Born in Birmingham on 29th Apr. 1783; son of a blacksmith. He was apprenticed to a painter of miniatures for lockets, named Fielder; then subsequently found employment at the Birmingham Theatre Royal, where he ultimately became a scene painter.
He received drawing lessons at a night-school kept by Joseph Barber. In 1805 he came to London and worked at Astley's Theatre. In 1805 he exhibited for the first time at the R.A. He was elected a Member of the Old Water Colour Society in 1812, and was a constant exhibitor there until 1859.
He settled at Dulwich as a drawing teacher. In 1841 he retired to Harbourne nr. Birmingham where he painted some very successful oil pictures. He died there on 7th June 1859.