G. Howell-Baker

George Howell Baker, ARWA (1871-1919), who worked as G. Howell-Baker and under the pseudonym G.H. Rekab, was an Anglo-Welsh artist, illustrator, poet, and art teacher. After early success in London and Paris, he spent the latter part of his life in Bridgend. His work is in a number of major collections, including National Museum Wales and the Royal Collection.

Early life

Barker was born in the first quarter of 1871 in Prestwich Park, then in Lancashire, to Mary Catherine (née Howell), from Bridgend and George Baker, from Manchester. He was baptised at Prestwich Park on 15 March 1871. He was not a healthy child and his parents feared he would not reach adulthood. His initial education was by a private tutor at home (in both the 1881 and 1891 censuses, he is recorded with his family at Stone Lodge, Marple), after which he spent the final five years of his schooling at Llandudno Collegiate School. The original form was given in the census returns for 1901 and 1911, the latter completed by his mother.

Career

In 1901, Penholm, a book of 25 of his drawings reproduced as lithographs on hand-made paper, was published by R. Brimley Johnson. Other than their titles, also listed in an illustrated index, it included no text. Another, St. George and the Dragon, was reproduced in The Bookman, whose reviewer described Howell-Baker as "a discovery, an artist of real distinction. His work is strong and striking".

He contributed to the short-lived (1901-1903) magazine Western Counties Graphic, using the pen name "Rekab" ("Baker", written backwards). He used the pen name "G.H. Rekab" for his poems, a number of which were published in The Glamorgan Gazette. Under his own name, he wrote a hymn, "S.S. Bremen", with music by E. Edgar Evans. He also worked as a wood carver.

Baker also taught art and gave public lectures on related subjects for a number of schools and colleges across South Wales.

Baker was a member of the North British Academy and became an Associate of the Royal West of England Academy In 1906, he gave evidence at another inquest—into the accidental death of his father, who died after being struck by a horse-drawn wagon.

In 1902, his address was given as "Coychurch-road, Bridgend".

Death

Around 1917, Baker suffered a "serious nervous breakdown", and two years later died at his home, Ingleside, Bridgend, on 19 September 1919.

Obituaries were published in Welsh newspapers

Legacy

In 1968, a former pupil wrote a newspaper column reminiscing about being taught by Baker. He described him as having:

His oil painting Ewenny Castle (actually depicting Ewenny Priory) is in the collection of the National Museum Wales, at National Museum Cardiff. NMW also has several works on paper. Another work in oil, Joan of Arc, was in the church of St Agnes in Rouen.

Lillie Abbott moved to Cincinnati after his death, to live with relatives, and a collection of his drawings formerly in her possession, compiled as a scrapbook and annotated by T. A. Langstroth and titled "Victor of Destiny, or, The life of G. Howell-Baker" is held by Cincinnati Library. The scrapbook includes a signed print with a personal inscription by Baker. Langstroth, writing in 1958, notes: