Obituary of Thomas Armstrong, CB

Wood-engraved portrait of Thomas Armstrong, from 'Art Journal Illustrated', p.271, 1891. NAL pressmark PP.6.B

Thomas Armstrong was an artist and Royal Academician, who in 1881 was appointed Director for Art in the Department of Science and Art (later the Royal College of Art).

From The Times, 25 April 1911

The death took place on Saturday at his residence at Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire of Mr Thomas Armstrong, CB.

Mr Armstrong was the eldest son of the late Mr Thomas Armstrong of Fallowfield, Manchester and was born in 1832. He was a pupil of Ary Scheffer and in 1853 went to study art in Paris where Du Maurier, Whistler and Sir Edward Poynter were among his associates. He lived in Algiers in 1858 and 1859 and in the following year worked with Du Maurier in Dusseldorf. He exhibited in the Royal Academy from 1865 to 1877 and for the four following years at the Grosvenor Gallery. In 1881 he was appointed Director for Art in the Department of Science and Art, retaining this office until 1898. He was made a CB in the latter year. Among his paintings were 'Feeding Pigeons', 'A Girl Holding an Embroidery Frame', 'The Harbour Bar at Teignmouth' and 'The Riviera of Genoa in Spring'. He married in 1881 Alice Mary, daughter of Colonel J J Brine of Torquay.

The funeral will take place at Abbots Langley at 3:15 pm tomorrow.

Reproduced with kind permission of The Times
©Times Newspapers Limited