Melton Prior (12 September 1845 – 2 November 1910), was an English artist and war correspondent[1] for The Illustrated London News from the early 1870s until 1904. Prior was one of the leading illustrators of late Victorian Britain, noted for his ability to quickly sketch scenes. His pencil sketches were sent back to London where they were re-drawn by studio artists and engraved on wood-blocks for printing in the Saturday issues of the Illustrated London News. In addition to covering conflicts around the world, he also traveled on a number of Royal tours including accompanying the Prince of Wales[2] to Canada in 1901.
Prior was born in Camden Town, London, and studied under his father, William Henry Prior (1812–1882), a landscape artist, painter and illustrator.[3] In 1873, he was contracted by the Illustrated London News to travel to West Africa to cover the Ashanti War. Among the correspondents that Prior rubbed along with in West Africa was G. A. Henty, with whom he had shared a hut on the campaign.[4] Prior produced a drawing of the quarters that the war-correspondents shared and this was a title page illustration for the Illustrated London News on 28 February 1874.[5] This was followed by covering the fighting against the Carlists in Spain before heading to eastern Europe where Prior sketched the events in Herzegovina and the Russo-Turkish War.[3]
South Africa, 1879–1881edit
In 1879, Prior traveled to Durban to report on the Zulu War which had just broken out. While he missed the events at Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift, he did witness subsequent actions including the final Battle of Ulundi He was also with the group who discovered the body of the Prince Imperial. Although Boer farmers had assisted the British in the war against the Zulus, they resented the encroachment by English farmers and industrialists on their lands, and sought the independence of the Transvaal and Orange Free State. Following the breakdown of negotiations, hostilities broke out, and Prior witnessed the aftermath of the British disaster at Majuba Hill.
North Africa, 1882–1885edit
The following year, Prior found himself offshore on a Royal Navy ship during the bombardment of Alexandria. Later, he accompanied the British forces under General Sir Garnet Wolseley on the expedition down the Nile which culminated with the destruction of the Egyptian Army at Tel-el-Kebir on 13 September 1882. In 1884–85, he accompanied the relief expedition for General Charles Gordon and was present at the Battle of Abu Klea in the Sudan.
South Africa, 1896–1902edit
Following the events in Sudan, Prior was sent to the Far East to cover the operations in Burma. The mid-1890s found him back in South Africa, covering the failed Jameson Raid, the Matabele uprising and the subsequent Boer War, although he also covered the campaign in the Tirah on the North-West Frontier of British India in 1897. During the fighting against the Boers, Prior found himself besieged at Ladysmith.[3]
Prior, Melton. (1912). Campaigns of a War Correspondent. London: Edward Arnold.
Referencesedit
^"Prior, Melton". Who's Who. Vol. 59. 1907. pp. 1434–1435.
^Technically speaking, Prior accompanied the Duke of Cornwall, who was created Prince of Wales on 9 November 1901; the trip to Canada began in Quebec on 16 September with departure from St. John's, Newfoundland, anchor in Solent on 31 October and return to London on 2 November. See RMS Ophir.
^ abcStearn, Roger T. "Prior, Melton". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35616. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Newbolt, Peter (1996). "Periodicals and Newspapers to which Henty contributed: 214. The Illustrated London News". G.A. Henty, 1832-1902 : a bibliographical study of his British editions, with short accounts of his publishers, illustrators and designers, and notes on production methods used for his books. Brookfield, Vt.: Scholar Press. pp. 537. ISBN9781859282083. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
^Newbolt, Peter (1996). "Appendix IV: Illustration and Design: Notes on Artists and Designers: Drawing by Melton Prior". G.A. Henty, 1832-1902 : a bibliographical study of his British editions, with short accounts of his publishers, illustrators and designers, and notes on production methods used for his books. Brookfield, Vt.: Scholar Press. pp. 635. ISBN9781859282083. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
^"Melton Prior Dead" (PDF). The New York Times. London (published 3 November 1910). 2 November 1910. p. 9. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
^. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
Carruthers, Jane. (1987). Melton Prior. War Artist in Southern Africa 1895 to 1900. Houghton: The Brenthurst Press.
Harrington, Peter. (1993). British Artists and War: The Face of Battle in Paintings and Prints, 1700–1914. London: Greenhill.
Hodgson, Pat. The War Illustrators. Reading: Osprey.
External linksedit
Media related to Melton Prior at Wikimedia Commons
December 15, 2023
melton, prior, september, 1845, november, 1910, english, artist, correspondent, illustrated, london, news, from, early, 1870s, until, 1904, prior, leading, illustrators, late, victorian, britain, noted, ability, quickly, sketch, scenes, pencil, sketches, were,. Melton Prior 12 September 1845 2 November 1910 was an English artist and war correspondent 1 for The Illustrated London News from the early 1870s until 1904 Prior was one of the leading illustrators of late Victorian Britain noted for his ability to quickly sketch scenes His pencil sketches were sent back to London where they were re drawn by studio artists and engraved on wood blocks for printing in the Saturday issues of the Illustrated London News In addition to covering conflicts around the world he also traveled on a number of Royal tours including accompanying the Prince of Wales 2 to Canada in 1901 Melton PriorBorn 1845 09 12 12 September 1845Camden Town London EnglandDied2 November 1910 1910 11 02 aged 65 London EnglandOccupation s Illustrator war correspondentYears active1873 1905Prior was one of two major artists employed by the Illustrated London News with the other being William Simpson 1823 1899 Contents 1 Life 1 1 South Africa 1879 1881 1 2 North Africa 1882 1885 1 3 South Africa 1896 1902 1 4 Final years 2 Works by 3 References 4 External linksLife edit nbsp Illustration of the Battle of Majuba Hill for the Illustrated London News 1881 Prior was born in Camden Town London and studied under his father William Henry Prior 1812 1882 a landscape artist painter and illustrator 3 In 1873 he was contracted by the Illustrated London News to travel to West Africa to cover the Ashanti War Among the correspondents that Prior rubbed along with in West Africa was G A Henty with whom he had shared a hut on the campaign 4 Prior produced a drawing of the quarters that the war correspondents shared and this was a title page illustration for the Illustrated London News on 28 February 1874 5 This was followed by covering the fighting against the Carlists in Spain before heading to eastern Europe where Prior sketched the events in Herzegovina and the Russo Turkish War 3 South Africa 1879 1881 edit In 1879 Prior traveled to Durban to report on the Zulu War which had just broken out While he missed the events at Isandlwana and Rorke s Drift he did witness subsequent actions including the final Battle of Ulundi He was also with the group who discovered the body of the Prince Imperial Although Boer farmers had assisted the British in the war against the Zulus they resented the encroachment by English farmers and industrialists on their lands and sought the independence of the Transvaal and Orange Free State Following the breakdown of negotiations hostilities broke out and Prior witnessed the aftermath of the British disaster at Majuba Hill North Africa 1882 1885 edit The following year Prior found himself offshore on a Royal Navy ship during the bombardment of Alexandria Later he accompanied the British forces under General Sir Garnet Wolseley on the expedition down the Nile which culminated with the destruction of the Egyptian Army at Tel el Kebir on 13 September 1882 In 1884 85 he accompanied the relief expedition for General Charles Gordon and was present at the Battle of Abu Klea in the Sudan South Africa 1896 1902 edit Following the events in Sudan Prior was sent to the Far East to cover the operations in Burma The mid 1890s found him back in South Africa covering the failed Jameson Raid the Matabele uprising and the subsequent Boer War although he also covered the campaign in the Tirah on the North West Frontier of British India in 1897 During the fighting against the Boers Prior found himself besieged at Ladysmith 3 Final years edit Prior s last campaigns were the Somaliland Expedition of 1903 and the Russo Japanese War of 1904 1905 He died in London on 2 November 1910 6 He was buried at Hither Green Cemetery A monument to Prior with a bas relief portrait exists within the crypt at St Paul s Cathedral London 7 Works by editPrior Melton 1912 Campaigns of a War Correspondent London Edward Arnold References edit Prior Melton Who s Who Vol 59 1907 pp 1434 1435 Technically speaking Prior accompanied the Duke of Cornwall who was created Prince of Wales on 9 November 1901 the trip to Canada began in Quebec on 16 September with departure from St John s Newfoundland anchor in Solent on 31 October and return to London on 2 November See RMS Ophir a b c Stearn Roger T Prior Melton Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 35616 Subscription or UK public library membership required Newbolt Peter 1996 Periodicals and Newspapers to which Henty contributed 214 The Illustrated London News G A Henty 1832 1902 a bibliographical study of his British editions with short accounts of his publishers illustrators and designers and notes on production methods used for his books Brookfield Vt Scholar Press pp 537 ISBN 9781859282083 Retrieved 2 May 2020 Newbolt Peter 1996 Appendix IV Illustration and Design Notes on Artists and Designers Drawing by Melton Prior G A Henty 1832 1902 a bibliographical study of his British editions with short accounts of his publishers illustrators and designers and notes on production methods used for his books Brookfield Vt Scholar Press pp 635 ISBN 9781859282083 Retrieved 2 May 2020 Melton Prior Dead PDF The New York Times London published 3 November 1910 2 November 1910 p 9 Retrieved 18 October 2023 The Courtauld Institute Archived from the original on 1 February 2021 Retrieved 15 January 2011 Carruthers Jane 1987 Melton Prior War Artist in Southern Africa 1895 to 1900 Houghton The Brenthurst Press Gibson Frank W 1912 Prior Melton In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography 2nd supplement Vol 3 London Smith Elder amp Co p 136 Harrington Peter 1993 British Artists and War The Face of Battle in Paintings and Prints 1700 1914 London Greenhill Hodgson Pat The War Illustrators Reading Osprey External links edit nbsp Media related to Melton Prior at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melton Prior amp oldid 1187980611, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
