About the artist:

Stephen Enoch was born in Almondbury (near Huddersfield) in 1842, the son of Joseph Hogley and Mary Jane Hartley. There does not seem to be a record of his baptism, probably because the Methodist Church his parents attended does not have a surviving register for this period. His sister Clara (shewn right), painted by SEH. Joseph looks to me to be about 55, and Clara in her mid/late twenties, which would put the paintings at about 1870. Apparently SEH and Clara had an argument, which is why Clara's portrait was never finished; details such as her buttons are missing. Steven Enoch Hogley married Mary Jane Farrand in Almondbury Parish Church on 26 January 1867, and moved to Holmfirth soon afterwards. They had 8 children- 4 boys and four girls. However, three of the girls died before they were 10, and two of the boys died as young men. SEH's granddaughter Esther Hogley, believed that because of this Mary died of a broken heart. Peter Cardno wrote about SEH in his book 'Past Artists of Huddersfield', published in 1923/4. The chapter reads as follows: Stephen E. Hogley When, a few weeks ago, I visited Mr Hogley at his charmingly situated house at Thongsbridge, I found him, not only in excellent health, but engrossed in the painting of a large canvas that promised - notwithstanding his eighty-one years - equality with much of his earlier work, and it was an interesting hour I spent with him chatting about pictures and painters and art matters in general. He was born at Almondbury in 1842, and at an early age - compared with the age present-day children go to work - he was apprenticed to Mr. Peace Sykes, who was then carrying on a business as a house painter at Holmfirth, so that it can truly be said that Stephen Hogley, like his artist friends, Peace Sykes and John Pearson, has been all his life in the painting trade and profession. He commenced the study of drawing at the Holmfirth Mechanics' Institution, the art classes of which were under the tuition of his employer, Peace Sykes. From these classes he joined the Hudedersfield Mechanics' Institution, which was siutated at this date in Queen Street. When the classes were transferred to Northumberland Street he there was appointed assistant master. He was now well equipped for beginning serious work as an artist, being a painter in a successful business of house painters, he was able to devote a portion of his time to the higher branch of the art, namely, picture painting. Hogley was always a great lover of Nature and, living his life surrounded by the woods and hillsides of his native village, it seems only natural that he should devote all his attention to landscape subjects. Therefore, his pictures, with hardly an exception, are of mountains or river scenes, or a combination of river or lake, with tree-covered banks, often with the addition of cattle, the latter forming an important part of the composition. He always endeavoured to give a faithful reproduction of the different moods of Nature, and, judging from the many pictures I have seen, he is particularly fond of late afternoon effects. In catching the warm light of a summer's evening, showing vale or hillside suffused in late sunshine, he is particularly successful. He paints both in oil and water-colour, and I sometimes think that he gets the best result in the latter class of picture. Certainly, some of his water-colours reach a high standard of merit. He has had work accepted at Manchester, the Crystal Palace, and at the Royal Albert Hall exhibitions. An important picture of his entitled Hartley-Crag, Eskdale, having for its subject mountains and sheep, was purchased by Mr. Carlisle from the Huddersfield Art Exhibition when these were held in Messrs. Tinker's rooms. Ogwen Valley, North Wales, was exhibited at the Crystal Palace in 1878, and this, I understand, is a fine typical piece of Hogley's work. I am glad to know that a representative oil painting, entitled Head of Lock Slapin, is added to our now important collection in the Corporation Gallery, and this deserved honour will, I have no doubt, give much pleasure to the many admirers of Mr. Hogley's work. Paintings Stephen Enoch was a prolific painter, and many of his paintings are still in the family, although as the generations go on they are getting spread further afield. On this page I am building up an album of his paintings, in an attempt to catalogue them. I shall be adding any SEH paintings I come across to this site. SEH was not the only artist in the family, although he was the most active. The other artists included John Bernard, Annie Louise and Edie. I am trying to track down the paintings quoted in the text. As time goes on I am building up my collection of photographs of his paintings, and adding them to this site as I get them. The quality of some of my earlier attempts at photography is not so good, but the photos are improving as I go on. Information on the paintings will include the size of the painting. Click on any of the paintings to see the full-size picture, which in time will be in proportion to the size of the original.