William Egley

The gift of a box of colours which William received in early youth strengthened his desire to be a painter.

They went to work at the publishing house and bookshop of William Darton,[1] on Holborn Hill, London; but while Thomas pursued this calling to the end of his life, William, by chance visits to the exhibitions in Somerset House, London cultivated and stimulated his love of painting.

Without any professional teaching he succeeded in finishing two pictures, the portraits of Colonel Ogleby and of Richard yates, the actor, which were received and exhibited by the Royal Academy in 1824.

From that time until the year before his death he was a constant exhibitor, sending, in all, 160 miniatures to the academy exhibitions, 2 pictures to the British Institution, and 6 to the Suffolk Street Gallery.

He was twice married, and by his first wife left a son, William Maw Egley, a painter of historical subjects and a regular exhibitor.