Born in London. His piano-making father named him after Handel.
Member of the Holland Park Circle, an informal group of 19th-century artists based in the Holland Park district, especially in Melbury Road and Holland Park Road. Other key members include: Frederic Leighton, Valentine Prinsep, Luke Fildes, Hamo Thornycroft and William Burges.
Married briefly to Ellen Terry, many years his junior. 1886 married Mary Tytler. Watts was a leading supporter of the campaign against the use of birds' plumage in fashionable hats, a campaign which led to the creation of the Society for the Protection of Birds. Watts had a gallery built near Guildford for his work, which he opened in 1903. It is open to the public and still displays just his work, which we found of questionable quality. Much more interesting is the chapel, a short walk away, built by his wife, Mary, 1898-1904, well worth a visit.
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