Marcus Clayton Stone, the third of four children of Frank Stone and Elizabeth Stone, was born in London on 4th July 1840. His father was a watercolourist and was a close friend of Charles Dickens, William Makepeace Thackeray , Wilkie Collins and Daniel Maclise.

Marcus often visited the Dickens household. In 1852 he drew a sketch from Bleak House, which he presented to the author. Dickens inscribed his thanks on a copy of his book A Child's History of England, writing "you have made an excellent sketch from a book of mine which I have received (and preserved) with great pleasure". His biographer, Pamela M. Fletcher, has pointed out: "While Stone had no formal artistic training he learned the trade in his father's studio....