John Albert Cooper, 1894-1943, was an English landscape and portrait painter who headed the East London Group of painters and encouraged the painting abilities of the local working class.  He was instrumental in introducing wll known and important professional artists and politicians to the group in an effort to promote their works.  This included Walter Sickert and the polymath and arts patron, Sir Edward Marsh - Winston Churchill's secretary.  He taught his students to paint their local areas and subjects, instilling in them the interest of the times the lived in East London and the surrounding landscape.  This picture is a study for a larger oil on canvas which was an exact replica of this work scaled up to 23"x25" - the painting being sold at auction in 2022 for £3900.