Daniel Gardner was a Westmorland man, born in Redman's Yard, Stricklandgate, Kirkby-Kendal in 1750.
His father is said to have been a master baker, his mother was a Miss Redman, sister of Mr. Alderman Redman of Kendal, an upholsterer, with whom George Romney's father John Romney, a cabinet maker, was connected in business.
The members of the families of the two future portraitists, the Gardner's and the Romney's, knew each other well and it is said that one of the first portraits George Romney painted when he was still under twelve years old was the one of Daniel Gardner's mother.
Mrs. Gardner, interested in art and impressed by the work of the young boy, used all her influence to encourage George Romney to persevere, eventually interceding with his father to let painting be Romney's sole pursuit and profession.
It was in the house of the Gardner's that George Romney first met Daniel Gardner who later became his pupil.

Daniel Gardner married his wife, whose first name was either Ann or Nancy, Haward on 8 October 1776.
She was the sister of the engraver Francis Haward (born 1759).
Gardner and his wife had two sons.
However, only the elder son George (born 1778) survived.
Gardner's wife died shortly after the birth of the second son in 1781.
He never fully recovered from this tragic incident.

After the early death of his wife, Daniel Gardner sent his son George to Kendal, where he was brought up by the Pennington family with whom Daniel Gardner had formed a close relationship.
William Pennington of Dowker & Richardson, Attorneys, also looked after Gardner's business affairs in Kendal.
Evidence of this friendship is a double portrait that Daniel Gardner painted around 1780 showing William Pennington and himself.
George Gardner became a barrister and a burgess of Kendal.
He later married Harriet Anne Cumming.
They had a son called George Harrison Gardner who was born in July 1814 and baptised in April of the following year by the Rev. Robert Blair, the Rector of Barton St. Andrews, Norwich, whose portrait Daniel Gardner painted.

According to The Gentleman's Magazine, Daniel Gardner died on 8 July 1805 from liver failure at 3, Beak Street, Golden Square, London.
Also The European Magazine and London Review reported about the death of Daniel Gardner.
In the column of the Monthly Obituary there was the following short note to read: "Mr. Daniel Gardner, of Warwick-street, Golden-square, formerly an artist."
Gardner was buried on 13 July 1805 in the churchyard of St. James's, Piccadilly, London.

The value of his estate, which Gardner left to his only surviving son George, was declared at £10,000.
However, it seems to be probable, from what his contemporaries thought about Gardner, that he had a far larger fortune to leave behind than would be represented by a sum of £10,000.
It is possible that the whole of the Kendal property may have been already placed in the name of his son, and therefore did not appear in the declaration that was made on the decease of the father, or there may have been some way of avoiding a declaration as to the value of his landed estate.
Daniel Gardner was a Westmorland man, born in Redman's Yard, Stricklandgate, Kirkby-Kendal in 1750. His father is said to have been a master baker, his mother was a Miss Redman, sister of Mr. Alderman Redman of Kendal, an upholsterer, with whom George Romney's father John Romney, a cabinet maker, was connected in business. The members of the families of the two future portraitists, the Gardner's and the Romney's, knew each other well and it is said that one of the first portraits George Romney painted when he was still under twelve years old was the one of Daniel Gardner's mother. Mrs. Gardner, interested in art and impressed by the work of the young boy, used all her influence to encourage George Romney to persevere, eventually interceding with his father to let painting be Romney's sole pursuit and profession. It was in the house of the Gardner's that George Romney first met Daniel Gardner who later became his pupil.
Daniel Gardner married his wife, whose first name was either Ann or Nancy, Haward on 8 October 1776. She was the sister of the engraver Francis Haward (born 1759). Gardner and his wife had two sons. However, only the elder son George (born 1778) survived. Gardner's wife died shortly after the birth of the second son in 1781. He never fully recovered from this tragic incident.
After the early death of his wife, Daniel Gardner sent his son George to Kendal, where he was brought up by the Pennington family with whom Daniel Gardner had formed a close relationship. William Pennington of Dowker & Richardson, Attorneys, also looked after Gardner's business affairs in Kendal. Evidence of this friendship is a double portrait that Daniel Gardner painted around 1780 showing William Pennington and himself. George Gardner became a barrister and a burgess of Kendal. He later married Harriet Anne Cumming. They had a son called George Harrison Gardner who was born in July 1814 and baptised in April of the following year by the Rev. Robert Blair, the Rector of Barton St. Andrews, Norwich, whose portrait Daniel Gardner painted.
According to The Gentleman's Magazine, Daniel Gardner died on 8 July 1805 from liver failure at 3, Beak Street, Golden Square, London. Also The European Magazine and London Review reported about the death of Daniel Gardner. In the column of the Monthly Obituary there was the following short note to read: "Mr. Daniel Gardner, of Warwick-street, Golden-square, formerly an artist." Gardner was buried on 13 July 1805 in the churchyard of St. James's, Piccadilly, London.
The value of his estate, which Gardner left to his only surviving son George, was declared at £10,000. However, it seems to be probable, from what his contemporaries thought about Gardner, that he had a far larger fortune to leave behind than would be represented by a sum of £10,000. It is possible that the whole of the Kendal property may have been already placed in the name of his son, and therefore did not appear in the declaration that was made on the decease of the father, or there may have been some way of avoiding a declaration as to the value of his landed estate.
Daniel Gardner