GEORGE BRANNON

George Brannon, perhaps the best known of all Island illustrators, was, surprisingly, born in Ireland in 1784. He moved to the Isle of Wight from London when he was 29 years of age and lived first in Newport and subsequently in Landscape Cottage at Wootton Common.
The first edition of 'Vectis Scenery' was published in 1821 and consisted of 28 views of the Island. Brannon's engravings were printed from engraved copper plates until about 1836 and from then on, from engraved steel plates. Normally the artist would sketch a subject in the field and then return to his studio to engrave the plates.
 
Brannon produced a new edition of 'Vectis Scenery' every year from 1821 to 1857. This did not mean, however, that each new edition contained exclusively new engravings, as many of the engravings were used year after year. In all, some 177 engravings were produced for use in 'Vectis Scenery'. Although this was George Brannon's best known work, he produced some nine other books about the Isle of Wight, including Pleasure Visitor's Companion' and 'Brannon's Shilling Pocket Guide to the Isle of Wight'.
George Brannon died in 1860 and is buried at Wootton. He left four surviving children, and his son, Alfred, continued publishing 'Vectis Scenery' at irregular intervals until 1875. A grandson, George, eventually became co-proprietor of the Isle of Wight County Press in 1884, and the family name is still connected with this newspaper today.
 
Information on George Brannon, his family and the engravings can be found in Dr. P. T. Armitage's book 'A Bibliography of George Brannon's Vectis Scenery', published by the County Press, Newport, in 1974.
A further bibliography entitled 'Vectis Scenery' was published in January 1976 by the Isle of Wight County Library as a result of a very successful exhibition of Brannon engravings held during that month in the Ryde Galler