MYLES BIRKET FOSTER

Myles Birket Foster was born on the 4th February 1825, in North Shields. His family moved to London in 1830 and he attended school in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He initially joined his father's business; a successful beer-bottling company. However his father secured him an apprenticeship with a wood-engraver; Ebenezer Landwells, after discovering his talent for art.

In the 1850s, Birket Foster worked as a book illustrator, but in his own free time he trained in watercolours. His watercolours became very successful; he has exhibited over four hundred paintings over the course of twenty years at the Royal Academy. He painted the Scottish countryside, the Rhine valley, the Swiss lakes and Venice.

In 1863, he moved to Witley, where he depicted the stunning views of the British countryside, many of which where  in Surrey. His artwork was becoming more and more popular, and was used on the boxes of Cadbury's chocolate in the 1860's. In 1864, he married Francis Watson, who was the daughter of Dawson Watson and sister to the artist John Dawson Watson. Their eldest son, Myles Birket Foster, was an organist.

Birket Foster became ill in 1893 and moved to Weybridge and died on the 27th March 1899.