A Grand Discovery of Forgotten Whitehaven Artist
Social media has helped uncover the forgotten work of a Whitehaven artist, 10 years after his death.
The daughter of a Whitehaven painter was scrolling through Facebook when she spotted one of her dad’s prints on a local interest page. The image, a painting of Whitehaven’s Grand Hotel in 1940, dusted in snow, had struck a chord with the locals and was receiving an increasing amount of attention.
It turned out that the owner of the page, Brendon Mccrickett, had picked up the print at a Cockermouth car boot sale. Noticing it’s potential he snapped it up and took it home to digitally enhance, before posting it online where it has been viewed tens of thousands of times.
The artist was Billy Gregg, who passed away 10 years ago and was sadly never recognised for his talents during his life. He had painted the Grand Hotel, which burned down in 1940, from old photos and postcards. However, this was just one of many works, created over a lifetime of passionate painting.
Billy’s daughter, Rachel Gregg – who along with his creative flair, inherited catalogues of other prints and original artwork – now hopes to get her dad the appreciation very much deserved. She said: “Due to the interest, I think something like 10,000 people have viewed this work, the internet has just gone crazy.”
Rachel was surprised and touched by the response, she added: “I wanted to do something to commemorate the 10th anniversary of dad’s death next year, but I didn’t know how to go about it. This has just come along out of the blue and kind of answered everything.”
Although Billy always had a love of painting, being unable to afford to go to art college he instead took up a trade as a painter and decorator. However, he continued to pursue his passion for his own enjoyment.
Born and bred in Whitehaven, his love of the town is reflected in all of his work, Rachel explained: “He had a real love of Whitehaven and was really interested in local history. The family date back generations in the area, which is why a lot of his artwork does reflect historical areas.”
As with most of Billy’s work, the Grand Hotel was done in acrylic on canvas, but he occasionally used oil paints and pastel print. A lot of his paintings were done without charge for friends in the town and as a result Rachel is sure that there will be many still in the possession of locals.
The original Grand Hotel painting itself, is believed to be in residence at Whitehaven’s former Lowther Castle, having been bought in the 90s. However, it was the prints of his work that gathered widespread admiration – hence how one could have ended up at a carboot sale many years later.
Rachel said: “A lot of prints were made, when dad discovered that the originals weren’t selling. Obviously it was more affordable for people and it was a way of him getting his art out there, which is what he enjoyed.”
What would her dad say if he could see the stir his work has caused today?
Rachel laughed: “He wouldn’t get social media. I don’t think he would be able to comprehend how 10,000 people can see a print when it hasn’t even left the house.
“I think my dad would probably find it ironic, that you can create original artwork and not have it appreciated, and then all of a sudden the digital age has made his name known.”
A crafter herself, Rachel is setting up her own business selling her handmade goods and those of other local craftspeople. She will soon be moving into her own premises in Whitehaven, where she plans to make Billy’s prints available commercially.
She added: “I’m hoping to allow more people to appreciate his work and make it more on a commercial basis. Dad was never able to make a real living out of his art so maybe this will make some kind of little nest egg for my own kids, who’ve never met their Grandad.”
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