He was born in
Edinburgh on 4 August 1835, the eldest son of John Cameron and his wife Isabella Armstrong. He was apprenticed to an architect in 1849. In the same year, he began classes at the
Trustees Academy. He showed a flair for art and took additional classes under
Robert Scott Lauder. In 1878 he co-founded the Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour. In 1880 he was sharing a house and studio at 12
Queen Street, Edinburgh with
George Hay RSA. This is an outstanding and prestigious property. In 1900 he was living at 8 Merchiston Place. In 1910 he was living at 45
George Square, Edinburgh, a close neighbour to
Percy Portsmouth. He died at the home of his married daughter, Isabella Armstrong Archibald, on Spottiswoode Street in Edinburgh on 15 July 1918 and is buried in
Grange Cemetery in south Edinburgh. ==Family==