The name Baldrey was borne by several painters and engravers who worked in the eastern counties in the later years of the eighteenth century; and Joshua Kirby Baldrey, who sometimes exhibited pictures at the Royal Academy, was the son of Gainsborough’s Ipswich friend. [Andrew Baldrey]

Excerpt From “Thomas Gainsborough” by William Thomas Whitley. Early Days pp 17-20.

A Notation in the Dictionary of National Biography contains the following information:

BALDREY, JOSHUA KIRBY (1754 - 1828) draughtsman and engraver, was the eldest son of Andrew Baldrey (d. 1802) of Ipswich, and his wife Mary (1728 - 1806). Andrew, the illegitimate son of Andrew Rankin and Elizabeth Baldrey, was successively apprentice, partner and successor in the general painting business of Joshua's godfather, Joshua Kirby, and trained his own sons Joshua and Robert. Joshua in turn took as pupils Robert Clamp, stipple portrait engraver, and his own son John Baldrey, by his first marriage.

For over twenty years Joshua Baldrey worked in London or Cambridge, never settling permanently in either. His first imprints as engraver and printseller were issues from Mr. Dibb's at Green Street, Grosvenor Street, London in 1780, but he was back in Trumpington Street in Cambridge in 1785, and back at Doughty & Co in Holborn, London three years later producing a series of satires against Hastings, Thurloe and Pitt. He exhibited portraits at the Royal Academy in 1793 and 1794. Among his best works are The Finding of Moses, after Salvator Rosa (1785); Diana in a Landscape, after Carlo Maratta; Lady Rawdon, after Reynolds (1783); and Atalanta after Henry Bunbury (1790). Baldrey worked after George Morland in soft-ground etching and after Bunbury in stipple. From about 1800 he and his son John, whose satires are in stipple and line, were together in Trinity Street, Cambridge. In 1811 Baldrey described himself as a miniature painter there, but in May 1809, he had published at 5 guineas a two-sheet reproduction of the east window of King's College chapel, Cambridge, which he had drawn, engraved , and for an extra guinea, coloured by hand. His eight-page Dissertation on the Windows of King's College Chapel, Cambridge (1818) was to advertise the remaining stock of the prints and to solicit orders for a projected engraving of one of the south windows. His Dissertation concludes sadly: "All these works have been executed by a man with a large increasing family, experiencing much sickness: and from the unpropitious stage of the time, struggling with difficulties". Baldrey must have been a widower when on 12 June 1808, he married Mary Jane Copsey by licence at Great St Mary's in Cambridge; a daughter Sarah was witness. When he died in poverty in Hatfield Woodside, Hertfordshire, on 6 December 1828 it was reported that he left a large family. J. M. Blatchly, British Historian

Information & images supplied by Marge Delker. Link to his family.

Harry Baldry appears to have been the brother of Grace Baldry (below). The following information is from the autobiography of Vanda Mary Sanders Howden, as edited by her son, Dr. Patrick ffyske Howden, BackYard TEch, Cone St, Macleay Island, 4184, Australia. Tel/Fax: (07) 34095100. There is more on this link. The information was brought to our attention by Marcus Risdall, the Librarian of the Garrick Club:-

From: Kate Sigrist

From: Emily Legg e-mail her

I have an old print of a picture of "Gathering Blossoms", artist, H. Baldry. It was copyrighted registered. Published in London, Landecker and Brown, 28 & 30 Worship Street, and printed in Munich. I can't find any information on this artist. Has your research turned up anyone who is an artist by the name H. Baldry? Thanks for any information you can provide.

From: Joan Hewitt e-mail her

I have in my possession, two picture passed down to me from my Grandmother. They are painted on glass and both depict a young man and woman. They are signed H. Baldry and the only H. Baldry who was an artist appears in your family. Do you have any information on Harry Baldry and any information on his artistic works. I am very interested in how my Grandmother may have come by them as they appear to have been in our family for a long time.

From: Wayne Petrie e-mail him

This print is titled "The Peacemaker". Painted by a G.Baldry.The London Art Museum dosn't have much on this artist except possibly a Grace Baldry, done around the early 1900's. It was published by The Art Reproduction Co.Ltd. Plough Court, Fetter Lane, London,E.C.

Any info on this print would be greatly appreciated.

He was born at Torquay and educated at Oxford. He studied art at the Royal College of Art and the studio of Alfred Joseph Moore. He was also an art critic, writing for The Globe (1893-1908) and other periodicals, and the author of books on painting. Ezra Pound disparaged his work in The New Age of 14 February 1918 (22.16:310). His biographical and critical work is now better known than his art.

Publications include:-

"Recent Portraits by Mr. P. A. de László"
by Alfred Lys Baldry
The International Studio, Vol. LIX, No. 235 (September 1916), pp. 145-156.

"Some Paintings and Drawings by Mr. P.A. de László"
by Alfred Lys Baldry
Vol. LXXXI, No. 335
(February 1921), pp. 44-57

An unknown Mr BALDRY of Wilby Hall, Suffolk = ? Francis BALDRY (? - 1837) of 166, New Bond Street, London = ? Alfred Adam BALDRY 1st (27/2/1828 - 9/9/1915 Bournmouth) = (1851) Charlotte WHITEBREAD of Babbacombe Alfred Lys BALDRY 2nd (1858 Torquay - 1939) Art critic & Painter, see Who's Who 1938 Right: His painting of "Christchurch" was at aution at Walton & Hipkiss Please e-mail Louise Perrin Leis if you have any information about his descendants.