DEXTER, Walter

1876 - 1958

Walter Dexter was born at Wellingborough, Northamptonshire on 12 June 1876, son of Walter Sothern Dexter (1848-1920), photographic artist, and his wife Emily Allday (1851-1927), daughter of the late John Allday, who married at Aston Parish Church, Birmingham on 16 November 1875, Walter's brother was Owen Dexter. Walter was educated at Croad's School, Kings Lynn and studied at Birmingham School of Art 1892-1897, Birmingham Royal Society of Art 1897 and in Holland and Belgium. In 1901 he, and his father, exhibited at the Woodpecker Sketch Club, and in 1905 was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists exhibiting in 1906 two oil paintings 'Hunstanton Cliff' and 'King's Lynn from West Lynn Moonrise' and illustrating the cover of the 1905 'Kings Lynn Handbook'. In 1911, living at Sea Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk with his parents, 62-year-old Walter, a hotel proprietor at this seaside resort, and 58-year-old Emily and his two siblings, Irving and Ida. Walter was an art master at Bolton Grammar School 1916-1920 and later held the same position at King Edward VII School, Kings Lynn, Norfolk 1941-1944. He married at East Winch Parish Church, Kings Lynn on 4 October 1915, Helen Mary Chadwick (28 March 1880-1948). Walter was founder president of King's Lynn Society of Arts. Walter spent many years travelling in Europe, studying the architecture of the old masters and wrote a series of articles about his travels for the press. A landscape, interior, portrait and still life painter, and illustrator, exhibiting at the Royal Academy also showing at Birmingham Royal Society of Artists; Bruton Galleries; Walker Art Gallery; Royal Society of British Artists; Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours and the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, from King’s Lynn, Norfolk in 1901 and 1913, from Kensington, London 1904 and from Felixstowe, Suffolk 1909. In 1939, an artist painter & art master, living at Old Toll House, East Winch, Kings Lynn. A member of the Norfolk & Norwich Art Circle 1902-1955 from Kings Lynn and at their centenary in 1985 two of his works were on show, an oil on canvas 'A Workshop' and a pencil and watercolour 'Slaughden Quay, Aldeburgh' which was used in Dutt's 'Some Literary Associations of East Anglia' (Methuen 1907) and many of his watercolours were used to illustrate other books published by Methuen & Co. Walter Dexter was of 2 Nelson Street, Kings Lynn when he died, after an accident with a motorcycle, at West Norfolk & Kings Lynn Hospital on 12 February 1958.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Carr Pit Cottage, East Winch, King's Lynn
1923 536 Ely, looking across Middle Fen
from The Old Toll House, East Winch, King's Lynn
1926 485 King's Lynn from West Lynn
1927 663 King's Lynn: St Margaret's Church from the River
1928 170 King's Lynn: The Capital of the Fen County
1930 526 Crowland Abbey
1947 King's Lynn: More Snow Coming

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Works by This Artist