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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Dempsey's people

A folio of British street portraits 1824–1844

Dempsey’s people: a folio of British street portraits 1824–1844 is the first exhibition to showcase the compelling watercolour images of English street people made by the itinerant English painter John Dempsey throughout the first half of the nineteenth century.

More information on Dempsey's people

Selected images

52 images
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by John Dempsey Copeman, gardener, Great Yarmouth
by John Dempsey Copeman, gardener, Great Yarmouth
by John Dempsey Billy the match man, Liverpool, 1844
by John Dempsey Billy the match man, Liverpool, 1844
by John Dempsey Pember of Bath
by John Dempsey Pember of Bath
by John Dempsey Crossing-sweeper, London
by John Dempsey Crossing-sweeper, London
by John Dempsey ‘Whistling Billy’ of York
by John Dempsey ‘Whistling Billy’ of York
by John Dempsey Muffin man
by John Dempsey Muffin man
by John Dempsey A maniac
by John Dempsey A maniac
by John Dempsey Bathing woman, Bridlington, c.1825
by John Dempsey Bathing woman, Bridlington, c.1825
by John Dempsey James Guidney, ‘Jemmy the Rock Man’, Birmingham, c.1830
by John Dempsey James Guidney, ‘Jemmy the Rock Man’, Birmingham, c.1830
by John Dempsey Old Joe of Portsmouth
by John Dempsey Old Joe of Portsmouth
by John Dempsey Bun man, Plymouth
by John Dempsey Bun man, Plymouth
by John Dempsey Billman, 1825
by John Dempsey Billman, 1825
by John Dempsey Old soldier, Salisbury
by John Dempsey Old soldier, Salisbury
by John Dempsey Match man, Salisbury
by John Dempsey Match man, Salisbury
by John Dempsey Old soldier, Hadleigh
by John Dempsey Old soldier, Hadleigh
by John Dempsey ‘Perpendicular’, York
by John Dempsey ‘Perpendicular’, York
by John Dempsey Beggar, Durham
by John Dempsey Beggar, Durham
by John Dempsey Beadle, Winchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Beadle, Winchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Selling watercress, Salisbury
by John Dempsey Selling watercress, Salisbury
by John Dempsey Sand-man, Whitby, c. 1825
by John Dempsey Sand-man, Whitby, c. 1825
by John Dempsey Old Bishop, pieman, Harwich
by John Dempsey Old Bishop, pieman, Harwich
by John Dempsey Match woman, c.1823
by John Dempsey Match woman, c.1823
by John Dempsey Policeman, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey Policeman, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey Tailor's man, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey Tailor's man, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey Porter, Charing Cross, 1824
by John Dempsey Porter, Charing Cross, 1824
by John Dempsey ‘Cotton’, Norwich, c.1823
by John Dempsey ‘Cotton’, Norwich, c.1823
by John Dempsey Black Charley, Norwich, 1823
by John Dempsey Black Charley, Norwich, 1823
by John Dempsey ‘Billy’ Donkin, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey ‘Billy’ Donkin, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey Robert Bloomfield, the poet, 1823
by John Dempsey Robert Bloomfield, the poet, 1823
by John Dempsey Ann ‘Old Nanny’ Chapman, Bury St. Edmunds
by John Dempsey Ann ‘Old Nanny’ Chapman, Bury St. Edmunds
by John Dempsey Thomas Archbold, Durham, 1826
by John Dempsey Thomas Archbold, Durham, 1826
by John Dempsey Wilkerson, Crier, Ipswich, 1823
by John Dempsey Wilkerson, Crier, Ipswich, 1823
by John Dempsey Sharp, orange man, Colchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Sharp, orange man, Colchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Match woman, Woolwich,1824
by John Dempsey Match woman, Woolwich,1824
by John Dempsey Blind beggar, Woolwich, 1824
by John Dempsey Blind beggar, Woolwich, 1824
by John Dempsey Thomas Edwards, Winchester,1823
by John Dempsey Thomas Edwards, Winchester,1823
by John Dempsey Henry Collins, Bellman, Winchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Henry Collins, Bellman, Winchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Tommy Raeburn, the Ayrshire Hermit, c. 1830s
by John Dempsey Tommy Raeburn, the Ayrshire Hermit, c. 1830s
by John Dempsey Cary, Billsticker, Great Yarmouth, 1823
by John Dempsey Cary, Billsticker, Great Yarmouth, 1823
by John Dempsey Billy Bean, Butchers’ carrier, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey Billy Bean, Butchers’ carrier, Scarborough, 1825
by John Dempsey Samuel Hevens, Jewish old clothes man, Greenwich, 1824
by John Dempsey Samuel Hevens, Jewish old clothes man, Greenwich, 1824
by John Dempsey Richard ‘Dickey’ Fletcher, bellman, Bridlington, c. 1825
by John Dempsey Richard ‘Dickey’ Fletcher, bellman, Bridlington, c. 1825
by John Dempsey Charles McGee, crossing sweeper, London, c. 1824
by John Dempsey Charles McGee, crossing sweeper, London, c. 1824
by John Dempsey Mary (or Diana) Croker, mat woman, Colchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Mary (or Diana) Croker, mat woman, Colchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Mark Custings, known as Blind Peter, and his boy, Norwich, 1823
by John Dempsey Mark Custings, known as Blind Peter, and his boy, Norwich, 1823
by John Dempsey Mary (or Elizabeth) Leagrove, attendant at the gaol, Ipswich, c. 1823
by John Dempsey Mary (or Elizabeth) Leagrove, attendant at the gaol, Ipswich, c. 1823
by John Dempsey David Love, commonly called the Nottingham Poet, 1824
by John Dempsey David Love, commonly called the Nottingham Poet, 1824
by John Dempsey Doorkeeper, Royal Grand National Menagerie, Exeter ‘Change, London, c.1824
by John Dempsey Doorkeeper, Royal Grand National Menagerie, Exeter ‘Change, London, c.1824
by John Dempsey Little John of Colchester, a poor lunatic, c.1823
by John Dempsey Little John of Colchester, a poor lunatic, c.1823
by John Dempsey John Wardle, Sunderland, 1825
by John Dempsey John Wardle, Sunderland, 1825
by John Dempsey John Hallam, Derby, c. 1820s
by John Dempsey John Hallam, Derby, c. 1820s
by John Dempsey Portrait of John Rutherford
by John Dempsey Portrait of John Rutherford
52 images
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Related information

by Hablot Knight Brown Sunset in the drawing room at Chesney Wold
by Hablot Knight Brown Sunset in the drawing room at Chesney Wold
by Hablot Knight Brown Sunset in the drawing room at Chesney Wold
by Hablot Knight Brown Sunset in the drawing room at Chesney Wold

Portraiture in a Bleak House

About Face article

31 July 2017

It may seem an odd thing to do at one’s leisure on a beautiful tropical island, but I spent much of my midwinter break a few weeks ago re-reading Bleak House.
by John Dempsey Mary (or Diana) Croker, mat woman, Colchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Mary (or Diana) Croker, mat woman, Colchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Mary (or Diana) Croker, mat woman, Colchester, 1823
by John Dempsey Mary (or Diana) Croker, mat woman, Colchester, 1823

Unknown drawer

Magazine article by Dr David Hansen, 2017

Dempsey’s People curator David Hansen chronicles a research tale replete with serendipity, adventure and Tasmanian tigers.
by John Dempsey Little John of Colchester, a poor lunatic, c.1823
by John Dempsey Little John of Colchester, a poor lunatic, c.1823
by John Dempsey Little John of Colchester, a poor lunatic, c.1823
by John Dempsey Little John of Colchester, a poor lunatic, c.1823

Dempsey's people

About Face article

30 June 2017

Those of you who are active in social media circles may be aware that through the past week I have unleashed a blitz on Facebook and Instagram in connection with our new winter exhibition Dempsey’s People: A Folio of British Street Portraits, 1824−1844.
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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