Brierley, Simeon (SCC Newsletter March 1994)

1835 - 1906

“A_Gifted Amateur”

Introduction

Some of you may have come across silhouette "cuttings" similar to the one I have photographed above on this page and the following pages. You may also have wondered when these were cut and by whom. The artist is Simeon Lord Brierley. His work was known to Mrs. Neville Jackson and she listed him "not illustrated" in her book "Silhouettes - A History and Dictionary of Artists". He did not sign his work so over the years many examplest have appeared at antique fairs and salerooms without attribution. Two Club members to my knowledge own an album of his work - there is also an album in the Worthing Museum Collection. Also I have seen many odd cuttings from time to time.

About 1981 I bought six framed " not attributed "examples of his work. These were sold by an auction house in Haywards Heath, who put me in touch with the vendor Mrs. Porter. She turned out to be an elderly lady, who had known Sim (as he was known) as a child. Also her father at one time had been Sim's manager. It was through her that I was able to 'discover' his name and also to glean further information about his background and his method of work. The following is an account of my "research", which I hope will be of interest. I am afraid that I have not been able to fit in a visit to Rochdale, Sim's home town so far, where I understand there are many examples of his work in the Library Collection. Hopefully I will be able to do so in due course and perhaps make some additions to this article for the future.

His Background

He is said to have come from humble origins and to have had a simple upbringing. Nothing is recorded about his family - although he did have relatives. He did not marry. After his retirement he lived with a nephew.

He worked all his life in a number of calico printing works in the Rochdale area. He was trained and skilled in pattern designing. Was employed as a sketch maker - someone who used a brush to put the design and colours on the material. This apparently required some artistic ability. He worked at three known printworks - Belfield, Birkcare and Loveclough - aIl these mills have long since been closed. He was described as a hard worker and did not retire until his late 60's.

He seems to have been a somewhat up and down person - highly strung and moody. If he was in the mood he could be chatty, & laughing - even when he was cutting his "pictures" but at other times he would be quiet and "not inclined to use his scissors". He tended to be rather shy and a somewhat private person. Had a keen sense of humour. He had a "scorn for the mercenary and could not be brought to prostitute his art for material gain". There is some 'confusion' about the circumstances of his death at 71. Mrs. Porter of Haywards Heath told me that he had drown in a reservoir near her home - she added "whether by accident or not I don't know." "He seemed to die of a broken heart." Other accounts do not give details of his death and talk about him looking very fit and alert for his age at 70 - with "many useful years ahead of him." I am inclined to take Mrs. Porter's account and this could link-in with his moods.

How he came to cut silhouettes.

The story is that he was keen on modelling dough as a child. One day his mother overheated the oven and "his childish model turned into a shapeless mess." The little Sim is said to have "cried as if his little heart would break!" However, inspite of his disappointment he decided to reproduce the dough model in paper with his scissors. From then onwards dough was abandoned in favour of paper and scissors! His interest in cutting was life-long and did not diminish as he got older.

His method of work.

He used paper that was black on one side and white on the other and always cut double - "he folded it to the thickness of a thin ivory card." and fastened down the edges with gummed paper, so that the double sheet would not slip whilst being handled by him. Also at times he worked in all white paper. He did not draw an outline - all free hand cutting. He used a pair of scissors that were about 3 inches in length and "sharpened like a razor." Those who watched him cut noticed that he did not make mistakes or slips - even when he was nearing 70 and his right hand became affected with rheumatism.

In 1906shortly after his death there was an exhibition of his work at the club rooms of the Rochdale Public Prize Band – amaongst the exhibits was a pair of scissors which he used for over 40 years – “they were tiny little things that had ground down almost to the rivet.”

His output and variety of work.

He was quite prolific. There were references to many houses in his town having examples of his work. Also hosteiries and hairdressing saloons in the neighbourhood having his works on their walls to amuse and entertain their customers. He did religious texts, portraits (but does not seem to have been happy with these and abandoned these in favour of his “pictures”.) black and white pictures of great artists (but I have seen none of these.)His greatest output was his “pictures”– these were of great variety and most effective generally. These were of prancing horses, comic scenes, jungle scenes, riders thrown off horses into rivers, dancing Irishmen with pipes and shillalahs, animals of all kinds domestic and wild, old men getting-up in the night to chase mice and many others! Some of the “pictures” were incredibly small in size.

He was clearly a modest man who had not moved from the Lancashire area and this is reflected in his style I think. He had plenty of skill but perhaps not the sophistication of some of the great German cutters of this period.

There is one amusing story that gives the “flavor” of the man, when he was in a lively mood. He had been invited out to tea, when he secretly cut-out some cockroaches under the table. Then he would drop these onto the table cloth or in the sugar basin with alarming results!

Exhibitions of his work.

I have mentioned a small exhibition just after his death – but in July,1921 a sizeable exhibition of silhouettes was held at the Rochdale Art Gallery – “said to be the first if its kind in England.” Silhouettes were exhibited from 1743 to the then present time. Mrs. Neville Jackson gave a lecture during the course of the Exhibition. Many of Sim’s works were shown not because it was emphasized he was the local artist but “on the basis of merit.” There were also many by Edouart shown at the exhibition (no doubt provided by Mrs. Jackson!).

Invitation to the U.S.A.

Sim was invited to the U.S.A. to demonstrate his skills at one of the great exhibitions there – but he declined to go. He did not want to make money from his art – also he wasn’t used to travelling and being “exhibitionist” in his approach. The Duchess of Teck is said to have accepted some of his pictures and to have praised his work.

References

Rochdale Times Oct. 8th 1921.

Rochdale Observer Sept. 3rd. 1921.

Manchester weekly Times Oct. 27th 1905.

CPA Star Spring 1953 (Printers Journal.)