Thomas Coleman Dibdin was a son of the dramatist Thomas Dibdin and grandson of the dramatist/composer Charles Dibdin, who was also a talented amateur painter. Born in Bletchworth, Surrey on October 22nd, 1810. He began his working life in the General Post Office as a Clerk, at seventeen years old. Eleven years later, at the age of 28, he left the Post Office to take up painting professionally. Dibdin travelled widely throughout Europe, including, France, Germany and Belgium. Whilst there he drew old towns and attractive buildings. Later, Dibdin invented the process of Chromolithography. He exhibited at both the Royal Academy and the Society of British Artists from 1831 to 1839. In 1848 he published a work entitled Progressive Lessons in Water Colour Painting. Dibdin died in Sydenham on December 26th, 1893.
