Alfred Walter Williams (18 July 1824 - 16 December 1905) was a Victorian landscape painter.
Alfred was born in Southwark, London, one of identical twins born to the painter Edward Williams and Ann Hildebrandt; the second twin, Charles dying shortly after. Alfred's father and five brothers were all well-known landscape artists. Alfred's work was first accepted by the Royal Academy in 1843, after which he regularly exhibited there, until 1890. Like his siblings he also exhibited at the Society of British Artists, renamed the Royal Society of British Artists in 1887. With the improved fortunes of Edward Williams' family, they moved in 1846 from Cromer Street to 32 Castlenau, Barnes in Surrey. There the large coach house was put to use as a family studio. The house exists to this day as 92 Castlenau. With the growing fame of the family they were known as the Williams School of Artists or simply as the Barnes School. Alfred had a close friendship with his brother Sidney Richard Percy and bride, and in 1857 boarded with them for a while at their home Florence Villa, in Wimbledon.
Around 1860 Alfred settled in Reigate in Surrey. He is recorded in the 1861 census as boarding with Mr and Mrs Fitzsimon and in 1870 was at Mead Vale in Redhill, Surrey. In 1895 he had moved to 40 Croydon Road, Reigate, close to his brother, Arthur Gilbert who lived in Limpsfield. He died at 31 Francis Road, Croydon.
Alfred Walter Williams produced grand and romantic landscapes in the best tradition of the Williams family, which through their popularity became the most successful Victorian family of painters. Alfred became a founder member of the Holmesdale Fine Arts Club, prominent in Reigate from around 1865. He counted amongst his friends Charles Davidson RWS (1820–1902) and a number of other noted artists including Samuel Palmer and the Linnell family.[1]