Jack Merriott was born on 15th November 1901 in New Cross London to John Boultwood Merriott (Railway ticket collector) and his wife Eleanor
and studied art at Croydon School of Art and St Martin's School of Art. On 18th June 1932 he married Hilda May Bridger the daughter of Harry Bridger. Jack painted
landscapes and portraits in oil and watercolour. He started work as a shipping clerk in a company exporting heavy machinery to South Africa but soon painted full time for a living. He
exhibited at the Royal Academy, Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Royal Society of British Artists and Royal West of England Academy. He was elected RI
in 1944, PS in 1951, SMA in 1954, ROI in 1959, President of the Wapping Group of Artists from 1947 to 1960, member of the Langham Sketch Club and the St Ives Society of Artists. Bradford City Art
Gallery and Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery hold his work. He lived in Shirley in Surrey and Storrington in Sussex before moving to Island House, Polperro in the early 1950's. Jack moved back
to Storrington, as travel to his many commitments throughout the UK was difficult from Cornwall. It was in 1968 when he was driving home to Storrington he skidded on black ice and was seriously
injured. He never recovered from his injuries, dying later in that year. One of his hobbies was sailing and he also designed and painted posters for British Rail and other tourist agencies
throughout the UK. A memorial service was held at "the artist's church", St James in Piccadilly London in 1969.
He was selected to paint the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey from The Triforium for the Sphere Magazine.
