Notable Residents

Artists of Belsize Park

From John Walde, whose book ‘Hampstead, A Nest of Gentle Artists’ is the most comprehensive directory of our rich artistic heritage. (It is available at local bookshops and online publisher’s price, £65)

Amongst the better known artists who lived around Belsize Park Gardens were the Australian Donald Friend (1915-1989), most famous for his nude boys and homo-erotic paintings. He lived briefly at 27 Belsize Avenue in 1950; the engraver Clare Leighton (1898-1989), one of the most prolific female engravers of her generation, who lived at 37 Belsize Park Gardens, 1934-39; the sculptor Kathleen Trousdell Shaw (1870-1958), whose bust of the Rev. F.W. Tremlett is in St Peter’s Church, Belsize Square. She was related to George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and lived at 30 Belsize Park Gardens, 1908-19; Clarkson Stanfield (1793-1867), famous for his seascapes and scene-paintings, who lived and died at 6 Belsize Park Gardens,  1867 and the portrait painter and muralist Morris Kestelman (1905-1998), father of the actress Sara Kestelman (b. 1944). He lived at three addresses in Belsize Park Gardens: No. 58b in 1934; No. 27b (1939-68) and No, 74b (1970-1980).

There were quite a number of lesser known artists who lived nearby. Amongst them:

Gerald Ackermann (1876-1960), painter of landscapes, coastal scenes and views of Italy. He lived at 10 Belsize Grove, 1892-94 and at 25 Belsize Crescent, 1897-1901.

Anne Allen-Olney (1838-1929), who lived at 41 Belsize Park Gardens in 1891. She died in Italy on 28 December 1929 but no other information can be found.

Joseph Avrach (1905-1981). Born in Lodz, Poland.  Illustrator of children’s books. Lived at 7 Belsize Park, 1936-40.

Richard Davis (1824-1896). Painter of landscapes, historical subjects and views of Holland, France and the Middle East. He painted the ceiling in St Bride’s Church, London. Lived 6 Belsize Park Gardens, 1870-73.

Guido Belmonte (1921-1986). Sculptor, who won several scholarships including the Prix de Rome. He lived at 70c Belsize Park Gardens in 1958.

Hibbert Charles Binney (1871-1951). Sculptor whose commissions included a medallion of Cardinal Manning and a statuette of Pope Leo XIII. Listed at 5 Belsize Studios, Glenilla Road, 1913-14.

Katherine Elizabeth Bush (1856-1948). Painter of landscapes and views of London. Lived at 67 Belsize Park, 1885-1901.

Eliza Goodall (1827-1916). Painter of genre and figure subjects. Daughter of the better known artist Edward Goodall (1794-1870). Lived at 47 Belsize Park Gardens, 1881-82

Thomas Lascelles (1862-1922). Panier and mezzotint engraver. Lived at 11 Belsize Park Gardens, 1907-1922.

Elisabeth Wolff (1898-1977). German sculptor. Lived at 26a Belsize Park Gardens, 1940-47.