Portrait of Master Tyers, Probably George Rogers Barrett

Probably commissioned by the sitter’s parents, Bryant Barrett (1743–1809) and Elizabeth Tyers (1759–1834), London, England, 1787 [1];

Elizabeth Tyers Barrett (1758–1834), Stockwell, Surrey, by 1809 [2];

Given to her granddaughter, Margaret Tyers Barrett (1810–1899), Attleborough, Norfolk, England, 1834 [3];

By descent to her nephew, Lieutenant Colonel Boyd Cullen Poley Hamilton (1847–1923), Brandon House, England, by 1899–1919 [4];

His sale, Brandon House, Lacy Scott and Sons, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, September 4–6, 1919 [5];

Unknown woman, by March 5, 1925 [6];

Purchased from her sale, Catalogue of Objects of Vertu, Etc., Sotheby’s, London, March 5, 1925, lot 135, as A Girl, by Webster, 1925 [7];

Alfred Hill, by May 13, 1942;

Purchased from his posthumous sale, Catalogue of Valuable Jewels, Miniatures, Objects of Vertu, Silhouettes, Etc., Sotheby’s, London, May 13, 1942, lot 65, as A Pair of Miniatures of Children, by Col. Body, 1942 [8];

Unknown owner, by November 9, 1944;

Purchased from the unknown owner’s sale, Catalogue of Valuable Miniatures, Watches, Objects of Vertu, Asiatic and European Ivories, Old English Glass, Etc., Sotheby’s, London, November 9, 1944, lot 125, as A Pair of Miniatures of Children, by Reynolds, 1944 [9];

Elsie Gertrude Kehoe (1888–1967), Cliffe Dene, Saltdean, Sussex, England, by June 15, 1950;

Purchased from her sale, Catalogue of Objects of Vertu, Fine Watches, Etc., Sotheby’s, London, June 15, 1950, lot 158, as Master and Miss Tyers, by Leggatt Brothers, London, probably on behalf of Mr. John W. (1905–2000) and Mrs. Martha Jane (1906–2011) Starr, Kansas City, MO, 1950–1958 [10];

Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1958.

NOTES

[1] Elizabeth Tyers was the grandchild of Jonathan Tyers (1702–1767) and Elizabeth Fermor (1700–1802), proprietors of New Spring Gardens, later Vauxhall Gardens. The Tyers commissioned Samuel Cotes to paint portraits of the whole family. Cotes’s portraits of Jonathan and Elizabeth sold at Sotheby’s on December 13, 1945. See Cotes’s biography in volume 4 of this catalogue.

[2] Bryant and Elizabeth had three children: George Rogers Barrett (1781–1860), Jonathan Tyers Barrett (1784–1851), and Eliza Barrett (1780–1838). In Bryant Barrett’s will, he bequeaths “all my plat [sic] China Glass Books pictures paintings drawings [etc.]” to his wife, Elizabeth. And “after the decease of my said wife or her marrying again (which shall first happen) I give and bequeath all the aforesaid palte [sic] and other personal [illeg.] so bequeathed as last aforesaid to my two sons George Rogers Barrett and Jonathan Tyers Barrett to be equally divided amongst them but with Liberty to the said George Rogers Barrett to take all and every the said Plate China Glass Books Pictures Paintings Drawings . . . at a fair appraisement.” His will was proved on March 16, 1809, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, series 11, class 11, piece 1494.

The Barretts’s son George married Anna Maria Seymour and did not have children. The Barretts’s son Jonathan married Mary Slade and had two daughters, Margaret Tyers (1810–1899) and Georgina Barrett (1812–1815). The Barretts’s daughter Eliza married Boughey Burgess and had two daughters, Emma (b. 1807) and Elizabeth (b. 1813).

[3] According to Elizabeth’s will, “I leave and bequeath into my Grandaughter [sic] Margaret Tyers Barrett the whole of my Jewels and Trinkets under the hope that she will be a dutiful and obedient daughter if otherwise they are to be at the disposal of her father the Revd. Jonathan Tyers Barrett [illeg.] and I leave the Remainder of my money and household furniture and effects of what kindsoever unto my son the Revd. Jonathan Tyers Barrett revoking all other wills and testaments.” Dated September 3, 1825.

In a codicil to her will, Elizabeth writes: “Having arrived at advanced age and not requiring Jewelry Trinkets I state for the information of my Executors that I have this day freely given to my Grandaughter [sic] Margaret Tyers Barrett all my Jewels and Trinkets to hold and possess the same in her own right as a free and lawful gift from myself.” Will proved on August 21, 1834, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, England, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, series 11, Class 11, piece 1835.

Margaret Tyers Barrett married Rev. William Weller Poley (1814–1887) on October 13, 1846. They had a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Weller Poley (1847–1888).

[4] William Weller Poley’s sister, Charlotte Helen, married Capt. Peter William Hamilton of the Royal Navy (d. 1863) in Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France, on September 14, 1843. Their children were Helen Frances Desquartiers (1844–after 1915), John William Fisher Hamilton (ca. 1849–1936), and Colonel Boyd Cullen Poley Hamilton (1847–1923).

According to National Probate Calendar, “Margaret Tyers of Brandon-house Brandon Suffolk widow died 4 December 1899 at Great Yarmouth Probate London 7 April to Boyd Cullen Poley Hamilton retired lieutenant-colonel in H.M. army and John William Fisher Hamilton esquire. Effects £52330 14s. 5d.”

According to 1911 Brandon, Norfolk, England census, Boyd Cullen was married to Janie Grathan (b. ca. 1871) of Ireland. They had been married for “under one year.” Boyd is listed as having been born in Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France, but being of British nationality. In the 1911 Suffolk, Long Melford, census, John William Fisher Hamilton is listed as married to Janet Pitcairn (b. 1873) for 15 years. John’s place of birth is Boulogne- Sur-Mer, France, and nationality is British subject. Neither census lists any children.

[5] This provenance aligns with the provenance of a pair of pistols sold at Bonhams, Antique Arms and Armour, November 30, 2011, lot 555. According to a handwritten note by the late owner, the pistols were “Sold by Nock to Rev. Jonathon Tyers-Barrett, chaplain of Prince Regent. Left to his daughter Margaret Weller-Poley then to her nephew Lt./Col. Boyd Cullen Poley-Hamilton (related to 3rd Duke of Hamilton). Sold with contents of Brandon House by auctioneers Lacy Scott of Bury St. Edmunds 1909.”

Also in the Property of Col. B.C.P. Hamilton were portraits of his mother, Charlotte Helen Hamilton, by the watercolorist Negelon, and of his aunt, Margaret Tyers Weller Poley, in chalk. See Edmund Farrer, Portraits in Suffolk Houses (West) (London: Bernard Quaritch, 1908), 42.

However, there does not appear to be a catalogue for this sale. In a 2003 letter from Vauxhall scholar David Coke, “One thing I would very much like to trace is a copy of the catalogue of the Brandon House sale”; see Nelson-Atkins curatorial files.

[6] In the Sotheby’s March 5, 1925, sale, “The Property of a Lady” sold lots 129–160. According to the sales catalogue, “The first ten lots, all of members of the Tyers family, were painted by Paul Jean, in 1787–8, and show a quality of work that places the artist amongst the foremost miniaturists of this period.”

[7] “A Girl, head and shoulders, three-quarters to right, with black curls, in mob cap and white muslin dress, signed ‘P. Jean, 1787,’ oval, 1 5/8 in., in gold brooch frame.” Sold below the accompanying portrait of Master Tyers, F58-60/83, lot 134, as A Boy. In the annotated catalogue, the number “11” is written in pen to the right of the lot. Webster bought lots 129–138. According to Basil Long, British Miniaturists (London: Holland Press, 1966), 240: “Eleven miniatures by Jean of members of the Tyers family were sold at Sotheby’s, 5.3.1925, lots 129-138; most were dated 1787 or 1788.” A Percy Webster was a dealer of ancient clocks, diamonds, plates, and antiques. See an advertisement in “Front Matter,” Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs 1 no. 2 (April 1903).

[8] According to Art Prices Current, vol. 20 (1941–1942), “Col. Body” purchased lot 65 for £16.

[9] “A Pair of Miniatures of Children by Philip Jean, signed in full and dated 1787, the girl with black hair, white cap and white dress, the boy with curly auburn hair falling to the shoulders, in dark tunic with spiked lace collar, oval, 1 5/8in.; in slide frames.” See Frontispiece. “The children are members of the Tyers family and like the other examples by Philip Jean, are noted by Basil long in British Miniatures, p. 240.” Reynolds bought lot 125 for £32.

[10] “Master and Miss Tyers, by Philip Jean, signed and dated 1797, the boy with dark golden hair, in a blue coat with lace collar, the girl in white frilled cap over dark hair, in low-cut white bodice, oval, 1 5/8in. From the large Collection of Miniatures of the members of the Tyers family, sold in these Rooms March, 1935, and mentioned by Basil Long, p. 240; and sold again on 9th November, 1944, lot 125.” Leggatt bought lot 158 for £28. Archival research has shown that Leggatt Brothers served as purchasing agents for the Starrs. See correspondence between Betty Hogg and Martha Jane Starr, May 15 and June 3, 1950, NAMA curatorial files.