John O'Connor

John O'Connor was born in Londonderry in 1830 and became a very successful painter of theatre decor, landscapes and cityscapes. Orphaned at the age of 12, he was forced to support himself and his grandfather. He commenced work in theatres in Belfast and Dublin before moving to the Drury Lane Theatre, London. Later he became principal scene painter at the Haymarket Theatre. In 1879 he painted the scenes for the opening of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Throughout this period, he painted many good oil and water-colour views of London and of towns seen on his travels throughout Europe and India, which included a visit to Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. O'Connor was an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy and he exhibited at the Royal Academy and other galleries from 1852. In addition, he was drawing master to the London and South Western Literary and Scientific Institution from 1855 to 1858. He lived for many years in St. John's Wood, London, but moved to Yately, Hampshire, in 1888, where he died in 1889.