William
Leighton Leitch
(1804-1883)
William
Leighton Leitch was born in Glasgow. He was a painter of landscapes
and figurative subjects, most usually in watercolour, his early
love of art was fostered by meetings with Sir Daniel MacNee and
Horatio McCulloch and he soon abandoned the career in law planned
for him by his manufacturer father. After employment at 19 as
a scene painter at the Theatre Royal, he quickly moved to Cummnock
where alongside MacNee, McCulloch and John Anderson he decorated
snuffboxes for a living.
Armed
with a letter of introduction from David Roberts, he moved to
London and was again employed as a scene painter, first at the
Queen’s Theatre and then at the Pavilion where he met Clarkson
Stanfield and attracted the patronage of a wealthy stockbroker,
Mr Anderson. He began exhibiting at the RA 1841. A trip to Italy
in 1854 on health grounds let indirectly to his becoming drawing
instructor to Queen Victoria and members of her household, lessons
that continued for almost 20 years, receiving a Royal annuity
in 1864. He died in London.
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