William McIlvenny

(1849 - 1900)

William Henry McIlvenny was born in Belfast, September 9, 1849. He married Elizabeth Foster there in 1883 and in due course was buried there on 8 Feb 1900. Like his father he was a sailor, and after settling ashore in Belfast, he also spent time at Barrow and Preston, England, as evidenced by inscriptions on several of his paintings. McIlvenny painted predominantly medium sized canvases featuring portraits of English sailing vessels, often schooners. The vessels were portrayed close to the viewer, covering most of the painting, often with a coastline and other vessels in the background.

In around 1887- 1890 he lived in Australia.