Walter Prideaux was a poet and lawyer. Prideuax rose to be clerk to Goldsmiths' Hall.

Biography

Walter Prideaux was born 15 April 1806 to Sarah and Walter Prideaux. He was born at Bearscombe near Kingbridge and Loddiswell

Loddiswell

Loddiswell is a parish and village in the South Hams district of Devon, England. It lies on the west side of the River Avon or Aune and is three miles NNW from Kingsbridge. There is evidence of occupation going back to Roman times...

. In 1812 his father sold Bearscombe and moved to Plymouth

Plymouth

Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...

 to establish a bank.

Prideaux is shown in a painting where discussions are taking place for a journey in a balloon by Charles Green

Charles Green (balloonist)

Charles Green was the United Kingdom's most famous balloonist of the 19th century. He experimented with coal gas as a cheaper and more readily available alternative to hydrogen for lifting power. His first ascent was in a coal gas balloon on 19 July 1821. He became a professional balloonist and...

, Thomas Monck Mason

Thomas Monck Mason

Thomas Monck Mason was a flute player, writer and balloon aeronaut. He wrote concerning the balloon trip and on theology. He was impoverished after renting London theatres to stage opera.-Biography:...

 and Robert Hollond

Robert Hollond

Robert Hollond was an English balloonist and politician. He funded and then took part in establishing a distance ballooning record with Thomas Monck Mason and Charles Green. He later served as a Whig politician representing the constituency of Hastings.-Biography:Hollond was born in 1808 to...

. The three travelled a record distance of 500 miles in 18 hours. Prideaux was included in the painting with the artist, John Hollins, and William Milbourne James

William Milbourne James (judge)

Sir William Milbourne James was a British judge and Privy Councillor.-Life history:James was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales in 1807 to Christopher James a prosperous provision merchant. His cousin was Charles Herbert James, who later became Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil...

.

In 1840, Prideaux's poems were published as Poems of Chivalry, Faery, and the Olden Time

Prideaux died in 1889.