Oswald Couldrey 1882 – 1958

His Abingdon watercolours form an important documentary record of the town’s history showing detailed studies of Abingdonians going about their daily lives in the 1930’s and 40’s. Indeed he captures the essence of life in a small market town.

Oswald Jennings Couldrey (1882-1958) was a British artist, poet and author.

The son of Frederick Knight Couldrey of Abingdon, Oswald Couldrey attended Abingdon School and Pembroke College, Oxford. He entered the Indian Civil Service, education branch, and became principal of Rajamundry College.

In watercolour he painted many evocative Indian and Abingdon scenes. He was author of The Mistaken Fury (1914) Thames and Godaveri (1920) South Indian Hours (1924) The Phantom Waterfall (1949) Sonnets of East and West (1951) Verses over Fifty Years (1958).