Ernest Board spent much of his career in Bristol, his best known works dealing with historical aspects of the city. Around 1912 he was commissioned by Henry Wellcome to paint a series dealing with important exploits of science.

Born in Worcester in 1877 but moved to Bristol at an early age. Educated at the Merchant Venturers’ Technical College, then at the Royal College of Art and the Royal Academy Schools. Later he joined the studio of Edwin Austin Abbey. In 1902 he exhibited at the Royal Academy. The most famous of his paintings “The Departure of Sebastian Cabot from Bristol” hangs in the Bristol Art Gallery, alongside another fine painting of important personalities in Bristol’s history, presented as a group meeting. He was commissioned to carry out mural decoration in the Houses of Parliament and in the Council Chamber of Bristol Corporation. He was also an excellent artist in stained glass. At that time he was far from busy and rather depressed, so he decided to leave Bristol and try his luck in London. London failed him and he then moved to Farley Green in Surrey where he designed and painted an altarpiece. He was a fine portraitist. He died in 1934 aged 57.

Board exhibited at the Royal Academy and his work is in a number of public collections.