Frederick William Newton Whitehead (also known as Fred Whitehead; 1853 – 12 February 1938) was an English landscape artist and illustrator. Whitehead was born in Leamington Spa in 1853, the eldest child of William and Hannah Whitehead. The Whitehead family had lived in Leamington from the late eighteenth century and were bricklayers or farmers. William Whitehead, however, carried out an apprenticeship and set up business as a ‘Carver & Gilder, Picture Dealer, Restorer and Artists’ Colourman’. The Whitehead’s family home at 5 Lansdowne Terrace was also the business premises and studio. Well established Leamington artists, including Thomas Baker (1808–1864), sold their work through the studio.

Frederick grew up surrounded by stron...