Stanley Spencer was born on June 30th at Cookham on Thames, Berkshire, the eighth surviving child of William Spencer, organist and piano teacher. Educated at a morning school run by his sisters. First painting lessons from artist and designer, Dorothy Bailey.

1907

Entered Maidenhead Technical Institute.

1908-12

Studied at the Slade School under Tonks, where his contemporaries included Christopher Nevinson, William Roberts, Mark Gertler, David Bomberg, Paul Nash and Edward Wadsworth. During this period he lived and painted at home. Awarded a scholarship, l910; the Melville Nettleship Prize and the Composition Prize, 1912.

1912

Exhibited John Donne Arriving in Heaven and drawings in Robert Fry's Second Postimpressionist Exhibition at the Grafton Galleries.

1915-18

Enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was stationed in Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol, July l9l5. Posted to Macedonia in August l916 and served with the 68th, 66th and 143rd Field Ambulances until August l917, when he volunteered and joined the 7th Battalion, the Royal Berkshires. Commissioned to paint an official war picture on his return to England in December l918.

1919

Lived and worked in Cookham Member of the New English A, until l927.

1920-1

Went to live with Sir Henry and Lady Slesser, at Bourne End, near Cookham. Stayed at Durweston Dorst, with Henry Lamb during the summer of l920.

1920-2

Lived with Muirhead Bone at Steep near Petersfield, Hamphire, and then at lodgings in Petersfield.

1922

Visited Yugoslavia with the Carlines during the summer. Moved to Hampstead in December.

1923-4

Enrolled at the Slade School for the spring term, l923, then joined Henry Lamb at Poole, Dorset. Worked on a series of designs for the mural decoration of a chapel based on his experiences during the war. They were seen by Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Behrend, who decided to build a chapel at Burghclere, Berkshire. Returned to Hampstead, October l923, where he used Henry Lamb's studio on the top floor of the Vale Hotel in the Vale of Health.

1925

Married Anne Hilda Carline at Wangford, near Southwold. A daughter, Shirin, born.

1926-7

Completed The Resurrection, Cookham in l926 and exhibited it in his first one-man show at Goupil Gallery, February-March l927. It was purchased by the Duveen Paintings Fund for presentation to the Tate Gallery. Moved to Burghclere to decorate the Sandham Memorial Chapel.

1930

A second daughter, Unity, born.

1932

Completed the Memorial Chapel and moved from Burghclere to Lindworth, Cookham. Elected ARA and exhibited five paintings and five drawings at the Venice Biennale. In October Dudley Tooth became his sole agent.

1933

Invited to Sass Fee, Switzerland, by Edward Beddington-Behrens to paint landscapes. Sarah Tubb exhibited at the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh (honorable mention).

1935

Resigned from the Royal Academy after the rejection of Saint Francis and the Birds and The Dustman or The Lovers by the hanging committee. Visited Zermatt, Switzerland, for a second time with Beddington-Behrens.

1936

One-man show, Arthur Tooth and Sons Ltd.

1937

Divorced by Hilda. Married Patricia Pearce, 29 May. Spent a month in St. Ives and also visited, and painted at, Southwold.

1938

Exhibited at the Venice Biennale. Stayed with the Rothensteins and Malcolm MacDonald until December, when he moved to a room at 188 Adelaide Road, London, Began the Christ in the Wilderness series.

1939

Exhibited at J. Leger and Son in March-April, moved to the White Hart Inn, Leonard Stanley, Gloucestershire, with George and Daphne Charlton, July 30.

1940

Commissioned to paint pictures of shipyards by the War Artist's Advisory Committee. Made the first of a series of visits to Lithgow's yard, Port Glasgow.

1941

Stayed with Mrs. Harter, Sydney Carline's mother in-law, at Epsom.

1942-4

Returned to Cookham, January 7, as the tenant of his cousin, Bernard Smithers, with whom he stayed until May 1944. Continued to visit Port Glasgow where he stayed at the Glencairn boardinghouse. Continued to work on Shipbuilding on the Clyde. Began The Resurrection, Port Glasgow series on which he worked until l950.

1945

September returned to Cookham to Cliveden View.

1947

Retrospective exhibition, Temple Newsam, Leeds. The Chapel at Burghclere was presented to the National Trust by Mr. And Mrs. J.L. Behrend.

1950

Created CBE. Rejoined the Royal Academy and elected RA. Hilda Spencer died in November.

1954

Visited China as a member of a cultural delegation.

1955

November-December, retrospect exhibition at the Tate Gallery.

1958

Knighted, Hon. D. Litt, Southam and Associate of the Royal Collection Art.

1959

December l4, Stanley Spencer died at the Canadian War Memorial Hospital, Cliveden