Britain Unlimited covers 250 Great British people and what made them famous

Who was J.M.W. Turner? Artist. Date and Place of Birth: 23rd April 1775, 21 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London, England. Christened Joseph Mallord William Turner. Family Background: Son of a barber and Whig-maker from the provinces. Education: Studies under Thomas Malton. Royal Academy Schools, London from the age of 14. Chronology: 1790's: Joined forces with Thomas Girtin colour washing his drawings. 1793: Awarded the Greater Silver Palette by the Society of Arts. 1799: Elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. 1800: Publishes some poetry which was originally intended to complement his exhibits at the Royal Academy. He often stayed with his patron Lord Egremont at Petworth House and lodged in many London taverns around this period. 1802: Elected a Member of the Royal Academy. Visits the Louvre in Paris for the first time to see the paintings looted by Napoleon. 1804: Sets up his own gallery in his home at Harley Street, London. 1807: Appointed as a Professor at the Royal Academy (of Perspective). 1811: Makes a trip to Italy and is impressed by the landscape. 1814: Helps set up the Artist's General Benevolent Institution. 1817: Makes a tour of Germany and the Netherlands. 1819: Revisits Italy. 1823: Commissioned to paint "The Battle of Trafalgar" by St. James' Palace. 1825: Again makes a tour of Germany and The Netherlands. 1831: Makes an extensive visit to Scotland. 1832: Travels to France and meets the famous artist Delacroix in Paris. 1834: Tours Germany. 1836: Visits Switzerland and France. 1837: Resigns his teaching post at the Royal Academy. 1840: Meets the critic John Ruskin who admires his work greatly and who inspires him to visit Venice. 1841: Makes another tour of Switzerland. 1844: Makes the acquaintance of Charles Dickens and again makes a visit to Switzerland and Germany. 1845: Becomes the Acting President of the Royal Academy. 1846: Takes lodgings in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London and lives out the rest of his days as a virtual recluse under the assumed name of Admiral Booth. 1850: Exhibits for the last time at the Royal Academy. Marriage: Never married. Places of Interest: LONDON: Maiden Lane, Covent Garden. Harley Street. Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. Sandycombe Lodge, Twickenham. National Gallery, Trafalgar Square. (especially "Rain Steam and Speed" and "The Fighting Temeraire"). Tate Britain, Millbank. (has a series of galleries devoted to his work). Date and Place of Death: 19th December 1851, Chiswick, London, England in a lodging house. Age at Death: 76. Site of Grave: Artist’s Corner, the Crypt, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London.