Edgar George Papworth Jnr
Born 25 June 1832
Died 20 January 1927
Active: 1848 - 1911
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, medallist
Born in Marylebone, London. He was baptised on 20 July 1832 at Christ Church, parish of St. Marylebone. Edgar Junior was born into a dynasty of stucco workers, architects and sculptors. His father was Edgar George Papworth Senior (1809-66), sculptor and his grandfather was Thomas Papworth (1773-1814), stuccoist. Edgar Junior's mother was Caroline, daughter of Edward Hodges Baily in whose studio his father had studied sculpture. There is often some confusion between father and son as neither sculptor's career has been researched in detail.
Papworth Junior very probably began his studies in his father's studio. In 1848 he entered the Royal Academy Schools and began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1852. Papworth Junior's work, largely portraiture and genre subjects, was well received and around 1860 several of his sculptures were reproduced by Copeland in Parian ware (a form of statuary porcelain). These included: 'The Young Emigrant', 'The Young Shrimper', 'Maidenhood' and 'Beatrice'.
Between 1861 and 1891 Papworth Junior divided his time between London and Manchester. His figure of a 'Startled Nymph' commissioned by Joseph Neeld MP (1789-1856) of Grittleton House was one of the exhibits at the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition of 1857. Neeld, whose fortune was derived from the highly successful silversmith Philip Rundell (1746-1827), was one of the young sculptor's important early patrons. Papworth Junior's other commissions for Neeld included a statue in plaster of his grandfather, Edward Hodges Baily for Grittleton House.
Papworth Junior executed a significant number of portraits (he showed more than fifty at the Royal Academy between 1852-82). These include a bust of Samuel Stretton (1831-1920), the first of three generations of doctors to be based in Kidderminster and a posthumous bust of William Murdoch (1754-1839) who worked with Matthew Boulton and James Watt and developed the latter's ‘sun-and-planet motion’ which improved the performance of steam engines, experimented with compressed air, and invented gas lighting. (The Murdoch bust is part of Birmingham Museum's Trust collections). After 1901 Papworth Junior retired, possibly because his work had lost favour (he is not mentioned in Marion Spielmann's 'British Sculpture and Sculptor's of Today', 1901). He died in 1927 at Bexleyheath where he had been living since about 1911.
The information about the bust of Samuel Stretton was submitted by Nigel Gilbert and the details of the bust of William Murdoch were provided by Helen Scadeng.
Wealth at death: £228 5s. 6d.
Probate date: 22 February 1927
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Monumental Design for the Statue of Sir Josiah Mason
Bust of the Hon. Sir John Mellor
Bust of the Late Dr Shepherd Fletcher
Bust of the Rt Hon. Sir John Mellor
Posthumous Portrait of the Late W. W. Schofield
Full-Sized Bust of Mr Alderman and Sheriff Knight of the City of London
Bust of the Late John Fenton, Esq., First Member for Rochdale
Cabinet Bust of the Late George Southam, Esq.
Beatrice
1 March 1860
The work is inscribed with the artist's name and date
The Young Shrimper
1862
The Young Emigrant
1861
Statue of a nymph surprised
1855 (Presumed)
Locations
Address 38 Church Road Bexleyheath
1927
Address 17 Newman Street Oxford Street London
1851 - 1855
Address 90 Milton Street London
1856 - 1865
Address 36 Eagle Street Chorlton Manchester
1861 (Circa)
Boarding at this address
Address 36 Milton Street London
1866 (Circa) - 1873 (Circa)
Address 241 Stanhope Street London
1875 - 1877
Address 151A Stanhope Street Regent's Park London NW
1879 (Circa) - 1882
In Census Returns of 1881 listed as a lodger at 136 Stanhope Street
Address 20 Cross Street Manchester
1881 (Circa)
Address 178 Wilmslow Road Didsbury Manchester
1891 (Circa)
Address 1 Breakspear Villas Bexleyheath
1911
In Census Returns of 1901 listed at his sister's home at 89, Dartford Road, Dartford, Kent
Studio located in India Buildings Cross Street Manchester
1874 - 1884
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Beneficiary of Turner Fund (Royal Academy of Arts), 1856-1951
29 July 1924
Received a £20 Turner Fund gift for sculpture.
Exhibited at The International Exhibition, London, 1862
'The Startled Nymph'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1879
'Maidenhood'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1881
'Monumental Design for the Statue of Sir Josiah Mason'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1882
Multiple works
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Royal Institution, First Autumn Exhibition, 1883
'J. K. Cross, Esq., MP'
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Royal Institution, Second Autumn Exhibition, 1884
Multiple works
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Seventh Autumn Exhibition, 1889
Multiple works
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1874
'My Mother's Gift'
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1875
Multiple works
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1876
Multiple works
Exhibited at Royal Manchester Institution, Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, 1878
'Bust of the Late John Fenton, Esq., First Member for Rochdale'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Fourth, 1852
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Seventh, 1855
p.52
Exhibited at Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations (London), 1851
1851
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1852 - 1882
Exhibited 27 times, on average showed two to three works per year (many portrait busts but also ideal works).
Institutional and Business Connections
Collaborated with Copeland (William Taylor Copeland)
1860 (Circa) - 1864 (Circa)
Copeland reproduced several of his sculptures in Parian ware, including: 'The Young Emigrant', 'The Young Shrimper', 'Maidenhood' and 'Beatrice'
Member of Institute of British Sculptors
1861 (Circa)
Either he or his father was a member
Personal and Professional Connections
Daughter/son/child of Edgar George Papworth Snr
Granddaughter/grandson/grandchild of Edward Hodges Baily
Papworth Junior's mother, Caroline, was the daughter of Baily
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem, and Seal-Engravers, Mint Masters, &c., Ancient and Modern with References to their Works, B.C. 500 - A.D. 1900, Volume VIII, 1930 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a sculptor of the second half of the nineteenth century. Forrer notes that Papworth exhibited numerous works at the Royal Academy, London, from 1852 to 1882, including portrait medallions in 1854. See Forrer, vol. 8, (1930), p. 109.
Listed under Sculptors Post Office London Directory, 1851 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
Listed under Sculptors Slater's Manchester and Salford Directory, 1881
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Artist Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Retired Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
'Sculptor'
Sources
Annual Report from the Council of The Royal Academy to the General Assembly of Academicians for the Year 1924, 1925 Royal Academy Annual Reports
20 February 1925
p. 20.
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1874
1874
Cat. No. 691, pp. 63, 75
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1875
1875
Cat. Nos. 797, 817, 820, pp. 74, 76, 89
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1876
1876
Cat. Nos. 909, 910, 921, 931, pp. 79, 80, 81, 95
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1878
1878
Cat. No. 1043, 1056, pp. 86, 88, 104
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1879
1879
Cat. No. 1018, pp. 82, 98
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1881
1881
Cat. Nos. 1473, 1478, 1482, pp. 114, 136
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Works of Modern Artists, City of Manchester Art Gallery, 1882
1882
Cat. Nos. 1313, 1314, pp. 100, 118
Catalogue of the First Autumn Exhibition, 1883
1883
Cat. No. 872, pp. 62, 85
Catalogue of the Second Autumn Exhibition, 1884
1884
Cat. Nos. 1138, 1139, pp. 77, 91
Catalogue of the Seventh Autumn Exhibition, 1889
1889
Cat. No. 786, pp. 61, 76
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851
2005
HO107 piece 1486 folio 793 page 8
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
2005
Class: RG9; Piece: 2884; Folio: 17; Page: 33; GSU roll: 543044
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
RG11 piece 178 folio 33 page 25
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 3161 folio 22 page 37
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 703 folio 85 page 22
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN3732 RG78PN141 RD43 SD1 ED12 SN157
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Edgar George Papworth
Probate Date: 22 Feb 1927
Death Date: 20 Jan 1927
Death Place: Kent, England
Registry: London
International exhibition 1862, official catalogue, fine art department
1862
List of Members: Institute of British Sculptors (or Sculptor's Institute)
2008 (Circa)
London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
2010
London Metropolitan Archives, Christ Church, Saint Marylebone, Rough register of baptisms, P89/CTC, Item 048
London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
2010
ame: Edgar George Papworth
Record Type: Baptism
Estimated Birth Date: abt 1832
Baptism Date: 20 Jul 1832
Father's name: Edgar Geo Papworth
Mother's name: Caroline Papworth
Parish or Poor Law Union: St Marylebone Christ Church
Borough: Westminster
Post Office London Directory, 1851 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1851
p.1365
Rules of the Institute of Sculptors
1861
p. iv
Slater's Manchester and Salford Directory, 1881
1881
Trades section, p. 176
The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Fourth, 1852
1852
The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Seventh, 1855
1855
p.52
The Parian Phenomenon: A Survey of Victorian Parian Porcelain Statuary and Busts
1989
pp. 142, 154
Citing this record
'Edgar George Papworth Jnr', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [https://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib7_1206705997, accessed 04 Dec 2023]
