James Forsyth

Born 1827
Died 3 February 1910

Active: 1851 - 1907

Country of birth: Scotland

Country of death: England

Sculptor, carver, gilder

Born in Kelso, Scotland. He was the son of Adam Forsyth, mason, who died in James's early youth. By the age of thirteen James was an apprentice carver and gilder living in Kelso with his mother, Agnes (born c.1811), 'seemster'. His brother, William Forsyth (born c.1834 in Kelso) also became a wood carver and sculptor. Before 1851 James had moved to Wells, Somerset where he was commissioned by the architect Anthony Salvin to carve the organ case and choir stall for the cathedral. They worked together on a number of other projects and Forsyth also collaborated with Salvin's brother-in-law, the architect, William Andrew Nesfield. In the early 1850s, Forsyth entered into partnership with the Belgian/British sculptor, Theodore Phyffers at Lansdowne Yard, but this was dissolved by mutual consent on 23 March 1855.

A major turning point in James's and William's careers was an invitation to contribute to the renovation of Witley Court, Worcester in the late 1850s. Witley was owned by William Ward, 1st Earl of Dudley who also had property near Kelso where he probably first encountered the Forsyth brothers. The commissions at Witley included a large fountain for the grounds and extensive embellishments for the interior.

James received another substantial commission (c.1860-5) for the Church of St John the Baptist, Frome, Somerset. Here Forsyth carved the reredos; a Madonna and Child; a Pieta; statues of Saints Aldelm, Alban, Andrew and George; eighteen medallions; and a Via Crucis for the church exterior. Amongst his many other commissions were marble pulpits for Witley Church and Worcester Cathedral; architectural carvings for Alnwick Castle, Northumberland; Sherborne Abbey; and the cathedrals in Chichester; Norwich; and St Paul's, London.

Forsyth was later assisted by his sons James Nesfield (born c.1864), sculptor; William (born c.1873), architect; and John D. (born c.1875), stained glass artist. James's death certificate indicates he had been ill for the previous three years so it is assumed he retired from active work around 1907.

Includes information from Bernice Forsyth and Emma Hardy supplied to the Henry Moore Institute archive. There is a website for the Forsyth brothers, research by Elizabeth Moncrieff, with lists of their works at: http://www.theforsythbrothers.com/ (accessed 14 November 2014).

Wealth at death: £7,969 14s. 4d.
Probate date unknown, information supplied by Bernice Forsyth

Citing this record

'James Forsyth', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=ann_1233174642, accessed 25 Oct 2020]