Martin Archer-Shee Martin Archer-Shee Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Martin Archer-Shee, DSO (5 May 1873 – 6 January 1935) was a British army officer and Conservative Party politician. He was the son of Martin Archer-Shee and his wife Elizabeth Edith Dennistoun "née" Pell of New York who married in 1872 at Piccadilly. His father was a bank manager. He was the great grandson of the painter Martin Archer Shee. His half-brother was George Archer-Shee, whose notable acquittal of the accusation of theft became the basis of the play "The Winslow Boy" by Terrence Rattigan. Archer-Shee was educated at The Oratory School before entering the Royal
Martin Archer Shee Academy of Arts. In 1789 he exhibited his first two pictures, the "Head of an Old Man" and "Portrait of a Gentleman." Over the next ten years he steadily increased in practice. He was chosen an associate of the Royal Academy in 1798, in 1789 he married Mary, eldest daughter of James Power of Youghal, and in 1800 he was elected a Royal Academician. He moved to George Romney's former house at 32 Cavendish Square, and set up as his successor. Shee continued to paint with great readiness of hand and fertility of invention, although his portraits were eclipsed by