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The life and works of John Cooke Bourne

Early work and influences

John Cooke Bourne was born on 1 September 1814, to a hatter of Hatton Garden. His family also included the artist and engraver, George Cooke (1781-1834) who became Bourne's godfather. Bourne began his artistic career as a pupil of the landscape engraver John Pye (1782-1874). Under his guidance, he showed himself to be a highly competent draughtsman from an early age, with a remarkable understanding of line and form. Bourne probably used the camera obscura to understand certain effects and his interest in recording contemporary technology and industrial architecture would suggest that in another age he might have become a professional photojournalist.

A drawing of the construction of the London & Birmingham Railway at Park Street, London

A drawing of the construction of the London & Birmingham Railway at Park Street, London.
© Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust

In 1836, less than a mile from Bourne's home in Lamb’s Conduit Street, London, Robert Stephenson the engineer, was beginning to build the London & Birmingham Railway. It started at Euston and ran through the streets and tenements of Camden Town, on towards the Midlands.

One of Bourne's first sketches depicting the work of navvies on the railways

This is an example of one of Bourne’s first sketches depicting the work of navvies on the railways, such as putting up scaffolding and bricklaying.
© Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust

Later Britton described Bourne's work in his autobiography of 1850. He wrote that Bourne was producing

"subjects of professional study, as scenes and compositions replete with picturesque effect and artistic character of the vast works of Camden Town."

This quote highlights not only Britton's admiration for Bourne's work but also for the railways themselves. This was unusual for the time as most writers and social commentators were critical of their development, such as John Ruskin and Charles Dickens.

This sketch depicts several of the navvies who built the London

This sketch depicts several of the navvies who built the London
& Birmingham Railway. It shows them working, relaxing and sleeping.
© Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust