Remembering Horsham’s eminent artist

This week in 1973 saw the death of one of Horsham’s most famous artists – Edward Bainbridge Copnall.

Edward Bainbridge was the son of Edward White Copnall, a popular photographer, several of whose pictures are held by Horsham Museum & Art Gallery.

Edward Bainbridge was born in South Africa in 1903 but, foloowing the death of his mother, the family moved to Horsham.

Edward White ran his photographic business from 1915 to 1962 but his son proved a promising painter and sculptor and he picked up important commissions, such as one from the Royal Institute of British Architects.

His paintings included portraits and allegorical scenes, such as ‘Whither’ (below) in 1925 which has St Mary’s Church, Horsham, in the background, although it’s not an accurate town scene. The painting is owned by Horsham Museum.

During the Second World War Edward Bainbridge worked in the camouflage department in the Middle East.

Back home, he was President of the Royal Society of Sculptors in the 1960s and was awarded an MBE.

He died,aged 70, on October 18, in Littleborne, Kent.

His son was John Bainbridge Copnall, who was born in Slinfold, near Horsham, and who was also a painter. He died in 2007, aged 79.

The family’s long association with Horsham has been recognised with a road named Copnall Way.