Born in Christchurch, William Wauchop (1889-1971) studied at Canterbury University under Alfred Walsh and graduated in 1910. He taught in Christchurch before becoming a librarian at the General Assembly Library. His subjects were still life and landscapes, especially mountains, lakes and native forest and was a prominent member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and was president for thirteen years, from 1953 to 1962. His work was represented in New Zealand's Centennial Exhibition in Wellington in 1940 and he also founded the Wauchop School of Dancing.