Sutherland Macdonald was a prominent
English tattoo
A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several tattooing pro ...
artist in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and the first tattooist in Britain with an identifiable premises open to the public. Operating in a salon in London's
Jermyn Street, he is listed in the 1894 London Post Office Directory. He is considered the first person to offer a professional tattoo service in London, although the practice was already popular in Japan and the Middle East prior to that time. He was said to have tattooed "kings" and "princes", including
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Quee ...
when he was
Duke of York
Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of English (later British) monarchs. The equivalent title in the Scottish peerage was Du ...
.
Career
Macdonald served in the British Army in the 1870s as a telegraph operator in the
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the '' Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is head ...
and was in the
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following the passing of the British North America Act of 1867 forming a federation in Canada, Lord Carnarvon thought that a similar political effort, coup ...
.
In addition to artistic designs, he also performed color blending on skin grafts of accident victims.
He died at his home on 3 Guilford Avenue, Surbiton and is buried at Surbiton Cemetery.
Legacy
On January 29, 2016, the
Museum of London
The Museum of London is a museum in London, covering the history of the UK's capital city from prehistoric to modern times. It was formed in 1976 by amalgamating collections previously held by the City Corporation at the Guildhall Museum (fou ...
opened a display which included some of his work called ''Tattoo London''.
"Incredible ink"
'' The Independent on Sunday'', London, England, number 1,349, January 10, 2016, page 3.
See also
* George Burchett
George "Professor" Burchett (23 August 1872 – 3 April 1953) was an English tattoo artist known as the "King of Tattooists".
Profile
Burchett was born George Burchett-Davis on 23 August 1872 in the English seaside town of Brighton, East Susse ...
* Tom Riley
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, Sutherland
1860 births
1942 deaths
British Army personnel of the Anglo-Zulu War
British tattoo artists
Artists from Leeds
People from Surbiton
Royal Engineers soldiers
Military personnel from Leeds
19th-century British Army personnel