William Daniels

William Daniels

From Memorials of Liverpool....second edition, revised, with additions.

On October 13th Liverpool lost a distinguished resident in the person of Mr. William Daniels, an artist of something more than local reputation. He was born in the unpromising neighbourhood of Scotland Road, and as a boy worked with his father at the mechanical trade of brickmaking. But even in such circumstances genius asserted itself, and it is said that he drew on the sand sketches which excited the wonder of his companions. He produced some pictures that had at one time considerable vogue, such as "The Recluse" and "The Prisoner of Chillon." But, like many of the brethren of the brush, he found portrait painting most profitable, and attained considerable success therein. Thereby hangs a tale. For he was a man with some incurable eccentricities and could not be kept within conventional rules. When the great Duke visited Liverpool, the friends of Daniels secured a promise that the victor of Waterloo would sit to him for his portrait. The Duke, as is well known, was always punctual. He was ready at the appointed time. But the artist did not turn up, and an opportunity was lost. His funeral took place at St. James' Cemetery, where more than 200 mourners, amongst them many local notabilities, attended in honour of his memory.

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