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He showed a talent for drawing from an early age and later attended the Royal Academy Schools, where he became a friend of William Holman Hunt.
When his father died he returned to North Shields. In 1857, he designed what is thought to be the first Victorian Turkish bath in England at Tyneside House, home of local ironmaster George Crawshay, who had just returned from seeing the first Victorian Turkish bath in the British Isles being built at Blarney, near Cork in Ireland. In 1869, Shotton designed the Cecil Street Turkish Baths in North Shields, in which Crawshay had shares, and followed this in 1874 by designing one in Pilgrim Street for the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Turkish Bath Company Limited.
After the earlier resumption of his artistic studies, he gained quite a reputation being accepted by the Royal Academy in 1863. He was a member of the Cullercoats Artists' Colony, and he rarely exhibited his work, but was well regarded as a portrait painter, twice painting Wesley Stoker Barker Woolhouse (the noted North Shields mathematician), one version of which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1863; and also James Edington.
He also met the Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi when he stayed in Tynemouth in 1854, and painted his portrait. The two remained lifelong friends and continued corresponding for many years.
Shotton died in North Shields in 1896.
Works
These include :-
The 18 paintings forming the “Shotton Bequest” are owned by North Tyneside Council
Wesley Stoker Barker Woolhouse FRAS (1809–1893), Born in North Shields he an actuary, mathematician, designer, writer and musical theorist, and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. (painted c1854 – size 1250 x 1000 mm)
William Hutton, FGS, was a Fellow of the Geological Society (painted c1853 size 750 x 620 mm)
A Bit of Frenchman's Bay, South Shields (size 350 x 495 mm)
Tynemouth Castle (by the time this was painted, the lighthouse had been demolished (size 350 x 500 mm)
North Shields from the River Mouth (the Low Light and High Light, built in 1810 (and centre picture) were navigation aids for shipping entering the mouth of the River Tyne and still remain, although now unused (size 400 x 700)
The Lilburn Tower, Dunstanburgh, Northumberland. It is the oldest remaining part of Dunstanburgh Castle, and was also painted by J. M. W. Turner (size 550 x 725 mm)
Warkworth, Northumberland, Early Morning – an atmospheric view (size 520 x 740 mm)
Fairies' Kettle Rocks - near Caldbeck, Cumbria (size 395 x 745 mm)
Cliffs of the Fairies' Kettle, near Caldbeck, Cumbria (size 470 x 670 mm)
Where nothing is heard but the sea' (size 400 x 700 mm)
A mound of even-sloping side wherein a hundred stately beeches gre'. The title of this painting is taken from the ninth book of Tennyson's “Idylls of the King”, the tale of Pelleas and Ettarre. (size 590 x 440 mm)
Thomas Haswell, a North Shields schoolteacher, headmaster and songwriter, a portrait presented to the Public Library at North Shields 12 months after his death on 8 Dec 1889
In private collection
Moonrise over North Shields harbour view
Fishing boats near Dover Castle (inspired by Joseph Mallord William Turner
