Any idea of this man's age please?

[eilidh]

Hello,

I would appreciate any feedback in
regard to the age of this very 
unattractive man. 

Well I guess I can say it because we are related
way way back and No I don't think I look like him.
Hopefuly   

bye

[griz]

He looks about 45 to me, but as it is a drawing it could be any age. Is he someone famous? He looks a bit like Fred Elliot ion Coronation Street

[eilidh]

Hi Griz,

Nope no-one famous, just a fish hawker from Essex  

He is on a painting of the Braintree Market 1826, a review
reads " John Digby of the cavernous mouth and stentorian voice,
it was said that when John 'hollered mackerel" in High Street you
could hear him plainly at Coggeshall six miles away".

In other words my ancestor was a loud big mouth

I have father and son living in Braintree, father was listed as
fishmonger aged 57 on 1821 census, son, a hawker aged 27.   

So that would make father 62 and son 32 by 1826.  Not sure which
John is on painting ?

bye

[jim1]

This is a caricature rather than a likeness.I would have thought an old man of
62 would be more wizened than this...so I'll go with son.
jim

[oldtimer]

Hi Eilidh

What a fantastic thing to have! Lucky you!!

I think Jim's comments are very intelligent! So I will agree with him!! 

[jim1]

Blimey that's a first 

[griz]

Jim1,  this is your lucky day as I too agree with you.

I also agree with 'oldtimer',  Eilidh,  that you are very fortunate to have this marvelous characature.

I am sure it would not be a true likeness. He was probably much more appealing in real life.  The artist would have wanted people to know immediately who he was depicting,  so he would, as all characaturists do, have exaggerated the features.
I think I would have liked John Rigby. I would like to have heard his powerful voice

[griz]

I just wanted to add, from the small part(?) we see of the original picture, I think the artist was very talented.  Being outside a lot, working hard, would have aged him too.

[eilidh]

Many thanks,

Griz, Jim1 & Oldtimer for all your comments.  The more I look at him in the full print I am inclined to agree with you all. He was very tall, and straight, not bent and wizened.

I have attached a copy of the full print, as you can see John is to the front right hand side with his basket of fish.

bye