Francis J Neill

More Information about Francis J Neill

I love the internet! On my collection page I asked for more information about the artists if anyone knew anything more about them. And here is the result for Francis J Neill.

Elizabeth Young got in touch via email to supply me with more information. Francis or 'Frank' was apparently a friend of her mother's family in Belfast. Frank's wife was possibly a second cousin of Elizabeth's mother.

Frank was an amateur artist who possibly worked in printing.

The photo to the left is of Frank with his wife on the left and Elizabeth's mother wearing glasses on the right.

Thanks very much to Elizabeth for taking the trouble to tell me a bit more about the artist and send some further examples of his work.

"'Mossvale, Ballyskeagh' Co. Antrim" by Francis J Neill

Medium: Watercolour on paper

This is the first of three paintings by Francis that Elizabeth still owns.

The painting was commissioned by Elizabeth's mother and shows the ruin of the house where Elizabeth's grandfather was born in 1866. The house had belonged to the owner of the local mill and bleach works, William Charley, and Elizabeth's great grandfather would have worked for him at the bleach works. It was ruined in 1936, when a man bought it and set it on fire in an attempted insurance fraud. According to the Lisburn Historical society the site was sold in the 1980s and a new house built there.

'The woods above Drumbo' by Francis J Neill

Medium: Oil

The second of three paintings by Francis J Neill still owned by Elizabeth Young

One of these two oils was given to her as a wedding present but not sure which one.

'Seymour Hill house, Dunmurry' by Francis J Neill

Medium: Oil

The third of three paintings by Francis J Neill still owned by Elizabeth Young

Apparently this view has now been replaced by a housing estate!!