George Frederick Castleden was born December 4, 1861 just southwest of Canterbury, Kent, England. He grew up in a house called Shalmsford Bridge Manor.
Shalmsford Bridge Manor today
George had two big interests growing up; Bicycling and Art. In the early 1880s he was well known in Kent as a bicycling champion. But, at night he attended the Canterbury School of Art where he was singled out by Thomas Sidney Cooper for his drawings. Cooper, who had been trained at the Royal Academy in London, was especially known for his paintings of animals. While still a student at the Cooper Gallery, Castleden won a first prize for landscape painting, which encouraged him to pursue a career as an artist. He then furthered his education at the South Kensington School of Art and attended the annual exhibitions of the Royal Academy in London to keep abreast of current trends and styles.
Thomas Sidney Cooper (1803-1902)
While now making a name for himself, he fell in love with the daughter of a local Naval officer. Life was going well and they planned their wedding and future together. Just before the wedding his bride became ill with tuberculosis and died. George was devastated.
Shortly after George's loss Fanny Mary Spriggs, the daughter of a Hampshire banker, set her sights on George. Putting him under her spell she wasted no time in getting George to marry her in 1888. But she already had plans for their future.
Immediately after the wedding, with bags already packed, they headed to the coast to board a ship for Montreal, Canada. But, the first thing Fanny did was to toss out George's painting equipment from the bags saying “We’ll have done with this nonsense”.
Sailing away from the docks it was to be the last he would ever see of England. Knowing how things were changing George tossed his silk hat and expensive walking cane out the cabin window into the Atlantic.
Shortly after George's loss Fanny Mary Spriggs, the daughter of a Hampshire banker, set her sights on George. Putting him under her spell she wasted no time in getting George to marry her in 1888. But she already had plans for their future.
Immediately after the wedding, with bags already packed, they headed to the coast to board a ship for Montreal, Canada. But, the first thing Fanny did was to toss out George's painting equipment from the bags saying “We’ll have done with this nonsense”.
Sailing away from the docks it was to be the last he would ever see of England. Knowing how things were changing George tossed his silk hat and expensive walking cane out the cabin window into the Atlantic.
Fanny had decided that Canada was the place to be. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company was offering for sale some of the finest agricultural lands in western Canada for a cheap price. As the railroad was built across Canada the lands belonged to them for twenty-four miles on either side of the main line. The lands were being disposed of at prices ranging from $2.50 per acre and more. Books, produced by the railroad, claimed any man could buy, and make a living on the land for only $350. Fanny and George were headed for their new homestead in Moosomin, Saskatchewan.
The Castleden's New Homestead in Moosomin
With the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1882, Moosomin was established as the first Saskatchewan community on "steel". Originally known as "siding No. 4" and the "Moosomin Station", businesses began to be established and by 1884. The community grew to include five general stores, five hotels, two livery stables, two blacksmiths, a doctor, a lawyer, butcher, and one printer, among other businesses. Moosomin was incorporated as a town in November 1887. R. D. McNaughton was the first merchant to arrive in Moosomin. He founded the McNaughton Company, a general store operation that played a vital role in the early settlement.
The social life of the early settlers of the area was limited by distances and transportation methods. Sunday church services were often held in private homes. The small one room school houses became the center of activity in most areas. Saturday nights were often the social night of the week, when groceries and supplies were purchased. There was often entertainment in the Opera House located in the McNaughton Store. Summer picnics were held in the period between summerfallowing and haying.
The social life of the early settlers of the area was limited by distances and transportation methods. Sunday church services were often held in private homes. The small one room school houses became the center of activity in most areas. Saturday nights were often the social night of the week, when groceries and supplies were purchased. There was often entertainment in the Opera House located in the McNaughton Store. Summer picnics were held in the period between summerfallowing and haying.
The McNaughton Store
George did what he could do to take care of his growing family. He farmed, he worked on a stage line and worked at the McNaughton store. But he never gave up on his art. During his small amount of free time he kept painting. In 1896, at the Territorial Exhibition in Regina, he earned a first prize in landscape oil painting as well as four first prizes and two second prizes in painting. He also won a gold medal in etching at an exposition in Winnipeg. His recognition continued with a first prize at an exhibition of Canadian artists in Toronto.
When the McNaughton store started a theatre, George started doing scenery to keep painting. This eventually got George to start travelling and doing scenery for a touring theatrical group. He now started touring in America. During these trips he even had time, in Kansas, to paint and sell his landscapes there. Between 1910 and 1920 George was touring a lot and spending most of his time in America. That's when he discovered New Orleans. From then on George would write his children and send money when he could. It would be 25 years before George would ever see one of his children again.
When the McNaughton store started a theatre, George started doing scenery to keep painting. This eventually got George to start travelling and doing scenery for a touring theatrical group. He now started touring in America. During these trips he even had time, in Kansas, to paint and sell his landscapes there. Between 1910 and 1920 George was touring a lot and spending most of his time in America. That's when he discovered New Orleans. From then on George would write his children and send money when he could. It would be 25 years before George would ever see one of his children again.
George fell in love with New Orleans and discovered other artists like himself. He soon opened his own studio at 622 St. Peter Street.
622 St. Peter St. Today
Lyle Saxon, in his “What’s Doing” column for the New Orleans Daily Picayune newspaper on October 25, 1925, reported, “George Castleden is still holding his outdoor exhibitions in the courtyard of the Cabildo, and the admirers of the artist’s work say that he has had a busy summer and that his collection of courtyards on display are painted with his customary finesse.”
The Cabildo in Jackson Square in the French Quarter
George had worked as a Night Watchman there in his early days in New Orleans to earn money
George had worked as a Night Watchman there in his early days in New Orleans to earn money
In December 1927 several professional male members of the Arts and Crafts Club of New Orleans organized the New Orleans Art League. The League maintained studios, mounted traveling exhibitions, and held the first outdoor exhibitions in the French Quarter. The organization met weekly and held annual exhibitions at the Delgado Museum of Art (now the New Orleans Museum of Art). They maintained their headquarters in the French Quarter at 630 Toulouse Street in the old Governor Claiborne house. The courtyard, with its exterior stairway and large fan window, inspired many artistic renderings and was among the sites frequently visited by artists and tourists. George was a charter member.
About this time George made a new friend. His name was Lewis A. Clapp. Lewis had grown up near New Orleans, but he and his brother, Ralph, moved away after becoming architects. They ended up in Spokane, Washington, and started a successful business there. But Lewis was not as happy there as his brother and moved his part of the business to Idaho. Lewis married there and then moved on to Missouri. After a couple years he moved on to Fort Worth, Texas. Still not content he divorced his wife, married another woman, and went back to Louisiana to see his dying father. By 1927 he was in New Orleans and met George.
Lewis had an architectual business and was attempting to be an artist. But he and George teamed up to promote his work by putting his sketches on playing cards to sell.
Lewis had an architectual business and was attempting to be an artist. But he and George teamed up to promote his work by putting his sketches on playing cards to sell.
The Encyclopedia of American Playing Cards lists their deck as;
N12 MARDI GRAS CARDS, George F. Castleton (sic), printed by Tropical Printing, New Orleans, 1930. An unusual and interesting deck featuring special courts representing figures from the Mardi Gras and special Aces showing views of the City of New Orleans.
The correct name of these cards is "Vieux Carre" or Old Square Playing Cards.
The description on the back of the card box says "A souvenir of the Old French Quarter of New Orleans, sketched from existing sites of historic and romantic interest by the noted artist Geo. F. Castleden in collaboration with Lewis A. Clapp." They were based on his portfolio “Pen Sketches of the Old Quarter”.
N12 MARDI GRAS CARDS, George F. Castleton (sic), printed by Tropical Printing, New Orleans, 1930. An unusual and interesting deck featuring special courts representing figures from the Mardi Gras and special Aces showing views of the City of New Orleans.
The correct name of these cards is "Vieux Carre" or Old Square Playing Cards.
The description on the back of the card box says "A souvenir of the Old French Quarter of New Orleans, sketched from existing sites of historic and romantic interest by the noted artist Geo. F. Castleden in collaboration with Lewis A. Clapp." They were based on his portfolio “Pen Sketches of the Old Quarter”.
Each of the 52 cards contains an oval scene in black for the spades and clubs and in red for the hearts and diamonds. The scenes on the cards are....
AoS - The Cabildo
AoH - Saint Anthony's Alley
2S, 2H - Dueling Oaks - City Park
3S, 3H - Stairway - House of the Two Sisters
4S, 4H - Old Louisiana State Bank
5S, 5H - Court of the Lions
6S, 6H - Madame John's Legacy
7S, 7H - Courtyard - Arts and Crafts
8S, 8H - The French Market
9S, 9H - Courtyard - Le Petit Theatre
10S, 10H - Pirate Alley
AoD, AoC - Gen'l Jackson's Residence
2D, 2C - Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
3D, 3C - Doorway - The Absinthe House
4D, 4C - Courtyard - Gov. Claiborne's Res.
5D, 5C - The Napoleon House
6D, 6C - Old Mortgage and Deeds Bld.
7D, 7C - Saint Louis Cathedral
8D, 8C - The Paul Morphy House
9D, 9C - The Haunted House
10D, 10C - Courtyard - The Cabildo
As can be seen from this list, the scenes on the pip cards are repeated with the exception of the Ace of Spades and the Ace of Hearts making a total of 21 different scenes from the French Quarter plus the 3 different court cards. The card backs show a reversible image of Jackson Square with a one-way title Vieux Carre. The backs came in either red or blue. The entire deck would have consisted of 54 cards in total with a joker and an extra joker.
AoS - The Cabildo
AoH - Saint Anthony's Alley
2S, 2H - Dueling Oaks - City Park
3S, 3H - Stairway - House of the Two Sisters
4S, 4H - Old Louisiana State Bank
5S, 5H - Court of the Lions
6S, 6H - Madame John's Legacy
7S, 7H - Courtyard - Arts and Crafts
8S, 8H - The French Market
9S, 9H - Courtyard - Le Petit Theatre
10S, 10H - Pirate Alley
AoD, AoC - Gen'l Jackson's Residence
2D, 2C - Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
3D, 3C - Doorway - The Absinthe House
4D, 4C - Courtyard - Gov. Claiborne's Res.
5D, 5C - The Napoleon House
6D, 6C - Old Mortgage and Deeds Bld.
7D, 7C - Saint Louis Cathedral
8D, 8C - The Paul Morphy House
9D, 9C - The Haunted House
10D, 10C - Courtyard - The Cabildo
As can be seen from this list, the scenes on the pip cards are repeated with the exception of the Ace of Spades and the Ace of Hearts making a total of 21 different scenes from the French Quarter plus the 3 different court cards. The card backs show a reversible image of Jackson Square with a one-way title Vieux Carre. The backs came in either red or blue. The entire deck would have consisted of 54 cards in total with a joker and an extra joker.
This deck was printed in New Orleans by the Tropical Printing Co., Inc. (Timken, Louis J printer) located at 729-735 Magazine Street. It was copyrighted by Castleden on December 1st, 1930.
Castleden also published a series of postcards showing his artwork of various views of the French Quarter, which he sold in his store to tourists. Between 1934 and 1936, Frank Evans, the owner of D. H. Holmes Department Store on Canal Street, commissioned Castleden, with the assistance of fellow artist Mazie Howell, to create a series of paintings for display in the store. The murals largely focused on plantations, bayous, and fishermen’s cabins of southern Louisiana. Seven murals shaped to fit the transoms and niches of D. H. Holmes’s Potpourri Restaurant are now in the collection of the Louisiana State Museum.
On November 14, 1934 George's life changed forever. On that day Louise Decatur Zingre, 30 years his junior, walked into his studio and they had an immediate connection. He told her later that it felt it was like a psychic meeting of two souls. She said she saw “remembered sadness’ in his face. In the evenings they went for walks while he told her about the history of the town. Louise wrote later that these twilight walks were some of her most cherished memories.
George divorced his wife, that always refused to leave Canada and support him, and married Louise the next year. The newlyweds left New Orleans and went to Charleston, South Carolina. After two years of sketching and painting the historic city they moved to St. Augustine, Florida. There he set up a studio in the Ponce de Leon Hotel.
George divorced his wife, that always refused to leave Canada and support him, and married Louise the next year. The newlyweds left New Orleans and went to Charleston, South Carolina. After two years of sketching and painting the historic city they moved to St. Augustine, Florida. There he set up a studio in the Ponce de Leon Hotel.
The Ponce de Leon Hotel Built By The Florida East Coast Developer Henry M. Flagler
In 1943 the Castledens moved to Berryville, Virgina. Over the last couple years he had had a number of exhibits in Virginia. But, in 1944, he came down with a bad case of pneumonia and it looked like the 83 year old artist was about to pass away. Louise notified his children in Canada that George was about to die. His oldest son, who had not seen his father in forty years, arrived at his bedside. Miraculously George recovered and he and his son shared tears of joy.
In October 1845 the Castledens travelled to southwestern Virginia to enjoy the fall foliage at the Martha Washington Inn of Abingdon. Walking in the dim light of a stairway, he missed a step and fell forward and struck the edge of a book rack. After breaking a rib congestion set in and then pneumonia. On October 23rd George passed away. The pneumonia had infected his heart and he died from myocarditis.
George was cremated and his ashes escorted back to his hometown by Louise. He was interned in Harbledown next to his parents, after services held in the Canterbury Cathedral.
In October 1845 the Castledens travelled to southwestern Virginia to enjoy the fall foliage at the Martha Washington Inn of Abingdon. Walking in the dim light of a stairway, he missed a step and fell forward and struck the edge of a book rack. After breaking a rib congestion set in and then pneumonia. On October 23rd George passed away. The pneumonia had infected his heart and he died from myocarditis.
George was cremated and his ashes escorted back to his hometown by Louise. He was interned in Harbledown next to his parents, after services held in the Canterbury Cathedral.
I would like to thank 52+Joker Charter Member Toby Edwards for his card photos and card descriptions.