Astley Cheetham Collection
Harry Rutherford (1903 - 1985)

Born in Hyde in 1903, Harry Rutherford is one of Tameside's most renowned artists.

Leaving school at fourteen, Rutherford continued his artistic training attending evening classes at the Manchester School of Art, where he was taught by Adolf Valette. Fellow pupils included L.S. Lowry and James Fitton. In 1925 Walter Sickert opened an art class for students of which Rutherford was one of them. The influence of Sickert is evident throughout the work of Harry Rutherford, particularly in a shared love of the theatre.

Early on in his career, Rutherford spent time in Cornwall with the Newlyn Schools of painters and light and colour infused his work from this time. Alongside his painting, Rutherford was employed as an illustrator for the print media, as he had a quick eye for sketching caricatures and cartoons.

In 1936, during the early days of television, Rutherford was invited to participate in a programme called 'Cabaret Cartoons' during which he would stand in the wings of the studio and draw the variety acts as they performed. These quick sketches would be shown live on television. Rutherford was a pioneer of graphic illustration on television and in the 1950s appeared on a regular 15 minute programme called 'Sketchbook'.

Rutherford continued to travel widely, spending time in Borneo in 1957, France and Spain. However he is most loved for his paintings of the industrial landscape and life around his home town of Hyde. These include his painting 'Northern Saturday' 1948, now held in Ashton Town Hall and 'Mill Girls' 1948.

The Astley Cheetham Collection holds a large amount of his work, including television sketches, drawings and paintings.

If you would like to know more about Harry Rutherford you can purchase the publication:

The Life and Work of Harry Rutherford by Emma Smith
Price: £2.50 from all Tameside Museum and Gallery sites.

Rutherford Green Door

Family History

Rutherford Mill Girls

Rutherford Northern Saturday

All images © the artist's estate. Photo credit: Tameside Museums and Galleries Service: The Astley Cheetham Art Collection