Edwards, William Camden (McKechnie Section 2)

Recorded by Jackson (Dictionary) as E. C. Edwards, on account of a silhouette print (illustrated). Edwards was a line engraver, especially of portraits but also of architectural subjects. Since the illustrated silhouette print is inscribed `From a Drawing made at Holkham by W. C. Edwards, in 1824', it is clear that the artist was also responsible for the original silhouette.

The subject of this silhouette was Thomas William Coke (1752-1842), an interesting public figure of the time. He married, firstly, Jane Dutton, in 1775, and secondly, Lady Anne Amelia Keppel, in 1822. He was created First Earl of Leicester in 1837. The print shows a facsimile of the sitter's signature, which, in 1824, was `Thos. William Coke'. It was for Coke that the original `Billy Cock' hat was made, and after whom it was named. (This hat was made by Lock's, the famous hatters, at whose establishment these hats are still called 'Cokes '-pronounced `Cooks'). Coke was for many years MP for Norfolk; he is mentioned in Memoirs and Letters by Thomas Creevey, who refers to him by the nickname 'King Tom'. His family was noted for its longevity; a grandson of Coke was still living in 1970, by which year 216 years had elapsed since Coke's birth. Coke's son, the Second Earl, was born in 1822 and died in 1909, and his grandson, the Hon. Reginald Coke, was born in 1883.

Although the original silhouette was made in 1824, the print may have been published a year or two later. Coke, shown without his Billy-Cock hat, still wears a thin pigtail wig at this late date. The print may have been one of a series especially made to illustrate a book (Jackson mentions that it has been used as a book illustration). There is a copy of the print in the National Portrait Gallery, and the illustrated example is in my collection.

The original silhouette appears to have been painted rather generously in shades of grey, with the details of clothing well shown. Probably none of the original was in dead black. If the print was one of a series, any other prints in the series, from which the inscription has been cut, might be identified by the vague shading detail near the bust-line. It is impossible to say whether or not Chinese white or gum arabic was used to show light and shade. The Earl apparently had bushy eyebrows, which are carefully-shown on the print. Very little hatching is evident, detail being shown by rather coarse brushwork.

The question of trade labels does not arise; other prints would no doubt carry inscriptions. The illustrated example was published by Edwards himself.

Ill. 744