One of the most respected of the Newlyn artists, Fred Hall was born in Stillington, Yorkshire, studying first at the Lincoln School of Art and then at Verlat's Academy in Antwerp in the 1880's.
He moved from Newlyn to Porlock in about 1890 and had a studio there.  It seems almost certain that this work was painted at this time.
A plein-air painter of great skill, he exhibited at important galleries including the Royal Academy, New England Art Club, Fine art Society and the Paris Salon, where he won a gold medal in 1912.