Born in the Derbyshire village of Old Whittington in 1864, Joseph Syddall studied at the Hubert von Herkomer's art school in Bushey. Syddall was responsible for a number of illustrations which appeared in Tess of the D'Urbervilles in Graphic Magazine in the 1890's. His work was also displayed at the Royal Academy between 1898 and 1910. Syddall's works are held in the collection of the Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery.