Harry George Theaker
Born 1873
Died 23 January 1954
Active: 1891 - 1938
Country of birth and death: England
Illustrator, painter, designer, decorator for pottery, calligrapher, teacher of modelling, principal of art school
Born January-March 1873 in Wolstanton, Staffordshire. He was the son of George Theaker (1835-1902, born in Sheffield, Yorkshire), headmaster (principal) of the School of Art in Burslem from 1869-94 and designer for pottery. His younger brother, Charles Edmund (1875-1903) was an apprentice designer modeller and then a teacher at the Wedgwood Institute in Burslem around 1900.
Harry George was an apprentice pottery decorator and then a teacher. He settled in London c.1900-05 and was in charge of design at the Polytechnic in Regent Street from about 1906 onwards, where he also taught courses in 'modelling from design'. Theaker remained at the Polytechnic and is listed in prospectuses as headmaster (principal) between 1931-2 and 1937-38.
Theaker was also a successful illustrator, particularly of children's books. His first known published works date from about 1911, and most of his illustrations date from the 1920s and 1930s. Amongst the books he illustrated are 'The Ingoldsby Legends' by Sir Thomas Ingoldsby, London, 1911; 'Children's Stories from 'The Arabian Nights', by Rose Yeatman Woolf, 1914 (and later editions); 'The Adventures of Don Quixote', c.1920 and 1929; 'Gulliver's Travels', 1928; 'The Water Babies', 1930; 'Grimm's Fairy Tales', 1930; 'Stories of King Arthur', 1925 and 'Long, long ago: stories from the classics' both retold by Blanche Winder, the latter probably in the 1930s (see National Art Library catalogue). Theaker made hand-coloured plates from Sir John Tenniel's original illustrations to 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' for editions published between 1911 and 1930.
This record includes information submitted by Cathy Corbett.
Wealth at death: £5,758 14s. 8d.
Probate date: 5 April 1954
Locations
Address 54 Waterloo Road Burslem | View on map
1881 (Circa) - 1891 (Circa)
Address 1 Blenheim Road Bedford Park London W4 | View on map
1911 (Circa) - 1954
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Institutional and Business Connections
Member of Art Workers Guild
1921 - 1928
Listed as a painter in 1921 and then as a calligrapher in 1926-28. Membership not necessarily continuous from 1921-28.
Principal of Polytechnic School of Art, Regent Street
September 1931 - July 1938
Listed as Head Master of the Art School from 1931-1932 onwards. Last listed in 1937-1938.
Personal and Professional Connections
Brother/sibling of Charles Edmund Theaker
Daughter/son/child of George Theaker
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Apprentice Pottery Decorator' and his father George Theaker (1835-1902) 'Master of Art School/Teachers of Science or [maybe &] Economy Building Construction Machine Construction, Modeller & Designer for Misc [?] Work Pottery etc [?]' and his younger brother Charles Edmund (born c.1876), 'Apprentice Pottery Modeller' all workers
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Art (design) Teacher' working for the Polytechnic Inst[itute]
Sources
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
RG11 piece 2715 folio 116 page 24
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 2164 folio 103 page 37
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN6977 RG78PN345 RD128 SD6 ED26 SN327
England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906
2008
ame: Harry George Theaker
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 6 Apr 1873
Christening Place: Wolstanton, Staffordshire, England
Father's Name: George Theaker
Mother's name: Mary
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Harry George Theaker
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1873
Registration district: Wolstanton
Inferred County: Staffordshire
Volume: 6b
Page: 103
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Harry George Theaker
Probate Date: 5 Apr 1954
Death Date: 23 Jan 1954
Death Place: London, England
Registry: London, England
Members of the Art Workers Guild, 1884-1984
1984 (Circa)
The Polytechnic Education Department. Prospectuses. Session 1931-1932 Regent Street Polytechnic
1931
p. 13.
The Polytechnic Education Department. Prospectuses. Session 1937-1938 Regent Street Polytechnic
1937
p. 15.
Citing this record
'Harry George Theaker', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib4_1252338833, accessed 10 Jun 2023]
