Fraser, John, Marine Painter, 1858-1927.

The collection consists of letters about Fraser's paintings and family matters, from 1893 to 1927. There are letters from two of Fraser’s younger brothers who were employed on merchant vessels. William P. Fraser drowned after being washed overboard from the barque LOCH TROOL during rough weather in 1890. Lawrence J. Fraser died at St. Joseph’s Hospital, San Francisco, after falling into a hold on the screw steamer HAZEL DOLLAR in 1914. See the records of deaths at sea in BT 334 held at The National Archives.

Administrative / biographical background
Fraser was born in the Fleet Street area of London, in 1858, to John Fraser, an accountant, and his wife Margaret English Fraser née Partis. As well as being a marine painter, his subjects included scenes from France, Spain, Gibraltar and the Canary Islands. He collaborated extensively with the Commendatore Eduardo de Martino (1838-1912), marine painter-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria, often painting much of his numerous commissions. De Martino also enjoyed special favour with King Edward VII, who never went to sea without him. At De Martino’s death, Fraser hoped to succeed to this position, but he was disappointed. Fraser had a studio at 7 The Mall, off Church Street (now Tasker Road) in Hampstead, London, Hampstead, from 1890 to 1892. In later life, he ran a print shop in Westminster. The fine art collection at the National Maritime Museum has a large number of works by Fraser.