Objects Record
Images
Metadata
Catalogue Number |
2020.35.1 |
Object Name |
Painting |
Title |
Painting, "Dr. John Llewellyn Little" by Evan Macdonald, circa 1950 |
Date |
1950 |
Year Range from |
1945 |
Year Range to |
1953 |
Description |
Painting of Dr. John Llewellyn Little in his Navy uniform by Evan Macdonald, circa 1950. Dr. John Llewellyn Little (1898-1953) served as a Surgeon Commander during the war. After the war, he was a member of the Rotary Club of Guelph. When the Rotary Club wanted a painting of someone in their uniform, Dr. Little was selected to sit for the portrait. |
Notes |
Biography - Dr. John Llewellyn Little (1898-1953) Dr. John Llewellyn Little (1898-1953) was born to Robert Little and Sarah Jane (Copeland) Little on 14 February 1898. He grew up in the family home on Alice Street. When John was 15/16 his father, a stone mason, fell fatally when scaffolding collapsed while he was working to build the City Jail. After his death, the family struggled financially. Sarah took in washing and John began working at a butcher's shop during the day and attending his high school classes at night. Originally, John intended to enter into missionary work through Brooklyn Missionary, however he caught the attention of Mrs. Harcourt who supported him into medical school. After completing his medical degree, Little travelled to Taiwan as a medical missionary. There, he met his wife, Flora Millicent (Gould) Little, who was also working as a medical missionary. They married and had four children: Jamie, Jean, Hugh and Patricia. The Little family returned to Guelph in the late 1930s. During the war, John worked as a Surgeon Commander in the Canadian Navy while Flora continued to practice family medicine in Guelph. After the war, John worked for a time in Ottawa focusing on cancer research. He may have been involved with the Cancer Institute. While in Ottawa, he also worked with intelligence; with his experiences in Taiwan, John spoke Chinese, English and Japanese, which was a great asset to the job. In the 1940s, John returned to Guelph where he and Flora set up an office out of the lower floor of their home at 264 Woolwich Street. He also served as Alderman for a time. John struggled with a bad heart and endured a number of heart attacks, however he died on 27 February 1953 when he was at the hospital for a routine wisdom tooth extraction. |
Artist |
Macdonald, Evan |
People |
Little, John Llewellyn (Dr.) Macdonald, Evan |
Search Terms |
Rotary Club of Guelph |
Subjects |
ARTS - VISUAL ARTS MEDICAL - DOCTORS MILITARY - NAVY |
Medium |
Paint, Oil |
Collection |
Fine Art - Hanging |