William John Seward Webber

William John Seward Webber (January 1842 – c. 17 March 1919) was an English sculptor who created civic statuary, and busts of national heroes and local worthies, in marble. He sculpted the statue of Queen Victoria for the Jubilee Monument in Harrogate, North Riding of Yorkshire, England in 1887. An early success was his Warrior and Wounded Youth group of 1878, executed while he was still a student. His busts include portraits of the Duke of Clarence, John Charles Dollman, Henry Phillpotts, John Bowring, John Ruskin, Richard Jefferies, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Charles Darwin, Walter Scott, Thomas Carlyle, Robert Burns and Thomas Holroyd.

He was the son of a carver and emigration depot master. He was born and grew up in South West England, and he trained with John Gendall, and at the Exeter School of Art and West London School of Art, before attending the Royal Academy Schools. He worked from studios in London for a while, then at the age of around 49 years he moved to Harrogate, where he worked for the rest of his life. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Grove Road Cemetery, Harrogate.

Life

William John Seward (West Teignmouth 1790 – 1857), a superintendent of a home for Irish emigrants in Exeter, Devon, was Webber's maternal grandfather. His maternal grandmother was Ann Seward née Rendell (Devon 25 November 1790 – 1830). His step-maternal grandmother was the matron of the emigrant home, Mary Seward (b. Tiverton ca.1803). 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), a matron of the emigration depot. His brother was Charles Benjamin Warwick Webber (Plymouth ca.1854 – Plymouth 1881). His sister was dressmaker Edith Alice Maria Webber (Stonehouse 1863 – Barnet 1949). In 1851 William J.S. Webber was a scholar living at the Emigrants' Home in St Andrew, Exeter, with his maternal grandparents. By 1861 he was a carver living with his parents at the Emigrants' Depot, Newport Street, Exeter. 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.

Webber attended school at Plymouth. at the same time attending Exeter School of Art. He then studied at the Royal Academy School, gaining First Medals in 1871 and 1873, and a scholarship. 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. Webber died around 17 March 1919 in Harrogate. He is buried in Grove Road Cemetery, Harrogate, but has no grave stone.

Character According to the Harrogate Advertiser:

Career According to the Census in England, Webber described himself as a "carver" in 1861, Between 1874 and 1884, he had a studio at 39 Googe Street, London. By 1877 and until 1882 he was maintaining a second studio at 245 Stanhope Street, Hampstead Road, London. 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".

Awards Two medals and a national medallion, awarded by the Exeter School of Art.

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. It was reviewed by S.C. Hall in the Art Journal, December 1880: designed by Arthur Bown of Harrogate. It was constructed by Richardson of Scarborough, and it contains a statue of Queen Victoria executed by Webber. The memorial was given to Harrogate by Mayor Richard Ellis, and unveiled on 6 October 1887. Harrogate Library acquired eight marble busts by Webber in 1916, but some of the Holroyd bequest pieces have not been retained by the Borough of Harrogate. For example, the 1878 Warrior and the Wounded Youth was sold in 1998, in Miami.

Exhibitions Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (1870–1891): Dr Phillpotts, late Bishop of Exeter (1870), Sir John Bowring (1874), John C. Dollman (1875, 1878), Thomas Holroyd, Esq., marble bust (1876), Warrior and wounded Youth (1876, 1878), A Nereid (1876), Maidenhood, statuette (1877), T.F. Dollman Esq. (1879), Miss Emma Glase (1879), W.R. Seward, Esq., bust (1882), Elsie, daughter of J.N. Fitch, Esq. (1884), and The Late Alderman Dawson (1891).

Collections Royal College of Music: Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence (bust, 1890). It is on "semi-public display". Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate: Eight busts were originally displayed from 1906 in Harrogate Library: John Ruskin (bust, 1903); Richard Jefferies (bust, 1904); Alfred, Lord Tennyson (bust, 1901); Charles Darwin (bust, 1904); Walter Scott (bust, 1903); Thomas Carlyle (bust, 1902); Robert Burns (bust, 1901). The following items in the Mercer collection are portraits of civic personages: Mary Jane Ellis (bust, 1888);, and Barry Alderman George Dawson (bust, 1889);

Works in date order Dr Phillpotts, late Bishop of Exeter (1870), As of 1902 they were "standing in the Royal Baths", Harrogate, having been presented by "the burgesses of Harrogate by public subscription". Samson Fox commissioned it. It was presented in 1894 to the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), who in turn gave it to the Royal College of Music. Rev. John Kinghan (memorial bust, 1896), "the principal of the Ulster Institution for the Deaf and Dumb" for the Institution in Belfast". Robert Burns (bust, 1901). Lord Tennyson (bust, 1901). William Shakespeare (bust, 1902); Thomas Carlyle (bust, 1902). John Ruskin (bust, 1903). Walter Scott (bust, 1903). Richard Jefferies (bust, 1904); Charles Darwin (bust, 1904);

Undated works The Earl of Beaconsfield (statuette, undated). The Right Hon. W.E. Forster, M.P. (statuette, undated). The Right Hon. W.L. Jackson, M.P. (statuette, undated). General Sir Redvers Buller (statuette, undated). Samson Fox of Grove House, Harrogate (undated). Mrs Harrison Gibson (bust, undated), for the Royal Bath Hospital, Harrogate. His First Invention (statuette, undated) "of a young engineer studying a mechanical model". Mr James Holroyd (bust, undated). Mr Bertie Holroyd (bust, undated).