Haines, Edward

Introduction:

Born in Somerset in 1807, for more than 30 years between 1828-1859 EDWARD HAINES worked on Brighton's Chain Pier as a freehand cutter and latterly as a photographer.

Given the timespan, his body of work was surely considerable. Today however, his extant profiles are scarcer by some margin than those of his rival J. GAPP (dates N/K) who worked on the pier for no more than a decade.

Best known for distinctive full length compositions, Haines described himself on his 2nd trade label as "Profilist and Scissorgraphist". Both trade labels give terms of 1 shilling for bust-size works, full-length 2 shillings and 6 pence, "ditto bronze", and 2 of one  person for 4 shillings. He also "displayed Portraits of many interesting living characters..." while "...Families...[were]...attended at their own residence without additional charge".

He used plain or, probably uniquely, 'salmon-pink' card to back his work. Though today little of the original colour can be discerned, it remains a useful attribution tool.

Bust-sized works are extremely rare. Two, illustrated in the January 2009 "SCC NEWSLETTER" on Haines show well-applied pencil strokes delineating hair and dress with bustlines terminating in a pronounced downward dip.

Though Haines' and Gapp's full-length studies are to a degree similar, Haines' silhouettes, approximately 7 inches high, are smaller, with male sitters generally posed with canes or hats, while Gapp's are mostly cut gloves in hand.

A collection of 9 of Haines' full-length silhouettes shows a rare but sparing use of colour on the blue-painted stocks of 2 male sitters, while the lace collar of a female is painted in Chinese white, as are the shirt collars on some of the males.

Named in a contemporary hand, all the collection's sitters are titled and framed at W.H.MASON's "Repository of Art, 108 King St., Brighton". With the Repository relocating from Marine Parade to King St in 1852, It's possible they were displayed and sold there after this date once Haines had cut the likenesses on the pier.

Opened in November 1823, the Chain Pier became an immediate popular promenade for titled, monied and fashionable visitors. Over 1100 ft long and 13 ft wide, its paved pierhead broadened into a viewing platform and landing stage for packet boats. Supporting the suspension chains which gave the pier its name were 4 sets of hollow cast iron pyramidal towers. At the base of each pair was a small rentable booth.

Based in the 3rd tower from shore, Gapp was the initial Chain Pier profilist. However, some time between 1828-1829, Edward Haines Snr (1755-1840) advertised "...his son had acquired...the Art of cutting PROFILE LIKENESSES in 1 MINUTE!!...at his Tower on the Chain Pier".

Haines' tower, closest to the pier entrance, was in a prime spot to draw the immediate attention of visitors. Unsurprisingly, the profilists' relationship appears uncordial. Gapp's trade labels record increasing irritation with his rival, his last stating he'd "...no connection with any other person on the pier who pretends to take profiles...".

Haines' more convivial pier 'connection' was his father. Aged 52, Edward Haines Snr married  21-year-old Catharine 'Kitty' Shew (1786-1862) in Yeovil, in April 1807. The register records Haines was illiterate. Future profilist Edward Jnr was baptised at Martock in December the same year.

In March 1810  a second son was born in Liverpool. Haines Snr gave his occupation as "Painter". By 1814 at the latest, the family had relocated to Brighton where Haines Snr fathered a further five children. Baptismal records list him a "Toyman" selling trinkets from "The Bathing Rooms on the Beach".

By the mid-1820s Haines Snr operated a camera obscura at the pierhead, rented out two 'pleasure boats' for excursions and was "Proprietor of the Original Weighing Machine patronised by the Royal Family" located at the pier's first tower which his profilist son inherited ca.1828. However, for all of Haines Snr's entrepreneurial drive, he died in Brighton's workhouse aged 85 in April 1840.

Haines Jnr would certainly have needed to maximise his own profitability, as records show that between 1828-1862 he fathered 19 offspring.

In February 1829 he wed Mary Ann Hall (1811-1852) at St. Nicholas, Brighton. Two sons and a daughter were baptised there in March 1830. The register records him "The Chain Pier Man" . In August 1852 Mary Ann gave birth to a 14th child. A month later, both were buried at St.Nicholas.

In February 1853, Haines married Henrietta 'Anette' Smith (1833-1914), daughter of painter and near neighbour Trayton Smith. Between 1853-1862 the couple had 5 children.

From 1828 to 1861 directories, baptismal registers and census returns record Haines at various Brighton abodes. He last appears in directories in 1858 as "Profilist and Photographist" . However, the sole evidence of Haines' photography comes from two plate glass negatives of his own profiles, which may have supplied contact prints of his work, discovered in 2022.

The Brighton 1861 Census records Haines, his wife, 5 children and 2 others at 33 1/2 Liverpool Street. The '1/2' suggests an overcrowded dwelling. Unexpectedly, the following year the family are recorded in Arthur Street, Camberwell, London, where a son is baptised to Anette and Edward Haines "Artist" in November 1862.

The 1871 Census of Arthur Street records Haines' wife as Brighton-born, a laundress and widow. With no evidence of his death in London, it's presumed that, perhaps visiting kin, Edward Haines' death was registered as occurring in Brighton between July and September 1866. His interment is unrecorded.

Revised 24 April 2023 (Brian Wellings)