William Meredyth Thomas
Other names: second name also spelt: Meredith or Merydith
Born 13 July 1819
Died 7 September 1877
Active: 1848 - 1877
Country of birth and death: Wales
Sculptor, medallist
Born in Brecon, South Wales. He was the younger brother of the sculptor John Evan Thomas. Another brother, James Lewis Thomas became a successful architect and chief surveyor to the War Office, also exhibiting painting s at the Royal Academy between 1855-66. William followed John Evan as a pupil of Sir Francis Chantrey and then went on to study at the Royal Academy Schools. From about 1840-73 William worked as his brother's assistant as well as making portrait busts and statues in his own right. When John Evan died in 1873, William completed his brother's outstanding commissions after which he turned to making ideal works. William died suddenly in London. His brother, James Lewis, was his sole executor.
Wealth at death: £600 0s. 0d.
Probate date: 5 October 1877
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.
The Hon. Mrs Herbert of Llanarth
1870 (Presumed)
Portrait of Right Hon. Lord Llanover
1870 (Presumed)
Portrait of Mdlle Hilda Bunsen
1870 (Presumed)
Stephen Herbert, youngest son of J. A. Herbert, Esq., of Llanarth
1870 (Presumed)
Model of Puck
1870 (Presumed)
Locations
Address 7 Lower Belgrave Place London | View on map
1855 (Circa) - 1868
Address 58 Buckingham Palace Road London | View on map
1869 (Circa) - 1877
Died at this address
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1839 - 1871
Exhibited 16 times, on average two works per year, chiefly portrait busts. However in 1856 he showed 'The Cricket Player' (a sketch, cat. no. 1269) in the same year that his brother, John Evan Thomas, showed 'The Racket Player' (to be cast in bronze, cat. no. 1251)
Exhibited at Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition (Cardiff), 1870
16 August 1870 - 1 October 1870
Personal and Professional Connections
Brother/sibling of John Evan Thomas
The original text of the catalogue (p.14) says W. Merydith Thomas was the son of J. Evan Thomas. However, an unknown hand has crossed this out and written brother.
Studied under Francis Legatt Chantrey
Studio assistant to John Evan Thomas
1840 (Circa) - 1873
After leaving the Royal Academy Schools William worked for his brother John Evan until the latter's death
Sources
A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, 1660-1851
2009
pp. 1252-3
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: William Meredyth Thomas
Probate Date: 5 Oct 1877
Death Date: 7 Sep 1877
Death Place: Middlesex, England
Registry: Principal Registry
Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition
1870
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2004
Mark L. Evans, ‘Thomas, John Evan (1810–1873)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27228, accessed 14 Jan 2010]
Citing this record
'William Meredyth Thomas', 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=msib1_1202233177, accessed 22 Mar 2023]
