Tooting Public Library

Fred Roe (1864–1947) A British painter, illustrator, and antiquarian, Fred Roe was celebrated for his historical genre scenes, military subjects, and portraits. Born in Cambridge, he studied at Heatherley’s School of Fine Art under Seymour Lucas and began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1887. Roe became a member of the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) in 1895 and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) in 1909. Beyond painting, Roe was a respected collector and writer on antique furniture, authoring books like Ancient Coffers and Cupboards (1902) and A History of Oak Furniture (1920). He lived much of his life in London and was part of a family of artists, including his son, art critic Frederic Gordon Roe.