Burrows, Robert

Robert Burrows, was born at Ipswich in 1810, eldest son of Robert Burrows (1782-1863), silversmith in the Old Cattle Market, Ipswich, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of James Cordy of London. His younger brother was Sir John Cordy Burrows (1813-1876), the eminent surgeon and local politician. Apprenticed to the family trade and in 1847, Robert was carrying on the family business at 40 Silent Street and on 1 November the same year elected, unopposed, a liberal Town Councillor and again, without opposition, in 1850 and 1853 but three years later, when opposed, was defeated. A member of the newly formed Ipswich Society of Professional & Amateur Artists in 1832, along with Samuel Read [q.v.], Robert Burcham Clamp [q.v.] and Jabez Hare, jun. [q.v.] who were probably instructed by Henry Davy [q.v.]. Robert exhibited at the Suffolk Fine Arts Association exhibition at the New Lecture Hall at the Mechanics' Institute, Ipswich in August 1850 two oil paintings 'Scene near Ipswich' and 'Felixstow Beach' he also exhibited two landscapes at the Royal Academy in 1851 ‘Scene at Sproughton near Ipswich’ and in 1855 ‘Scene of the Banks of the River Orwell’ and one at British Institution. In 1865-1868 an artist and agent for London Fire Assurance Co. at 4 St Peter’s Street, and St Stephen’s churchyard, Ipswich but by 1875 had moved to 14 Silent Street. Burrows enjoyed friendships with other Ipswich artists including Edward Robert Smythe [q.v.], who made a pencil drawing of Robert and his wife, Harriet Batterbee Bowman, daughter of an Ipswich brewer, whom he married at St Nicholas church, Ipswich on 21 May 1835. He also had an interest in photography and a volume of his photographs are in the Suffolk Record Office, Ipswich. By 1869 he had taken up painting as his full-time occupation and in 1874, living at 40 Silent Street, Ipswich and in 1881 at his last address at 9 Norwich Road, Ipswich. A regular exhibitor at the Ipswich Art Club from 1879, exhibiting nine oil painting from 9 Norwich Road, Ipswich including ‘Moonlight’, ‘Sunset’, ‘Scene, Easton’, ‘Landscape’, ‘Oak and River, Gainsborough Lane’, ‘Sunset, Marlesford’, ‘Banks of the Orwell’, ‘Night’ and ‘Cottage Scene’. His wife was buried in Ipswich cemetery on 20 May 1869, aged 59 and Robert died at his home Park Place, 9 Norwich Road, Ipswich on 10 November 1883.