Bernard Benedict Hemy was the son of notable British marine watercolourist, Charles Napier Hemy (1841-1917), and Thomas Hemy (1852-1937) who was also a marine painter.

Following a time spent in Australia, Bernard returned to his family’s home town of Newcastle, England, and it’s likely that he studied at the Newcastle Art School. He seemed to prefer a quieter lifestyle and spent much of his time in and around the North East coast. He’s primarily known for his scenes featuring everyday fishing activities along with his harbour views.