Walter Williams was born in North London on the 29 November 1834 into the Williams family of artists. His father was the artist George Augustus Williams (1814-1901) and his mother was Caroline Smith. His grandfather was Edward Williams (1781-1855) the patriarch of the Barnes School of artists and his uncles Edward Charles Williams (1807-1881), Henry John Boddington (1811-1865), Arthur Gilbert (1819-1895), Sidney Richard Percy (1821–1886) and Alfred Walter Williams (1824–1905) were all artists. His sister Caroline Fanny Williams (1836–1921) was also an artist. He was christened George Walter after his father but later used his middle name to distinguish between the two. It is likely he was tutored by his father as his style and subject matter are similar.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy, the British Institution and the Society of British Artists. He married Jane Pearcy (1832-1872) who was also an artist and together they had two children Florence and Cyril who inherited their parent's talent. Williams lived at 8 Lonsdale Road, Barnes where he spent most of his life. He died in Richmond on 14 April 1906.

© Benton Fine Art