Harold Brownsword ARCA
Born 1885
Died 11 August 1961
Active: 1908 - 1961
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, teacher
Born in Hanley (Etruria), Staffordshire between January-March of 1885 and was christened on 15 April that year. He was the son of Albert Brownsword (born c.1856, Hanley), a cashier in an earthenware manufacturer in 1891 (and probably a book-keeper for Wedgwood). Harold studied sculpture at Hanley School of Art where he won a prize in 1906. He then atttended the Royal College of Art between 1908-13, having been awarded a Royal Exhibition scholarship. In 1913 he was an unsuccessful entrant for the first competition for the British School at Rome (Gilbert Ledward was awarded the prize). From about 1916, Brownsword taught modelling at the Regent Street Polytechnic and between 1938-50 was its principal. He designed and executed War Memorials at Eccleshill, Thornton, North Allerton, Hanley and Longton. [see Haggar (1953), p. 39 and Elliott (2004), p.110 fn.1]. Brownsword died at the Central Middlesex Hospital, Park Royal, Middlesex.
Wealth at death: £10,401 3s. 0d.
Probate date: 29 September 1961
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.
Whither
1919
The Flower
1931
The Little Flower
1934 (Presumed)
Locations
Address 430 Fulham Road London SW | View on map
1913
Address 9 Churchfield Mansions New King's Road London | View on map
1915
Address 2A Queen Anne's Gardens Bedford Park London | View on map
1926 - 1957
Address 40 Rusthall Avenue Bedford Park London | View on map
1941 - 1961
Listed as new address in Art Workers' Guild annual report for 1941 and still living here at the time of his death.
Studio located at 2 St Oswald's Studios Sedlescombe Road London SW6 | View on map
1919 - 1926 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Fifty-Eighth Annual Exhibition, 1919
'Whither'
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Seventieth Annual Exhibition, 1931
'The Flower'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1911 - 1957
Exhibited 24 times (19 times prior to 1951), usually one or two works per year, about 35 works in all
Organized Children in Sculpture (Royal Society of British Sculptors), 1947
Speaker at The Nude (Art Workers Guild), 1940
Institutional and Business Connections
Associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1926 - 1938 (Presumed)
Became fellow in 1938.
Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938 - 1961
Died in 1961.
Member of Art Workers Guild
1 April 1938 - 1961 (Presumed)
Member of committee in 1941.
Was part of sub-committee to answer questionnaire on 'Art Education' from the Central School of Art and Design, on behalf of the Guild, together with Joseph Armitage and Anthony Gardner [Sixtieth annual report of the committee of the Art Workers' Guild, p.1].
Member of council Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938 (Probable) - 1951
No report available for 1937. Listed as a member of the Council from 1938 to 1940, from 1942 to 1944, 1946 to 1947, and from 1949 onwards
Principal of Polytechnic School of Art, Regent Street
September 1938 - July 1950
Listed as Head Master of the Art School.
Principal of Polytechnic School of Art, Regent Street
1938 (Presumed) - 1950 (Presumed)
According to Elliott (2004), p. 110 fn.1
Studied at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1908 (Circa) - 1913
'H. Brownsword' [presumably Harold Brownsword] is listed as a student at the College for five years. Left the College in the 1912-1913 session and is listed as a being 'engaged as sculptor': see 'Register of R. C. A. Students' (1907-1924), p. 62.
Teacher of modeling at Polytechnic School of Art, Regent Street
September 1916 (Presumed) - July 1938 (Presumed)
'H. Brownsword' is listed as a teacher of modelling from 1916-1917 onwards. Note that there are no prospectuses for the years 1914-1915 and 1915-1916; Brownsword is not listed in the 1913-1914 prospectus. Note that from 1931-1932 onwards Brownsword is additionally listed as administrative assistant to the Head Master of the school. From 1938-1939 onwards Brownsword is listed as Head Master of the school. It is probable that he continued to teach sculpture classes, however, he is not listed under teachers.
Personal and Professional Connections
May be connected to John Joseph Brownsword
Both have connections to the Midlands so may be related
Nominated by James Alexander Stevenson
1926 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominated by Gilbert Ledward
1926 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Charlotte Ellen Gibson
1939 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of George Edgar Campbell
1941 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of William Everett Gray
1948
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Taught Marjorie Violet G Drawbell
1919 (Circa) - 1921 (Circa)
At Regent Street Polytechnic
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Art Master' for 'Board of Education' crossed out below is 'Art Student' at 'South Kensington'
Sources
A Century of Art Education in the Potteries. With notes on the Artists, 1953 Local Studies
1953 (Circa)
p. 39.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 2198 folio 137 page 12
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN31119 RG78PN1781 RD567 SD1 ED7 SN21
England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906
2008
Name: Harold Brownsword
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 15 Apr 1885
Christening Place: Hartshill (near Stoke-upon-Trent), Staffordshire, England
Father's Name: Albert Brownsword
Mother's name: Emily
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Birth registered in Stoke on Trent between January-March 1885, Vol: 6b; p: 232
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Harold Brownsword
Probate Date: 29 Sep 1961
Death Date: 11 Aug 1961
Death Place: Middlesex, England
Registry: London, England
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
Potters
2004
p. 110, fn.1
Register of Royal College of Art Students, 1907-1924 Royal College of Art
1907
p. 62.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of the Council, for the Year Ending 31 December 1949, to be Presented at the Forty-Sixth Annual General Meeting, 1950
February 1950
p. 2.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of the Council, for the Year Ending 31 December 1951, to be Presented at the Forty-Eighth Annual General Meeting, 1952
February 1952
p. 2.
Society of Staffordshire Artists. First Annual Exhibition, 27 October 1934
27 October 1934
p. 6.
The fifty-eighth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1942
1942
p.7.
The fifty-fifth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1939
1939
p.19.
The fifty-ninth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1943
1943
p.6.
The fifty-seventh annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1941
1941
p.7.
The Polytechnic Education Department. Prospectuses, Session 1916-1917 Regent Street Polytechnic
1916
p. 11.
The Polytechnic Education Department. Prospectuses. Session 1931-1932 Regent Street Polytechnic
1931
p. 13.
The Polytechnic Education Department. Prospectuses. Session 1938-1939 Regent Street Polytechnic
1938
p. 13.
The Polytechnic School of Art. Session, 1949-1950 Regent Street Polytechnic
1949
p. 6.
The sixtieth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1944
1944
p.1.
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
British School At Rome..
The Times (London, England), Thursday, May 08, 1913; pg. 11; Issue 40206. (101 words)
Category: News
Citing this record
'Harold Brownsword ARCA', 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=msib2_1206489037, accessed 05 Jun 2023]