John Beckett was the youngest of 9 children of John Beckett, tailor and staymaker, of Dorking.
His mother, Ann, died when he was only seven years old. His oldest sister married Robert White, a local plumber and glazier, and John apparently worked for him, eventually taking over the business.
In 1833 his father died leaving him 3 houses adjacent to the Ram public house, on the High Street near Dene Street, which remained in the ownership of the family until 1900.
In the 1841 and 1851 censuses he was described as ‘Painter’ but by 1861 he had evidently retired from business and was described as ‘Proprietor of houses’.
His paintings of Dorking streets form a valuable record of the buildings and inhabitants in the 1830s, particularly in 1835, when the decision was taken to rebuild Dorking’s medieval church. Beckett, who was at that date a member of the Vestry, painted fascinating views of its exterior and interior. Perhaps he regretted the demolition of the ancient building. He often included his favourite dog in his paintings.
There is no evidence that he had any formal artistic training. According to J.S. Bright’s ‘History of Dorking’, published in 1884, ‘he followed the business of house-painter and decorator’. Probably this work took him into the houses of the local gentry, where the paintings and ‘objets d’art’ may have awoken his artistic instincts.
In 1846 and 1847 his landscape paintings were exhibited in London at the British Institution, second only to the Royal Academy in importance for the encouragement of contemporary art, and in 1862 at the Royal Society of British Artists. No doubt Beckett gained considerable local renown from these associations. He never married and lived at 5, South Street, at the foot of Butter Hill. This building can be seen in his painting of South Street from Pump Corner. When he died in 1864 he was able to make generous bequests to his sister and nephews and nieces, including some of the paintings which have found their way into the museum.
DEMISE OF AN OLD INHABITANT
A very worthy and respected townsman has been taken from amongst us within the last few days, viz, Mr. John Beckett, of South Street, who expired on the 19th inst., after a long and exceeding painful illness. Mr Beckett for many years enjoyed a considerable reputation as a landscape painter; some of his works we believe having often been admitted to the exhibition of the Royal Academy, a proof that he must have been an artist of no mean merit. Independent of his professional acquirements, the deceased possessed such a genial and kind hearted disposition, combined with gentle and unobtrusive manners, that he won the regard of all who knew him. His loss is, therefore very generally regretted.
Obituary, The Dorking Journal, October 1864
An interesting auction sale by Messrs. White and Sons took place on Wednesday, when the effects of the late Mr. John Beckett of Butter Hill, were bought to the hammer. The property thus disposed of comprised a large and valuable collection of paintings in oil colours, representing scenes connected with the neighbourhood of Dorking, all executed by the deceased artist with much fidelity and skill. There was a brisk competition for the possession of these interesting mementoes, and the sale, which was protracted until a late hour of the evening, must have produced a considerable sum.
In 2013, Sandra Wedgwood and Mary Day curated an exhibition of John Beckett’s paintings. It was the first exhibition held in the newly renovated Museum.
