Mrs George Gribble (Norah Royds)

John Singer Sargent's Mrs George Gribble (Frontpage) (What's New) (Thumbnails) (Refer This Site)

Mrs George Gribble (Norah Royds) John Singer Sargent -- American painter 1888 Art Museum of Western Virginia Oil on canvas 89 x 46 3/4 in. Jpg: artnet.com
Jpg: Webshots

Norah Royds (1859-1923) married George James Gribble (of London) on July 27, 1881. Seven years later, when she was about twenty-nine, Sargent painted her. They would have six children:

i. Phyllis

ii. Norah le Grand

iii. Lesley

iv. Barbara

v. Philip le Grand 1891-

vi. Julian Royds, VC 1897-19

Norah survive, but only physically, the death of two of these children -- Lesley, after a few years of marrage in what Norah thought was neglect; and then, Julian Royds, her youngest, whom during WWI was thought to have died, gallantly in June of 1918 serving as a Captian, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross, but later learned was only wonded, left for dead, captured, to only die five months later, of all things on Armistice Day from Spanish Influenza -- again Norah blamed neglect. The two deaths broke her spirit from which she never recovered. She died four years later.
(fitzwalter.com)

From: Nigel Watts
(wa tt sn@willis.com)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003

. . . my mother's grandmother's first cousin was painted by Sargent in 1888 and have found the image on your site. What a wonderful resource!

Her name was Norah Royds [which Natasha has since added] (Mrs George Gribble) and there are some biographical details about her on my family history site: [look under "Brereton branch" and then "Norah Gribble" or look here]. [In the future, there might be] a book on the Royds family which I am hoping to write.

Much of my uncle's information about the Gribbles came from Norah's son Philip Gribble's autobiography "Off the Cuff". I have a copy somewhere at home which I will see if I can dig out. I have to confess that I have not
read it myself but I will see if it contains some more about George Gribble.

Tue, 8 Jul 2003

Unfortunately most of my books are currently stacked in boxes in my attic while the house is being restored. I'm sure it's there somewhere and when I find it I will certainly let you know. Copies do occasionally turn up on the second hand market and are not expensive (eg via www.bookfinder.com).

I think I have now located the portrait. I believe it is in the Art Museum of West Virginia at a town called Roanoke. I e-mailed the curator a few weeks ago but have not yet received a reply. I have just sent another e-mail to their Director of External Affairs.

Regards

Nigel

PS in my search for Royds portraits [Norah's side of the family] I have even managed to acquire one myself. A first cousin of Norah's and of my great-grandmother was Mabel Allington Royds who was married to Ernest Lumsden. Both were art teachers and artists in their own right; Mabel produced woodblock prints in the Japanese manner and Ernest was a very proficient etcher. His book on the technique of etching is still in print many years after his death. I found a small ink wash sketch of Mabel by Ernest for sale on the net which I bought and has recently been delivered.

Notes
Special thanks to Nigel Watts, of London, a friend of the JSS Gallery, for giving me a link to the family history.

See the Art Museum of Western Virginia
See the year in review -- 1887-1888