The Life and Art of Harold Piffard
Harold Hume Piffard was a British artist, illustrator, and one of the first British aviators. Born in Marylebone, he was the sixth son of Charles Piffard and Emily Hume. His education included time at Lancing College and later at the Royal Academy Schools in London, where he exhibited his first painting at the Royal Academy in 1895. Piffard’s artistic pursuits were diverse, spanning oils and watercolours. He gained a reputation for large history paintings, which he exhibited at the Royal Academy on four occasions between 1895 and 1899.
Beyond his work as a painter, Piffard was a prolific illustrator. He contributed to periodicals such as The Strand Magazine and The Illustrated London News, and he illustrated over a hundred novels for various publishers, including the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. His illustrative work included classics by authors such as Dickens and George Eliot.
Aviation and Later Years
In 1907, Piffard became interested in aviation and began building his own aircraft. In 1909, he achieved his first flights in West London using a biplane he had constructed in his studio. He later co-founded the Aviator's Finance Company and worked on aircraft designs, including the Piffard Hydroplane. His experiments with flight took place in locations such as Ealing and Shoreham-by-Sea.
Piffard’s life was marked by significant personal transitions, including marriages to Helena Walker and later Eleanor Hoile. He died in St Thomas' Hospital.
