Question about retired Generals and their widows pre-1914

[Xebec281]

Hello,  I am exploring the paintings of Lady Elizabeth Butler, and am presently looking at her two Great War exhibitions from 1917 and 1919.  I am interested in her financial situation at this time, which I think is one of the factors which determined the nature of the paintings she exhibited on these occasions.

She was married to Major General Michael Butler who retired in 1905 and died in 1910.  I presume that Michael would have been on half pay from 1905 and my question is whether Elizabeth would have continued to receive any money from the army?

Best wishes to all

John Drouot

[Terry_Reeves]

John

 

The link below is to the FMP site but gives information on the subject that is available at the National Archives:

 

https://tinyurl.com/udvkgo8

 

TR

 

 

Edited 2 February , 2020 by Terry_Reeves

[michaeldr]

2 hours ago, Xebec281 said:

married to Major General Michael Butler who retired in 1905 and died in 1910

 

Wiki seems to think that her husband was Lt-Gen Sir William Francis Butler?

 

You may find some help at the NA here https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-officers-1913/

under the sub-heading Half pay, disability and widows’ pensions (1755–1921)

 

Good Luck

[David Filsell]

There is newish and most splendid book out about her. Lady Butler: War Artist and Traveller 1846 -1933 by Catherine Wynne.+ Here paintings sold very well - I don't think she was short of a bob at the height of her or two but by 1922 she was claiming to be "one of the new poor" In 1932  she was concerned that income from her biography - which I assume you already have  as you researching -  from "England,America and the colonies had only brought had  only brought in £300". She wrote that " "Really the want of money is becoming such that we must to to feel what the Poor (her caps) feel. Serve us all right " 

[Xebec281]

Thank you  everyone.  And yes, dammit, he was William. 

[Xebec281]

18 hours ago, David Filsell said:

There is newish and most splendid book out about her. Lady Butler: War Artist and Traveller 1846 -1933 by Catherine Wynne.+ Here paintings sold very well - I don't think she was short of a bob at the height of her or two but by 1922 she was claiming to be "one of the new poor" In 1932  she was concerned that income from her biography - which I assume you already have  as you researching -  from "England,America and the colonies had only brought had  only brought in £300". She wrote that " "Really the want of money is becoming such that we must to to feel what the Poor (her caps) feel. Serve us all right " 

 

Thank you David, Lady Butler had been struggling increasingly to sell paintings and get commissions throughout the 20th century. Sir William had purchase Bansha Castle on retiring from the army and I get the idea that this stretched the family finances.  It is not clear how much Lady Butler's work contributed to the couple's income, but certainly in the 1870s and 80s it would have been more significant than in subsequent years.  I'm wondering how much Sir William's death contributed to her money problems i.e. did his pension stop?

 

Certainly by the 1920s Lady Butler had diversified into writing as well as painting, with the results that she and Dr Wynne records. Lady Butler's marketing strategy (if that is the best way of putting it), had been derailed by the First World War.  In 1914 she had been working on large canvases for an exhibition to commemorate the centenary of Waterloo. She still went ahead with this but she was aware that the immediate war was of more interest to the public and her market  The catalogues from her 1917 and 1919 exhibitions list subjects like A VC of the Irish Guards, 1914 A Man of Kent (The Buffs). These are mainly watercolours and suggest she was touting for commissions among what remained of her market: the regiments and local authorities.  There were also completed works like The Dorset Yeomen at Agagia and The London Irish at Loos which were already established commissions and again I have a sense that they were there pour encourager les autres as much as to provide inspiration to the public. 

 

Lady Butler interests me as the painter of A Man of Kent, a painting has been part of the iconography of the Buffs and successor regiments since th eearly 1920s.  What I am exploring is what motivated her to paint it.

[Guest]

   My post removed by me. MJT

Edited 15 February , 2020 by Guest

[David Filsell]

I am lucky enough to have have two pencil sketches which she made at Lyndhurst when she visited her son, Patrick, author of A Galloper at Ypres, as 7th Infantry Division formed up before going to France in 1914. There is no provenance, but bought from David Cohen. They are simply signed 'Lyndhurst' but accepted as her work by one expert on her work formerly on the art staff of the National Army Museum and by Patrick, son, now deceased. Lady B's work has long fascinated me. Best of luck with your research.

David

Edited 3 February , 2020 by David Filsell