Walter Jenks Morgan was born at Bilston and educated at Sir Robert Peel's school, Tamworth. He moved to Birmingham and there became apprenticed to Thomas Underwood, a lithographer. During this period he also studied at the Birmingham School of Art and at the Birmingham Society of Artists where he won a scholarship, which enabled him to further his education at South Kensington.

He was well known as a painter and illustrator and he produced numerous drawings for book and magazine illustrations. His publishers included The Graphic, The Illustrated London News and Cassell & Co. He exhibited his paintings at the Royal Academy from 1876, at Suffolk Street from 1879 and the New Watercolour Society. He was president of the Birmingham Art Circle and of the Midlands Arts Club.