Frederick Viner (5 March 1858 – 17 August 1940) was an English watercolour artist.[1]
Richmond Herald 1940
Frederick Viner, known as Fred, and his twin brother Alfred, were born at Gardener's Lodge, Sheen Mount, East Sheen, sons of William Viner and Jane Whiting; their father was gardener to Mr Henry Porter Smith.[2] Their mother died shortly after their births.[3] He was educated at Mortlake Schools.[1]
From 1873 he was a seaman and in 1876 he signed up for ten years service in the Royal Navy but was discharged in 1878.[4] On the 1881 Census he is recorded in Canterbury Prison as a mariner[5] serving 15 months 'hard labour' for housebreaking.[6][7] He said that he had made several crossings of the Atlantic.[8]
In 1899 he returned to live in Richmond and at the time of the 1901 Census was living in Sheen Road.[9] He made his living as a watercolour artist painting local scenes, mostly of Richmond, Kew and Isleworth, but also seascapes and other locations.[10] His paintings are signed F.Viner. He had a studio on the Quadrant set up for him by Mr Thomas Day, the Registrar.[1]
Some of his paintings are in the Richmond Borough Art Collection at Orleans House, the Richmond Local Studies collection and in the Hounslow archives.[16]
