Betts, Mr and Mrs

Introduction:

Born in London in 1801 and initially an itinerant actor, SAMUEL BETTS became a competent profilist, cutting plain black, bronze highlighted and coloured bust-sized, full-length and conversation pieces sometime between the mid-1830s and early 1850s.

Extant works show Betts signed and often dated his output, but examples are scarce and have rarely appeared at auction. Though first recorded an "Artist" at his fifth child's baptism in August 1833, no dated profiles or advertisements from this decade have come to hand.

With so few works to compare, assessing Betts' stylistic attributes can only be tentative. He appears to have favoured a dark grey base colour, indicating hair by lighter grey embellishment. Clothing detail is defined by deep black paint or gum arabic.

A catalogue description of a conversation piece sold at Christies (London) in December 1998 of two women and their pet dog, notes the composition's background was highlighted with colour. Framed in maplewood, it was signed "Betts 1850". Other works recorded were signed "by BETTS", "BETTS 1847" and "Mr. S. BETTS ARTIST". The quality of his bronze highlighting, coloured profiles on card, and profile miniatures on ivory, all offered in advertisements, are unknown.

Though only one handbill survives, they were likely Betts' favoured way of announcing his arrival in towns, as recent research discovered only 3 newspaper advertisements placed during the entire 1840s. Two appeared in the BERKSHIRE CHRONICLE in January 1843 and July 1844, a third appeared in the BANBURY GUARDIAN in September 1845.

Betts charged 1 shilling for plain silhouettes, framed and glazed, 2s.6d. for bronze decorated works, coloured profiles presumably on card 5s., and miniatures on ivory 1 to 2 guineas. Supplementing his income, he also sold reflecting mirrors and pantographs, likely for DIY silhouette-taking, offered the opportunity for Ladies to learn the "Art of Mezzotinting" in 4 lessons for a guinea, offered to copy any likenesses and was happy to French polish musical instruments and fancy boxes!

Two short editorials in the OXFORD JOURNAL in March 1843 and BERKSHIRE CHRONICLE in December 1843 mention Betts' "Miniature Gallery", his "...happy knack of taking likenesses correctly... [which]...produced him the patronage of nearly all the Families in the neighbourhood...[of Abingdon]". The papers also described Betts' "...excellent talent...".

Wed to Harriet Isabella Middleton (1797-1867) at Dover in January in 1824, they produced 4 sons and 7 daughters between 1826-1841. It also transpires Betts married into a family long established and well-known as travelling showmen and marionette proprietors.

In John McCormick's "THE VICTORIAN MARIONETTE THEATRE" (2004), the Middletons of Dover were regarded as "...central to any study of 19th century marionette theatre". It also describes that it was common for touring showmen to be joined in the summer months by actors from London theatres, as booth proprietors readily switched entertainments from marionettes to actors, or combined the two.

Given that 1826-1829 baptismal records register Betts a "Traveller from London" or "Travelling Comedian" with offspring born in Sussex, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, it's certain Betts was on the road and very likely touring with the Middletons to various fairgrounds.

From 1836 into the 1840s, christening records show his abode to be in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, though research found he travelled to various towns as a profilist. His one extant handbill suggests he worked in London and Bath. However, no evidence has been found.

The 1851 Census locates him and his family in Cheltenham as an "Artist in Profiles" , though no further information regarding his time there was forthcoming. The 1861 Census finds him in Garden St., Brighton. Described as a "Retired Portrait Painter" aged 61, he was living at the home of his eldest son along with his youngest daughter, who gave her occupation as "Actress". Samuel Betts was buried in Brighton 8 years later on the 29th of March 1869.

A CORRECTION - Mrs. Neville Jackson's DICTIONARY (1938) mentions a profile by "Mrs. Betts Artist Shopton" (sic) and Daphne Foskett's DICTIONARY of BRITISH MINIATURE PAINTERS (1972) records a ca.1830-1840 portrait miniature on ivory, inscribed "Miss S, Betts, Artist from Shipton" (sic). 2022 research found both assumptions to be in error.

Regarding "Miss S. Betts...", none of Samuel Betts' seven daughters were christened with given names beginning with 'S'. However, Betts occasionally signed works "Mr. S. Betts" wih a thick brushstroke in a compressed manner, likely indistinct enough to cause Foskett's misattribution.

The accuracy of Jackson's DICTIONARY entries is variable and her assertion that "Mrs. Betts..." was a profilist, is not borne out by census returns. The 1841 Census gives no occupation for Harriet Betts. In the 1851 Census Samuel Betts is listed "Artist in Profiles", while Harriet and their eldest daughter are recorded as "seamstresses". Only Samuel Betts' eldest child, Samuel Henry (1826 -1892), recorded as Henry Betts until his father's death, appears sequentially in 1851-1891 Brighton Census returns as a  "Portrait Painter, Photographic Artist, Miniature Painter and Artist".

Revised 31 December 2022 (Brian Wellings)