Edward Gregory (1881-1955) was born in Edinburgh, one of nine children to father, James, a Minister of the Congregational Church, and mother, Martha. By 1901 the family were living at Oak Villas, Bradford.
Both parents, James and Martha, had been born respectively in the Bradford and Craven areas, and James had served as a Minister in Edinburgh until an opportunity arose for him to serve locally. He continued to serve in Bradford until his retirement.
In 1911 Edward married Winifred Priestley, the daughter of Sir William E.B. Priestley, a local mill owner and Liberal politician, who had been the Member of Parliament for Pudsey and Mayor of Bradford, 1906-1919. The 1911 census also records the married couple’s address in the NW3 area of London and Edward’s profession recorded as ‘Artist – portrait and landscape’. It is currently unknown where, or if, Edward studied art, although as he was living in the Bradford area by his late teens, it may have been at the Bradford School of Art.
Edward and Winifred had three children and continued to live in North London, eventually settling in the Hampstead area. When he died he left over £42,000 in his will; a considerable sum of money at that time.
Edward painted portraits and landscapes and exhibited work from 1907 onward at venues including the Groupil Gallery, Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, New English Art Club, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Royal Academy and the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
There is a portrait titled ‘Old Lady’ in the Bradford Museums & Galleries permanent collection. This was painted around 1911; see image below:
(Edward Gregory should not be confused with Edward John Gregory (1850-1909), who died before the above portrait was painted).