Isaac
Findler
Extract from "Cheddleton North Staffordshire A Village
History"
Edited by Robert Milner
A few years ago a small exhibition was held at Leek of
the works of
Issac Findler, the painter. Although he had been dead almost a hundred
years, there are still several of his paintings in existance.
Findler was born on 11th November, 1809, the son of
Isaac Findler
and
his wife, Jane, formerly Rushton. His grandfather, William Findler
seems
to have come to Cheddleton about 1790, but does not appear to have
settled
there permanently. The family came from Warslow and, although the
artist
always claimed to be of Scottish origin, it would seem that they had
been
resident in the Alstonfield area for many years.
The painter's father was in business as a flint and
colour grinder
on
the site later occupied by the paper mill. He died at the age of 46 in
1824, and young Issac, who had not been working there long, had to
leave
the business and go to work at a similar establishment at Stanley Moss
for his uncle.
In 1832, he married Eunice Phillips, by whom he was
destined to have
a large family. Soon afterwards, he set up in business on his own as a
house painter and decorator - remaining on good terms with the family
business,
which supplied his paint. All his life, he dabbled with painting
pictures
- usually in oils - but in order to make a success of his business he
was
unable to devote much time to it.
By the late 1860's, however, he had taken his son John,
and his
nephew
Isaac, into the business. The younger Isaac described himself in 1867
as
a "photographer" and it is possible that some of the old photographs
that
remain in Cheddleton which seem to date from that period could be his
work.
Eventually he settled down to work in the nearby brewery, whilst
continuing
to live in the tanyard cottages near his cousin and uncle.
Once John Findler has taken over the business
completely, his father
decided to devote his time entirely to his art.
In 1874 he had the one and only exhibition of his work
to take place
in his lifetime. This was held at West Street School in Leek.
His paintings fall into two main categories. There are
those with a
high moral tone - a type much loved in nineteenth century homes -
frequently
with a biblical theme; and those of local views - many of which were
used
as local inn-signs. At one time it was considered that most of the
inn-signs
in Leek had been painted by him.
Considered amongst his best paintings were "The Tight
Shoe", "Daniel
in the Lions Den", "Rebecca at the Well", "Cheddleton", "Captives at
Babylon",
and the inn-signs for the Red Lion in the Market Place, Leek and the
William
IV in Church Strret, Leek, which has since been demolished. Findler's
last
painting called "AMoonlight scene", is usually considered his best, and
was given by the dying Findler to Dryden Sneyd of Ashcombe Park.
Eunice Findler was buried at Cheddleton on 25th July, 1883, at the
age
of 73 years, and four years later, at the age of 77, the painter was
married
for a second time to Mary Goddard - a widow. He died on 26th May 1888,
at his home in the tan yard, and was burried in Cheddleton Churchyard
three
days later, at the age of 78 years.
References:
M. H. Miller., Old Leeke Volume 2 (Published by Leek Times 1900)
Cheddleton Parish Registers