Daniel Alexander Williamson was a member of the Liverpool school of painters, influenced by the pre-raphaelite style. His father was also a painter, as were other members of his family. He was apprenticed as a child to a Liverpool cabinet maker, and moved to London where he stayed from 1849-1857 in Newman Street.

He tried portraiture first but soon abandoned this for landscape.

In 1857 he moved to No 2 Albert Cottages, Denmark Road in Camberwell where he stayed until 1860/1861 when he returned back to Lancashire and settled in the village of Warton-in-Carnforth.

In 1859, whilst living in Albert Cottage he painted the following canvas titled Spring.

He painted  a series of works featuring  Cattle on Peckham Common. The following painting is titled Cows going home, 1859.

He died on February 12th, 1903  and is buried in the Broughton-in Furness churchyard.