Edward Charles Frome was born in Gibraltar and raised in England. He entered the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich in 1817, and in 1825 joined the corps of the Royal Engineers. From 1827-1833 he served under Colonel By on the construction of the Rideau Canal between Kingston and Ottawa. An amateur artist, in addition to his activities as a soldier, engineer and surveyor, Frome produced numerous pen and pencil sketches and watercolours during his posting in Canada. Because it was made for his private enjoyment, rather than for sale, his body of work remained largely intact and was bequeathed to the The Royal Commonwealth Society by his daughter. These views of Kingston demonstrate his skill as a draughtsman and serve as a valuable historical record. Frome enjoyed a distinguished career, acting as Surveyor-General of South Australia and later of Mauritius and as Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey, eventually achieving the rank of General.