Fred Elwell's craftsman father

December 04, 2022

Fred Elwell's craftsman father

I was at a social function in the Ferguson Fawcett public house recently when I noticed a carved wooden mantelpiece panel in a traditional English style.

Wood carving by Fred Elwell's father

The carving depicts the lifestyle of the landed gentry: a wooded glade with men on horseback, hunting dogs and in the background an English country mansion.

Carving was by James Elwell, the father of famed Beverley artist Fred Elwell

I was surprised to see that the carving was by James Elwell, the father of famed Beverley artist Fred Elwell.

The quality of the carving is very fine and one can see from where Fred Elwell received his talents as a draughtsman.

James Elwell wood carving

The carving was originally made for the library of the long demolished mansion Welton House, to illustrate the hunting pleasures of the Harrison-Broadley family.

Forgive the low quality of these images as I grabbed them on my smartphone.