LEGGETT, William John

1856 - 1936

William John Leggett was born at Ipswich in 1856, second son of Charles Leggett, a maltster, and his wife Emma née Bines, who married at Ipswich in 1853. In 1861, William was a five-year-old, living at Compass Yard, Fore Street, Ipswich with his parents, 32-year-old Charles and 27-year-old Emma, and his three sibling brothers, Charles 7, John 3, and newly born Edward, all born at Ipswich. William started his working life as a foundry labourer and in 1881, a writer & house painter, living with his parents at 33 Key Street, Ipswich with the addition of sister Clara aged 19. William exhibited from Ipswich at the Woodbridge Fine Art Exhibition, at the Lecture Hall, Woodbridge in 1883, several works two crayons 'Freston Tower' and 'Wolsey's Gate', two monochrome studies, six decorative panels and ten specimens of ornamental writing. In 1891, a 35-year-old decorative artist, living at Painter’s Shop, Dog's Head Lane, Ipswich with a 39-year-old housekeeper/boarder Sabina Durrant. In 1894, a signwriter & decorator and a still life artist still at Dog's Head Lane, Ipswich and in 1901 at 13 Dog's Head Lane, a ‘decorator’ with a new housekeeper Ellen Lamb and they were still there in 1911 when William was described as ‘decorator artist painter’ and his work was well-known around Ipswich for his artistic work on shop facias. William John Leggett was of 9 Borough Road, Ipswich when he died at the Ipswich & East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich on 24 January 1936, aged 79, leaving the then considerable sum of £8,000.

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Works by This Artist