Early life

Born to artist James Curnock and Sarah Wilson, James Jackson (possibly named after the famous British portraitist, John Jackson RA) spent his life living in Bristol. He had 3 sisters and was the only boy.

• Isabelle Wilson Curnock (1837-1861), died aged 23 (also buried at Arnos Vale)
• Edith Alice Curnock (1844-1911)
• Alice Marian Curnock (1851-1888)

James Jackson (known affectionately as JJ) never married, living with his mother and sister throughout his life.  Although he may have served in one of the British Hussar regiments as an officer cadet. 

Renowned artist

Taking after his father, James Jackson Curnock also an artist, he first exhibited, aged 19, in April 1858 at the ‘Exhibition of Works of Living Artists’, Sharples’ Gallery, Bristol.

James Jackson was considered a ‘rising artist’ known for watercolours of landscapes. He painted the Welsh lakes, mountain ranges and river valleys, Scottish lochs, glens and moors, Cornish coasts, as well as English valleys and gorges. James Jackson exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Royal Cambrian Academy. Like his father, his work is still bought and sold today. His painting of ‘The Clifton Gorge, Avon’ sold at Christie’s in 1998 for £3,450 (£6,500 today).

CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133083180

Death

He died in December 1891 at the age of 52 and is buried in the family plot.