About Ian's Tattoo Artist Ancestors
As previously stated, part of Ian's influence to become an Artist was from his Grandfather (Fred Davis), Great Grandfather (Charles Burcett Davis) and Charles' older brother George Burchett (he dropped the Davis). Charles and George where both Tattooist with their own shops in London. George became the most famous in this occupation and was in fact known as "King of the Tattooist's". To this end he wrote a book (with the assistance of Peter Leighton) called "Memoirs of a Tattooist". The Editor's Forward gives some idea of what George was like stating. "George Burchett died suddenly on Good Friday 1953, in his home in Surrey, a few months before his eighty-first birthday. He collapsed when preparing to visit a West End beauty parlour where he had an appointment to whiten a red nose. Thus the last action of the cheerful, knowledgeable and skilful 'King of Tattooist's' was directed towards the ancient and intimate craft of which he was a great master."
In 1952 George was drawn by none other than Ronald Searle, as part of a series of drawings entitled "People worth Meeting" (shown below).
In 2016 "The Art of Mr Charles Burchett Davis" by Barnaby Titchener was published.
This photo is of Charles in his shop at 289 Grays Inn Road London.
Fred continued the family business but this did not include applying Tattoos. He made and sold the hand held 'Davis' machines, created new Tattoo designs, which along with the inks, he distributed to customers all over the world. Ian (like Fred) never had any tattoos himself but admires the beautiful designs that were created by his ancestors. Ian has used Tattoo designs for other applications such as customised painting on cars (applied by airbrush) and for wall murals (see picture below) and metal sculptures.
The Editor's Forward gives some idea of what George was like stating. "George Burchett died suddenly on Good Friday 1953, in his home in Surrey, a few months before his eighty-first birthday. He collapsed when preparing to visit a West End beauty parlour where he had an appointment to whiten a red nose. Thus the last action of the cheerful, knowledgeable and skilful 'King of Tattooist's' was directed towards the ancient and intimate craft of which he was a great master."