Thomas Orlando Sheldon Jewitt (1799 – 30 May 1869) was a British architectural wood-engraver.

Biography

Thomas Orlando Sheldon Jewitt was born in Buxton, Derbyshire, the son of Arthur Jewitt and brother of Llewellyn Jewitt. Before the introduction of photographic processes in the late nineteenth century, wood-engraving was the standard method of book illustration. Jewitt's illustrations were widely used between 1820 and 1870. Many of his prints are still reproduced in modern works and are frequently to be found in reference works covering architecture, archaeology, typography and natural history. He produced numerous prints used for seals and bookplates. At time of the 1841 census, Jewitt was living at Church House, St Andrew's Road, Headington; besides him, his wife Phoebe and three children, the census returns also record his brother, George Jewitt, a letter-press printer, and his apprentice, Edward Bower, at the same address. He was considered as one of the ten men suitable to serve as parish constable of Headington in 1844 and 1845. In 1855 Jewitt was Churchwarden of St Andrew's Church, but later that year made a sudden decision to relocated to London. Jewitt died on Sunday 30 May 1869 in Camden Square, London, and was buried in Paddington Old Cemetery. His wife died on 11 March 1883.

Gallery

Books illustrated