Background
Hammersley was born at Burslem, Staffordshire, and studied art under James Baker Pyne.
Hammersley was born at Burslem, Staffordshire, and studied art under James Baker Pyne.
During the 1840s he taught at the Nottingham School of Design, where his pupils included Henry Hunter and Andrew MacCallum. From May 1849 till 31 December 1862 Hammersley was head-master of the Manchester School of Design. He took part in the formation of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, being elected its first president, 28 May 1857.
He resigned the post on 30 December 1861.
Hammersley died at Manchester in 1869, and was buried at Saint John"s Church, Higher Broughton.
