Wilfred James Drake
(1879-1948), Glass painterArtist of 1 portrait
Unknown woman, formerly known as Katherine of Aragon
by Wilfred James Drake
watercolour, 1921
NPG 2421
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Geoff Wood
03 August 2020, 12:26
This is probably, Wilfred James Drake, a Glass painter, 1879-1948. Born at Teignmouth, Devon and died at Middlesex.
F Drake
Frederick Drake (1838-1920) was born in Devon and worked as a glass-maker in Exeter. He studied at the local School of Art and was apprenticed to the firm founded in the city by his uncle Robert Beer (formerly Conibeer) (c1799-1850), but then operated by his cousin Alfred Beer (1830-66). In 1897 Frederick Drake bought this company, known by then as Beer and Driffield. Most of the work of this firm and most of Drake’s own is to be found locally, particularly in Devon and Somerset. He had two sons who followed his trade and were apprenticed to him, Wilfred (see immediately below) and (Frederick) Morris (found also as Maurice (1875-1923)). Both sons joined their father and Morris ran the firm initially after his father’s death; it continued for some years after he himself died.
Glass: (Probably) Bexhill, – St Mark Little Common.
W Drake
Wilfred James Drake (1879-1948) was apprenticed to his father, Frederick (see immediately above) in Exeter. In addition, he studied locally and worked with his father and subsequently his elder brother Morris (1875-1923, also found as ‘Maurice’, but spelled this way in family records). Wilfred designed glass, but became increasingly interested in restoring old glass and writing about it, so probably after his father’s death he moved to London. Dates are sparse, but in 1929 he was living in Holland Park and only left in 1941 (KD/L). He retained a particular interest in glass at Exeter.
Glass: Angmering; Pagham