John Crome, painter and etcher, was born in Norwich, the son of a publican and weaver. From 1783 he was apprenticed to the house, coach and sign painter Francis Whistler. He completed the apprenticeship in 1790 and became one of the first artists to branch into picture restoration and cleaning. In 1792, he married Phoebe Berney, with whom he would have eleven children. Of the eleven, four died young and four became painters. Crome became Vice-President of the Norwich Society of Artists before being elected its President in 1808. He died at his home in Norwich, aged 52.
