Sutcliffe was born in Heptonstall, nr Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire on 26 March, 1848.  He was first discovered (by us) when he exhibited with the Cornish artists in the Dowdeswell show of 1890. He had been resident in Newlyn prior to that exhibition, as a letter from Forbes, describes a  visit to his lodgings in Newlyn on 20 Oct 1887. He also exhibited with the Newlyn artists in the Meadow Studios, though had left Newlyn well before the advent of NAG.

Sutcliffe married the artist Elizabeth TREVOR (sister of the late Edward TREVOR) in 1891 in Wales, and the two were considered distinguished artists of their region, in which they lived and worked for the remainder of their lives. Sutcliffe died in Leeds on 17 December, 1933, age 84 (GRO).