William John Seward (West Teignmouth 1790 – 1857),[1] a superintendent of a home for Irish emigrants in Exeter, Devon, was Webber's maternal grandfather. His maternal grandmother was Ann Seward nee Rendell (Devon 25 November 1790 – 1830). His step-maternal grandmother was the matron of the emigrant home, Mary Seward (b. Tiverton ca.1803).[2] Webber's father was William R. Webber (Teignmouth 1806 – Tavistock 1874),[3] a carver who in 1861 was also an emigration depot master in East Stonehouse, Devon. His mother was Hadassah Seward (Teignmouth 13 March 1822 – Knaresborough 1905),[4] a matron of the emigration depot.[5][nb 1]
William John Seward Webber was born in Exeter in January 1842.[6][7] His brother was Charles Benjamin Warwick Webber (Plymouth ca.1854 – Plymouth 1881).[5][8][9] His sister was dressmaker Edith Alice Maria Webber (Stonehouse 1863 – Barnet 1949).[10][11] In 1851 William J.S. Webber was a scholar living at the Emigrants' Home in St Andrew, Exeter, with his maternal grandparents.[2] By 1861 he was a carver living with his parents at the Emigrants' Depot, Newport Street, Exeter.[5] Between 1870 and 1871 he lodged at 205 Tottenham Court Road, London, as a student, describing himself as a sculptor's assistant and student of sculpture at the Royal Academy.[6][12]
Webber attended school at Plymouth.[13] He was apprenticed as a carver, and after that he trained for two years at the studio of John Gendall (1790–1864),[14] at the same time attending Exeter School of Art.[6] He moved to London in 1864 to study at the West London School of Art, where he qualified to attend the Royal Academy.[14][15] He then studied at the Royal Academy School, gaining First Medals in 1871 and 1873, and a scholarship.[13] He graduated in 1875.[6]
Between 1874 and 1891 Webber's address was 39 Goodge Street, London, and in 1891 he moved to Holliscroft, Dale Street, Harrogate.[16] Between 1901 and 1911 (and possibly until his death) he lived in a modest terraced house: Holliscroft, 3 Mayfield Grove. Harrogate. In 1891 his mother and sister Edith were living with him; by 1911, just his sister. He never married.[6][13][17][18] Webber died around 17 March 1919 in Harrogate.[19] He is buried in Grove Road Cemetery, Harrogate, but has no grave stone.[6][20][nb 2]
Webber was a shy unpushful man, careless about money which inhibited his professional advancement. He was interested in natural history and attended Natural History Society meetings in the Harrogate area. He was religious (Webber's family were non-conformists but he was tolerant of all faiths), and well read, particularly in philosophy.[6][21][nb 3]
Career
According to the Census in England, Webber described himself as a "carver" in 1861,[5] a "sculptor's assistant & student of sculpture, Royal Academy" in 1871,[12] a "sculptor" in 1891,[16] and a "sculptor (marble stone etc.) working on own account" in 1901.[17] He gave his occupation as "sculpture, portraiture in marble or bronze, working on own account at home" in 1911.[6][18]
Studios
In 1870, Webber had a studio at 205 Tottenham Court Road, London.[22] Between 1874 and 1884, he had a studio at 39 Googe Street, London.[23][24][25][26][27][28] By 1877 and until 1882 he was maintaining a second studio at 245 Stanhope Street, Hampstead Road, London.[29][30] From 1888 he shared a studio in Dale Street, Harrogate, with the painter Thomas Holroyd. There he "continued to practise as a sculptor for the remainder of his career".[6][31]
Awards
Two medals and a national medallion, awarded by the Exeter School of Art.[14]
Gold medal awarded by South Kensington (1850s).[6]
Gold medal and £50 scholarship award for The Warrior and the Wounded Youth (1875) awarded by Royal Academy Schools.[6][32]
Works
Warrior and Wounded Youth, 1875 and 1878
This marble statuette was modelled in 1875, and copied by Webber in marble for Thomas Holroyd in 1878.[33] It was reviewed by S.C. Hall in the Art Journal, December 1880:[14]
The work was modelled by Mr. Webber whilst he was a student in the Royal Academy, and he was awarded by the council of that body a [prize] for the general excellence of the design. The warrior represented is one of a prehistoric type, when the weapons in use were chiefly flint-headed arrows or bronze swords and spears, and the clothing merely the skin of some wild animal, giving the sculptor an excellent opportunity of displaying, what is always of importance in sculpture, the form and structure of the rude human figure. The figure of the warrior is vigorous in action, the anatomical form being well defined, and the expression of tenderness and anxiety on account of the youth whom he is bearing is well depicted in his face. The striking contrast with this robust and vigorous figure is the shrinking, writhing form of the wounded youth, stricken down in his first campaign. His left hand covers the wound he has received, and he turns with an expression of pain to his comrade, who is bearing him to a place of safety.[14]
This is a Grade II listed building,[34] designed by Arthur Bown of Harrogate. It was constructed by Richardson of Scarborough, and it contains a statue of Queen Victoria executed by Webber.[13][35][36] The memorial was given to Harrogate by Mayor Richard Ellis, and unveiled on 6 October 1887.[6] According to English Heritage, the canopy was also carved by Webber.[34]
The Jubilee Monument, 1887
Queen Victoria by Webber, 1887
Queen Victoria by Webber, 1887
Queen Victoria by Webber, 1887. Showing the Koh-i-Noor cabochon diamond on her necklace.
Five marble sculptures, The Warrior and the Wounded Youth (statuette, 1878),[nb 4]Mr Thomas Holroyd (bust, 1876), Mr James Holroyd (bust), Mr Bertie Holroyd (bust) and John Charles Dollman (bust, 1875), were commissioned by the painter Thomas Holroyd and executed by Webber.[6][13] They were left by Holroyd to Harrogate Corporation in 1904,[20] and were formally accepted by the Corporation on 21 March 1904.[37] Harrogate Library acquired eight marblebusts by Webber in 1916,[38][39] but some of the Holroyd bequest pieces have not been retained by the Borough of Harrogate.[40][41] For example, the 1878 Warrior and the Wounded Youth was sold in 1998, in Miami.[42]
Queen Victoria (statue for the Jubilee Memorial, Harrogate, 1887).[6]
Mr and Mrs Ellis (busts, 1888).[66]: 28, 32, 52, 33 [70] As of 1902 they were "standing in the Royal Baths", Harrogate, having been presented by "the burgesses of Harrogate by public subscription".[13]
Alderman George Dawson and his wife (busts, 1889) for the Royal Baths, Harrogate.[13]
^Webber is buried in Grove Road Cemetery, Harrogate, in section G, plot 1372. His unmarked grave is near the tall Dickinson memorial. He is buried on the non-Anglican side of the cemetery, with the Roman Catholics, non-conformists etc.
^The meetings attended by Webber were probably those of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, the main local naturalists' group.
^A depiction of The Warrior and Wounded Youth was engraved and published in the Art Journal in December 1880. The size of the 1878 version was
40 x 20 in. (101.6 x 50.8 cm.)
^Seward was Webber's maternal family name, so W.R. Seward was likely a relative.
^J.N. Fitch is possibly John Nugent Fitch, an artist and contemporary of Webber.
^In the Warrior and Wounded Youth statuette, the warrior is Hercules wearing his attribute, the lionskin cloak, on his back. See photograph on 1st Dibs
References
^"Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 14 July 2021. Deaths Jun 1857 Seward William John Plymouth 5b 183
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrsScott, W. Herbert (1902). Pike, W.T. (ed.). Central West Riding of Yorkshire at the opening of the 20th century, contemporary biographies (1 ed.). Brighton, UK: W.T. Pike & Co. p. 253.
^Academicians for the Year 1875, 1878 Royal Academy Annual Reports (1878) p. 29
^"The Warrior and Wounded Youth". Art Journal. 1839–1912. London: Virtue & co.: 364–366 1 December 1880. ISSN2043-1325. (The volume is held at the British Library (UK), and contains a picture of the marble piece)
^Van der Krogt, Rene; Van der Krogt, Pieter (29 July 2019). "Queen Victoria". statues.vanderkrogt.net. Statues hither and thither. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
^"The late Mr Thos Holroyd's bequests". Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale Herald. British Newspaper Archive. 26 March 1904. p. 6 col.1. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^"Robert Funk Fine Art Miami". artnet.com. Artnet. Retrieved 25 April 2021. William John Seward Webber (British, 1842–1919), Warrior and Wounded Youth, 1878, Sculpture, Marble, 40 x 20 in. (101.6 x 50.8 cm.)
^"Harrogate topics". Knaresborough Post. British Newspaper Archive. 21 May 1904. p. 7 col.7. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
The Royal Academy of Arts: a complete dictionary of contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904. Vol. 8: Toft to Zwecker. London: Royal Academy. 1906. p. 187.