TIDEY, ALFRED (1808–1892), miniature-painter, second son of John Tidey, schoolmaster, was born at Worthing House, Sussex, on 20 April 1808. Henry Tidey [q. v.] was his younger brother. His first instruction in art was received in the school conducted by his father, who was himself a fairly good artist. In early life he devoted himself to miniature-painting, and while yet very young came to London, where he attracted the notice of Henry Neville, second earl of Abergavenny. He began to exhibit at the Royal Academy in 1831, and in 1836 he sent a miniature of Sir John Conroy, bart., comptroller of the household to the Duchess of Kent. He thus became known to the Duchess's daughter, Queen Victoria, who in 1841 commanded him to paint a miniature of the Hon. Julia Henrietta Anson, one of her maids of honour, afterwards Lady Brooke, which was engraved by James Thomson. He painted also a miniature of the Empress Frederick (of Germany) when a child, and at a later period (1873) watercolour portraits of her and of the Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein. He continued to exhibit miniatures at the Royal Academy regularly until 1857, but seldom after that date. He occasionally exhibited watercolour drawings, ending in 1887 with one entitled ‘As Good as Gold.’ Three of his latest works appeared in 1891 in the exhibition of the Dudley Gallery Art Society, of which he was a member.
Tidey died at Glen Elg, Springfield Park, Acton, Middlesex, on 2 April 1892.
[Times, 7 April 1892; Ottley's Dictionary of Recent and Living Painters and Engravers, 1866; Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogues, 1831–87.]
TIDEY, HENRY (1814–1872), watercolour-painter, younger brother of Alfred Tidey [q. v.], was born at Worthing House, Sussex, on 7 Jan. 1814. Like his brother, he was taught drawing in his father's school, and, while yet a boy, he painted several pictures for the Princess Augusta, who was then staying at Worthing. He afterwards practised there as a painter of portraits, both in oil and in watercolours. Later on he came to London, and met with considerable success as a portrait-painter, especially of children. In 1839 he sent a portrait in watercolours to the exhibition of the Royal Academy, where he continued to exhibit chiefly portraits until 1861. Occasionally he painted genre pictures in oil, and among them were ‘The Union’ and ‘The Repeal of the Union,’ which were engraved by Samuel Bellin; ‘Fair-Time in the Park, Greenwich,’ ‘Sunshine and Shade,’ and ‘Sea Weeds,’ a picture representing a band of Irish girls dancing on the sea-shore, which appeared at the Royal Academy in 1856. In 1855 he exhibited there for the first time a watercolour drawing, the subject of which was the gallant action of Lieutenant-colonel Pakenham at the battle of the Alma. The success of this work led him in subsequent years to confine himself almost entirely to historical and poetical subjects, the latter somewhat after the manner of Watteau.
Tidey was elected an associate of the New Society (afterwards the Institute) of Painters in Watercolours in 1858, and in that year sent to its exhibition three drawings, ‘Idleness,’ ‘The Wanderer,’ and ‘The Oyster Season—Natives of Hampshire.’ In 1859 he became a full member, and exhibited ‘The Feast of Roses,’ from Moore's ‘Lalla Rookh,’ which was purchased by the queen, and three other drawings. Of works which followed the best were ‘Queen Mab’ in 1860; ‘Dar-Thula,’ a subject from Ossian, bought by the Duke of Manchester, and ‘Walter and Jane,’ engraved by William Holl, in 1861; ‘The Last of the Abencerages’ in 1862; ‘Christ blessing little Children’ in 1863; ‘The Night of the Betrayal,’ a triptych of much devotional feeling, in 1864; ‘Nanny, wilt thou gang wi' me?’ engraved by William Holl, in 1865; ‘Sensitive Plants,’ a series of drawings of children, in 1866 and 1867; ‘The Seasons,’ four drawings, in 1867; ‘Jeanie Morrison’ and ‘The Woman of Samaria,’ the latter engraved for the ‘Art Journal’ by Thomas Sherratt, in 1868; ‘Sardanapalus’ in 1870; ‘Seaweeds’ and ‘Flowers of the Forest’ in 1871; and ‘Richard and Kate,’ two different compositions bearing the same title, ‘Castles in the Air,’ and ‘Sanctuary’ in 1872.
Tidey died at 30 Percy Street, Bedford London, on 21 July 1872. His remaining drawings and sketches were sold by Messrs. Christie, Manson, & Woods on 28 March 1873.
[Art Journal, 1869 pp. 109–11, 1872 p. 226; Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists of the English School, 1878; Academy, 1 Aug. 1872; Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogues, 1839–69; Exhibition Catalogues of the New Society of Painters in Watercolours, 1858–72.]
TIDFERTH or TIDFRITH (d. 823?), bishop of Dunwich, succeeded Alfhun (d. 798?) as ninth bishop of that see. His profession of obedience to Ethelheard, archbishop of Canterbury, made either on his consecration or on his reconciliation after the abolition of the archbishopric of Lichfield, is extant in Cotton MS. Cleopatra
