Description: Born February 12th 1818. He was the son of William Bussey, a cork cutter of Lister Gate. Although his family had no connections with art, he soon revealed a considerable talent for drawing. As a young man he was befriended by the local artists Thomas Barber and John Rawson Walker and received some tuition from them. His enthusiasm and ability brought him to the notice of John Smith Wright of Rempstone Hall, who became his patron and assisted his career by financing his studies in London. During Bussey's stay in the capital the Wright family procured an introduction for him to the Duke of Wellington, then Constable of the Tower of London, and he was given permission to draw the armour there. It seems that Bussey had already developed an interest in historical subjects. Wright also offered to pay for him to study at the Royal Academy Schools, but the declining health of his father made Bussey decide to return home and assist in running the family business. His art, however, had already reached a high standard. Around 1860 Bussey resolved to become a professional artist. His paintings were regularly shown at Birmingham and Manchester. He also exhibited at Nottingham whenever the opportunity arose. He was especially fond of historical subjects and would frequently turn to events in Nottingham's past for inspiration. Occasionally Bussey produced narrative paintings without any historical associations. In 1868 he painted The Black Knights which is now in a private collection. The scene depicts a fight between two boys, both chimney-sweeps. They are sitting on the backs of donkeys and using their brushes as weapons in the tradition of the Medieval tournament. The picture is full of gentle humour, not only in the activity of the contestants but also in the jostling crowd of onlooking schoolboys. The faces of these children are worthy of study, as is the careful painting of the street and houses in the distance. Bussey has beautifully captured the atmosphere of a snowy winter's day. The Black Knights shows Bussey to have been possessed of considerable vitality as an artist, and it is this painting, rather than his historical subjects which brings his talents to the fore. (information from Heather William's The Lives and Works of Nottingham Artists from 1750 to 1914)