, Frederick Gill Fenton(1820-1898) was an actor and a scene painter. Frederick was working at the Victoria Theatre while his brother Charles Fenton was working at the Strand.
Charles then transitioned to working in Vaudeville from 1873 to 1874. Charles married Carloline Parkes (b. 1838), a dancer and an actress at Her Majesty’s, Sadler’s Wells, Marlebone, Surrey, and many other theatres, as well as, music halls for almost thirty years. She worked in the theatre from 1849-1973. Charles died the same year as his father, 1877, at the age of 56.
A few years later, an article titled “Art On The Stage” was published from the Building News and Engineering Journal, July 29th, 1881
“Scene Painting is an art by itself. There is no other branch of painting just like it, either in the variety of subjects embraced or in the methods employed. The thorough scenic artist must be equally at home in landscape or marine work, architectural or fresco. He is not permitted to cultivate any particular branch of his art, nor any favourite style. He must be able to produce, at any time, the wild mountainous passes of Switzerland or the flat meadows of Holland; the green lanes of homelike England, or the winding valleys of romantic Spain. In his architectural work he cannot devote himself to the Gothic or the Romanesque, but must be equally master of the Moorish, the Greek, and the Oriental. He may to-day be called upon to paint the Temple of Minerva, and to-morrow the Mosque of Omar; this week the Windsor Hotel, and next week the Palace of Versailles. His art knows no boundaries, and his scope is confined by no limits. The universe must be at his command, and things unseen must live in his imagination. The methods by which he works and many of the materials he employs are altogether different from those employed by the ordinary oil or water-colour painter. They approach more nearly to those of the latter, yet even here certain qualities of the colours used by the scene-painter constitute a sharp dividing line.”
To be continued…
I am currently trying to find more information on a Mr Fenton who was listed as acting in various plays and operas at Drury Lane for many of the years between 1825 and 1839. It does not seem likely that he was one of the Fentons you have listed but might be part of the wider family. I wondered if you had come across any likely candidate.
Thanks
I have not come across any connection to date, but I also wasn’t looking for one at the time. If anything pops up in my research, I will let you know.