New-York tribune., 1902-02-08
OBITUARY.
THOMAS SIDNEY COOPER.

London. Feb 7-Thomas Sidney Cooper, the
painter (who had exhibited at the Royal Academy
for sixty-seven consecutive years. thus constituting
q record) died this morning at Vernon Home.
Karbledown. the spot near Canterbury immortal
lzed by Chaucer Mr.. Cooper, who was the Oldest
4cademician, had been i'll for some time.
the death Of Thomas Sidney Cooper robs the
Royal Academy of England Of its Oldest member
apd takes from the English nation one of the great
est cattle painters that she possessed. The
lite OF Mr. Cooper one which almost ap-
uroaches a romance. He was born in 1868, In ST
Peter's-st. Canterbury, Kent. His parents were OF
humble position and in the memoirs OF his life,
nfscb Mr. Cooper wrote some fifteen years ago. he
tells of the hard struggle which his father and
mother had TO maintain the large family OF which
ne was a member. There was in those days no
free education and as can be imagined the learn
ine impaired TO the youngster was not great
He was wont wander, he was never tired
OF telling every one he came IN contact
with into the precincts OF the old cathedral
and there draw upon the stones. His studies at
trscted some attention, but there was no KIND
phfanthropist to help him, and he was often
scoded for having remained so long from home
and more often than not went hungry owing to his
devotion his studies.
Soon after he had passed his tenth year he went
70 work He was apprenticed to coach painter. In
his spare time he studied hard in painting from fe
end took up especially the painting of cattle
He loved TO wander in the valley Of the Stour' a
n7eny of his most famous pictures depict various
scenes in the marsh through which the Stour
gends its way. The young man soon tired or coach
usfY ting and afterWard Joined a theatrical com
pan., who engaged him to paint their scenery 1t
was then that notice was taken of his ability
and gradually he became well known in the OLD
town of Canterbury. In 1893 e sent his first picture
10 the Academy, and it accepted. Its title was
.rTluford Farm and the artist then and there
declared that if ever he was in a position to do
50 he would buy an estate which near to the
olo farmhouse and where he could see the RIVER
Stour. His desire not long afterward grained
for a few years his paintings sold for such prices
that he a rich man. He bought MS now
famous estate the plans of the house him
self He named it Vernon Holme and it was here
for the last fifty. years or more that all his work
had been done. He was besides being an artist,
practical farmer and breeder of stock, and his
thoroughbred cattle and sheep well known
throughout agricultural England He painted from
actual life. and his models were his own partcu-
lar breeds of cattle and sheep His house was near
the old Roman road leading from London TO Dover,
Just of Canterbury, and his studio large. spa
cious room on the ground floor. Here he might
almost daily have been seen at work Right up
10 the end he worked at his canvases, and only
last year he exhibited four-namely, Spring,
one popularity about his pictures: and that was
that he never showed an animals foot II mas
been said that that was the only point of an ami
or not. the fact remains that hardly without ex-
ception either the feet of the various animals
r. the case of a prone beast sheep the feet are
doubled under it. Never artist copied more
1han Sidney Cooper, and in his memoirs he says
that many requests did he receive that he was
obliged TO make charge of two guineas for GER
tifying that the work submitted 10 him was his
own. His income by this means was CONSIDERABLY
augmented. He amassed thousands of pounds One
OF his first acts TO purchase the house IN whlch
ne was porn. AFTER bullolnS q me art schooi, ne
presented il to the city. where at present 1t is
maintained by the authorities Here scholarships
yearly onered to the scholars or elementary
schools, and they are thus enabled to have the
benefit of the instruction of a first class artist.
Some of the students in his school have already
gained names for themselves. and Mr.. Cooper
the first when a likely student was discovered. TO
invite him or her TO Vernon Holme receive les
from his patron personally. Mr.. Cooper also
bought the old theatre in which he did his first
scenic painting. and built the site structure
founders of the OId Stagers.'' amateur theatri-
cal society. which enlivens the famous Canterbury
ton of their jubilee in 1896 he painted drop
- them which in the open market would proba-
bly bring s. 600.
E.aving as he often said been poor himself once,
ue forgot the fact. He most liberal in
his gifts TO relief funds and nobody was turned
tom MS door hungry he was the recipient or
many begging letters, and often told story that
ne addressed the occupant of 'Nermin
Hole" He VIII be greatly missed, therefore by
ttf poor of his native city which it was his boast
the finest and most beautiful town he knew of.
j. August last in spite of his advanced he
vent to London. and a Marlborough House the
+ nlg invested him with the decoration of mem
70 OF the Victorian Order. greatly TO the delight
OF the inhabitants of Canterbury
The veteran artist attributed his longevity TO
rsgailar living. He believed in the cid maxim of
aud never up except special occasions,
17er g. He always drank Scotch whiskey at
Wss twice married. and his second wife survives
n Last September his eldest Thomas Sidney
oper Jr who was, like his aged father an ar
son by his second wife, Neville Cooper who is a
well known sportsman, being a cricketer, golf
player and crack shot, succeeds to his father s
ID wealth and estates