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Mrs Elizabeth Tackle -Bradford`s Greatest Artist

We have produced below a biography of Bradford on Avon`s greatest Artist- Mrs. Elizabeth Tackle who painted some wonderful Images of the town during the mid 19th Century that are today an important record of its buildings and modes of transport, especially the development of the Canal and the intoduction of the railway in 1857.In the left frame are a number of her pictures, mainly of Bradford on Avon.For ease of loading up we have kept the images small, but if you wish for larger versions, just click on them and the enlargement will open up in a new frame, which you can remove afterwards by clicking on the X in the top corner.

Elizabeth was born to James and Joanna Hamlyn in the year 1808. At the time her father was serving as Quarter Master with the First garrison Battalion in Ireland. She is born in Bandon a town in Cork where the Regiment had their Camp.

The Army Lists detail her fathers career from being commisioned in 1800 with the Fencible Infantry

By 1807 he is the paymaster for the first Garrison Battalion.

It is interesting to see that his father also James is shown as a captain in the East Devondhire Regiment where he is commisioned in 1798.His son James marries Joanna Medland at Moreton Hampstead Church in Devon in the year 1798. Three years later Elizabeth is born to the couple, she is their only child and after the napoleonic wars the family are next recorded in 1817.

They are shown as renting a house known as the "Three Lions" in the village of Holt, near Bradford on Avon from the Forsters who are living at Holt Manor at the time.

The photograph above shows the building todayin the centre of the village, which was formerly an Inn

and has an interesting carved sign of the three lions on the front of the building.

Today it seems strange to see James Hamlyn`s change of career from an officer in the Army to a Minster with the Non-Conformist Church. For in 1817 he becomes the first Minister with the new built Congregational church in the Village of Holt, which with its famous Wells is a fashionable center for the Gentry.The Countess of Huntingdon had established a number of Chapels which appealed to this Class. Today the Museum of Architecture is housed in thier former fine builing in Bath. They had also opened a Chapel in 1824 in Bradford on Avon at Bearfield, and it is here five years later that the Rev. James Tackle arrives to become its Minster. He is later to marry Elizabeth, the daughter of James and Elizabeth Hamlyn.

The Family Tree of the Tackles and Hamlyns

James dies in 1831 at the age of 55 and is buried in the grounds of St. Katherine`s Church, Holt.His Will which can be seen at the Wiltshire Record Office in Trowbridge reveals that he owened a property in Evercreech, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset which he was renting to a Mr Balch at that time.Joanna,his wife lived on for a further 9 years, and on her death was buried alongside her husband.

This is the Last Will and Testament of me James Hamlyn of Holt in the parish of Bradford in the County of Wilts, Paymaster of the late First Garrison Battalion. I give devise and bequeathe my freehold messuage, Garden and premises and my rwo freehold Closes of Pasture land called “Saltermore” situate and lying and being in the parish of Evercreech in the County of Somerset with the right of feeding two horses on Southwood common appettaining now in the occupation of Mr Balch and also my Household Furniture and all other my Estate and Effects both real and personal whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature kind and quality whatsoever the same may be after payment there out of my debts and my funeral and testamentary Expenses unto my wife Joanna and her assignes for and during the term of her natural life and after her decease I give devise and bequeathe the same unto my Daughter Elizabeth Ann and heirs Executors administrators and Assigns for ever or for that residue of my term and interest if therein …. I nominate and appoint my said wife sole Executrix of this my will. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the fifth day of December 1831. Witnesses-James Beaven, Robert Beams, H.B. Clift.

On the death of her husband, Joanna Hamlyn is no doubt happy to see her daughter Elizabeth marry the Minister ~ James Tackle 3 months later.

Their marriage license and entry in the Church Records for St. Katherines at Holt are preserved at the Record Office in Trowbridge

Lady Huntingdon's Connexion opened their Chapel at Bearfield in 1824, and it was shortly afterwards that James Tackle became its Minister. This branch of Methodism was designed for the upper classes and is commemorated today in the name of the street in which it stands.The Curch is associated with the Printer and Book seller- Joseph Rawlings, where Grandfather and Grandson preached there at various times.

The Rate Book for Bradford in the year 1828 shows James Tackle owning a large house and 5 cottages which he rented out.

The 1885 Ordnance Survay map shows clearly the Chapel with the buildings within the circle.It was named as Providence Row

The house can be seen in the old Photographc. 1910 on the right,tbut the building with the nearby cottages was demolished after the 2nd world war , being replaced with new houses.

James also ran a sunday school which had 50 males and 50 females according to the School returns for 1833. It is interesting to see a little advert for the school in Pigot`s Directory for 1830. No doubt, his wife Elizabeth Tackle assisted with his school, for the 1841 Census shows him as a schoolmaster living at Bearfield.

They later move to a building at the juncion of Frome Road and Westwood road by the canal referred to as" the Lock"

Hunts Directory of 1848 details Rev James Tackle running a school at this address.

Later in 1851 Elizabeth Tackle is described as an Artist and Teacher in the Census for that year, her husband~James is shown as a Scool teacher.

Their building faced on to the Canal which was a subject Elizabeth included in two of her engravings.

A self portrait of the artist taken from her painting of Bathampton

Avon Villa, Trowbridge Road, Bradford on Avon

Avon Villa, Trowbridge Road, Bradford on Avon on the 1841 Tithe Map

Advert for James Tackle- Florist at Avon Villa, Trowbridge Road

A copy of the Will in 1865 for James Tackle, Minister leaving his Esate to his Wife Elizabeth. He was to die on 28th February, 1875.

Grave stone for the Hamlyn's & Tackle's in St. Katherine's Church Holt, inscription:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF:
REV. JAMES HAMLYN DIED 8/12/1831 AGED 53 YEARS
REV.JAMES TACKLE DIED 8/12/1873 AGED 78 YEARS
LATE MINISTER OF BRADFORD CHAPEL AND OF
ELIZABETH ANN HIS WIDOW DIED APRIL 1877 70 YEARS
& DAUGHTER OF REV. J.HAMLYN

St. Katherine's, Holt

Year	Age	Mrs. Elizabeth Tackle (1808-1877)	Source
1808	Born	Elizabeth is born in Bandon, nr. Cork, Ireland to James and Joanna Hamlyn	Census
1817	9	Her Parents rent the house known as the 3 Lions and her father is Minister at Holt Congregational Church. The father is prior to this the Paymaster for the Garrison at Trowbridge.	Holt Records
1831	23	Rev. James Hamlyn (father) is buried at Holt on 8 th December , died aged 53	Holt Burials
1832	26	James marries Elizabeth Hamlyn at Holt Chapel	Marriage License
1838	30	Elizabeth's son James Hamlyn baptised (her husband's occupation is described as a "Dissenting Teacher"	Holt Parish Records
1840	32	James Hamlyn Tackle (aged 2 years) and Elizabeth's mother (of Bradford) buried on 13 th April	Holt Parish Records
1841	33	They own a field above the Tory in Bradford and 5 cottages in Bearfield	Tithe Map
1841	33	They are shown living at Bearfield	Census
1842	34	Advert for their Academy at the Lock, Westwood Lane, Bradford on Avon.	Pigots Directory
1845	37	Joseph Holloway, 10 Milsom St places an advert in the Bath Chronicle on 23 January for his new set of engravings of the Bath Area. Paintings for the engravings are more than likely by Elizabeth Tackle. Most of her recorded prints are engraved by Holloway of Milsom Street, Bath or Day & Son of London	Images of Bath
1851	43	Artist, Teacher of Drawing	Census
1859	51	Entry for Mrs Elizabeth Tackle - Florist	P.O. Directory
1861	53	Florist	Census
1867	59	Advert for a Florist , Trowbridge Road	Directory
1871	63	florist	Census
1875	67	entry for James Tackle as Florist, Thomas Wilford is living at Avon Villa Directory
1875	67	Husband Dies leaving his entire estate to his wife-Elizabeth	Salisbury District
1877	70	Elizabeth Anne Tackle died aged 70 and was buried at Holt with her family on 6 April	Holt Burials

Source	Age	James Tackle (1796 - 1875)
1796	Born	Born on 10 January to James & Marian in Barnwood near the city of Gloucester	Parish records
1829	33	Entry shows living in a house at Bearfield lately occupied by the minister Joseph Rawlings.His Grandson, also Joseph, took charge in 1844. James Tackle rented 5 nearby cottages, which he had purchased from Richard Ollerton.	Bradford rates
1830	34	Advert for an Academy in Bearfield	Pigots Directory
1832	36	James marries Elizabeth Hamlyn at Holt Chapel	Marriage License
1833	37	A school with 50 males and 60 females is connected with the Huntingdon's	School's Survey
1841	45	owns a field above the Tory in Bradford and 5 cottages in Bearfield	Tithe Map
1841	45	shown living at Bearfield	Census
1842	46	Advert for the Academy at the Lock, Westwood Lane	Pigots Directory
1844	48	Advert for the Lock Academy	Pigots Directory
1848	52	Schoolmaster at Trowle	Directory
1851	55	Schoolmaster at the Lock, Westwood lane	Census
1855	59	Schoolmaster at the Lock, Westwood lane	Directory
1859	63	an advert for an Academy, Trowbridge Road	P.O. Directory
1861	65	Dissenting Minister at Avon Villa, Trowbridge Rd	Census
1864	68	Ihe Tackles rent Avon Villa from Thomas Silcock, (other tenants are Thos. Wilford, Shadrach Byfield and White at number 569).	1864 Town Survey
1867	71	Advert for a Florist, Trowbridge Road	Directory
1871	75	Minister at Avon Villa, Trowbridge Rd	Census
1875	78	entry for James Tackle as Florist, Thomas Wilford is living at Avon Villa Directory	Directory
1875	78	Will leaving everything to his Wife. Buried on 3rd March 1875	Holt Burials