Born in Lewisham, he studied etching under Stanley Anderson at Goldsmith's College.  In 1926 he won the coveted Prix de Rome and spent the next three years at the British School in Rome, travelling widely in Italy, France, Greece and Spain.  In the early 1930s, Devon and the West Country were a source of subjects for his works, although by 1933 he was living in the London area.

He became Lecturer in Engraving at Leeds College of Art in 1934, and in 1941 was appointed Principal of Penzance School of Art. He retired in 1965 to concentrate fully on his etching, and became Vice-President and Chairman of STISA, eventually stepping down in 1981.

Although he also painted in oils and watercolours, his etchings are considered his finest works. His wife, Inez, also an artist and teacher, first came to West Cornwall in 1942.