William Haines (artist)


William Haines was an English engraver and painter.

Early life

Haines was born at Bedhampton, Hampshire, on 21 June 1778; but taken in infancy to Chichester he always regarded that city as his native place. He was educated at the Midhurst grammar school, witnessing while there the destruction by fire of Cowdray House. Two years after that disaster he was with Thew, the engraver, at Northaw, Hertfordshire, where, when sufficiently proficient, he worked with Scriven and others on the Boydell-Shakespeare plates.

Travels

In 1800 he went to the Cape of Good Hope; his ship, outsailed by the convoy, successfully resisting on the voyage an attack by a French privateer. At Cape Town and in excursions up the country he made numerous drawings, resembling Catlin's later American pictures. From the Cape he passed to Philadelphia, where he engraved a number of book illustrations and some portraits.

Career in England

Returning to England he commenced work in London, adding miniature-painting to his practice as an engraver, which brought him again to Chichester and his connections there. Hayley warmly befriended him, and on his recommendation he proceeded to Southampton, but with little result.
Again in London his professional prospects improved; he adopted a larger scale, and ultimately painted in oils. Among his many sitters for miniatures at 1 Boyle Street, London, where he resided 1816-30 and built a studio, were Lords Strangford and Portarlington, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Sir Andrew Barnard, and other Peninsula officers; the Earl Stanhope, Sir Charles Forbes, Baron Garrow, Legh, the traveller, Salamè, interpreter; Lady Anne Barnard, the Misses Porter, Moore, Theodore Hook, Miss Stephens. He painted portraits in oils of Buchanan McMillan and Captain Parry.

Death

Haines retired to East Brixton, where he died 24 July 1848.