Robert John Hammond was born circa 1853 in London, England, United Kingdom to Robert Bills Hammond (c1819-1893) and Mary Grace Murray (c1820-1909) and died after 1911 of unspecified causes. He married Lucy E Banner (c1856-1915) 1877 in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom.
Robert John Hammond (often known as R. J. Hammond) was a landscape painter who predominantly lived in the Birmingham area. A wide range of his paintings can be viewed online [1][2][3]. He was father to watercolourist Horace Hammond, brother-in-law of landscape painter Alfred Banner (c1860-), and an occasional collaborator of Frederick Henry Henshaw (source, see 'Artist Biography' tab).
Little is clear about Robert's early life, but it is likely that he was the son of Robert Bills Hammond (c1819-1893), a travelling wallpaper salesman, and Mary Grace Murray (c1820-1909).
By 1871, he had moved to Sutton Coldfield and was an apprentice to John W Jennings (c1817-), a watchmaker and jeweller[4]. Six years later he married Lucy E Banner (c1856-1915), the daughter of an art dealer, and shortly after they had two children.
By the 1880s, Robert had become a prolific landscape painter and seems to have travelled around England extensively, with works of his exhibited and auctioned in many cities, including Huddersfield, Bristol, London, Sheffield, Birmingham, Bournemouth and Southport. Many advertisements to this effect can be found in the British Newspaper Archive[5].
In 1891, Robert was living at 90 Kyrswicks Lane, Bordesley, with his wife, children, mother-in-law and brother-in-law, Alfred Banner (c1860-), who was also a landscape painter[6].
In 1901, the family had moved on (without the in-laws) and were residing at 467 Moseley Road, Balsall Heath[7][8]. In 1911, they were at 3 Walford Road, Sparkbrook[9].
Some secondary sources state that Robert died in 1911 (eg. [10], [11]). However, he seems to be on the electoral roll at the property he resided in for the 1911 census (3 Walford Road, Sparkbrook) until 1927[12], along with his daughter Evelyn Whitcomb. (In the 1911 electoral roll his name appears transposed as John Robert Hammond.)
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Horace Murray Hammond (c1879-1966) | 1879 England, United Kingdom | 1966 | Elsie May Beacon (c1888-) |
| Evelyn Hammond (c1881-1966) | 1881 England, United Kingdom | 1966 England, United Kingdom | George Henry Whitcomb (1890-) |
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Hammond (c1850-) | |||
| Robert John Hammond (c1853-aft1911) | 1853 London, England, United Kingdom | 1911 | Lucy E Banner (c1856-1915) |
| Elizabeth S Hammond (c1856-) | |||
Residences
Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |
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| Ω Birth |
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| ₪ Wedding |
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| ¶ Death |
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