He played a significant part in the formation of public art education in the United Kingdom, as perhaps the true parent of the South Kensington Schools system. Dyce was associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and played a part in their early popularity.
Dyce was a Streatham resident living initially in Bedford House where he had his studio at 111-119 Streatham High Road and later at "Woodlawn" at the junction of Leigham Court Road and Streatham High Road, today Streatleigh Court.
He is buried in the churchyard of St Leonards Church in Streatham.
He is also memorialised on his parent's grave in St Nicholas Churchyard on Union Street in Aberdeen and there is a street in Streatham named for him – William Dyce Mews in addition to the Dyce fountain on Streatham Green.
In 1850 Dyce married Jane Bickerton Brand of Bedford Hill House, Balham
(extracts Tim Barringer and John W Brown)
Portrait by John Watkins © National Portrait Gallery, London under the Creative Commons License NPG Ax 14816 and the Dyce fountain at its original location at the junction of Mitcham Lane, Streatham High Road and Tooting Bec Gardens)