Cecil Walter Thomas OBE, FRBS
Born 3 March 1885
Died 16 September 1976
Active: 1901 - 1976
Country of birth and death: England
Medallist, sculptor, gem sculptor, seal engraver
Born in Shepherd's Bush, London. He was the son of John Thomas, a seal and gem engraver (born c.1858 in Westminster, London). Cecil was apprenticed to his father before the age of 16. By 1911 he was fully trained and working as a seal and gem engraver on his own account. Among his early works were an intaglio seal in carnelian for the London County Council Central School of Arts & Crafts, and an intaglio profile portrait in carnelian of Sir Henry Irving both of 1905. Cecil received commissions from all over the world, including Faberg�. Whilst working in his father's workshop he studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, Heatherley's and the Slade.
After recovering from injuries received on active service during the First World War, he received a commission from Lord and Lady Forster of Lepe for a recumbent effigy commemorating their two sons, John Forster and Alfred Henry Forster. From this followed many other similar commissions including tomb figures in: Toc H Guild Church, Tower Hill; Newcastle Cathedral, Australia; Exbury Church, New Forest; and individual memorials to: Archbishop Lord Davidson, Canterbury Cathedral; Bishop Talbot, Southwark Cathedral; Admiral Nelson Ward, Boxgrove Abbey; Prebendary Boyd, Teddington Church; and the memorial to the St John's Ambulance Brigade, St John's Gate, Clerkenwell.
Thomas had a long association with the Royal Mint that brought him many commissions for medals, coins and seals and he also made a number of seals for Church of England bishops. He designed a crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II which was approved for use in a number of commonwealth countries and another image of the Queen that was used on the official Coronation Medal.
Thomas's practice continued actively in the post-war period when received important commissions for bronze groups at home and abroad. He was an active member of the Art Workers Guild and Royal Society of British Sculptors. Through the latter, he founded the Dora Trust (in commemoration of his wife who died in 1967) for the advancement of British sculpture. Thomas died in Kensington, London. His estate gifted the house and studio to the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
This record includes information submitted by Christopher Cavey.
Wealth at death: £30,662 0s. 0d.
Probate calender poorly printed, and so valuation may have been £30,462
Probate date: 18 August 1977
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.
Portrait in onyx: H.M. King George V
Locations
Address 2 Kingly Street Regent Street London | View on map
1909 (Circa)
Address 1 Great Pulteney Street Regent Street London W1 | View on map
1911 (Circa) - 1918 (Circa)
Using another address in this period
Address 4 Camden Studios Camden Street London NW | View on map
1914 (Circa)
Address 7 Gloucester Terrace Onslow Gardens London SW7 | View on map
1920 (Presumed) - 1937
Address 108 Old Brompton Road Queen's Gate London SW7 | View on map
1938 - 1976
On his death the house and adjoining studio were donated to the Royal Society of British Sculptors (now Royal British Society of Sculptors)
Address Thornley Bovingdon Green Marlow | View on map
1945 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Eleventh Exhibition, 1916
'Portrait, in agate'
Exhibited at Engraved Tiles and Book-Plates (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Organized Jubilee Commemoration Dinner of the [Art Workers] Guild, 1934
Organized Annual Country Meeting of the Guild: Visit to Oxford
Organized Children in Sculpture (Royal Society of British Sculptors), 1947
Participant in Art Workers Guild Revels, 1929
Participant in Art Workers Guild Revels, 1939
Speaker at Seal and Medal-Engraving and Die-Sinking (Art Workers Guild), 1910
Speaker at Seals (Art Workers Guild), 1913
Speaker at Beginnings of Sculpture (Art Workers Guild), 1926
Speaker at A Sculptor's View of History (Art Workers Guild), 1928
Speaker at Animals in Art (Art Workers Guild), 1929
Speaker at Brancusi and Abstractionist Sculpture (Art Workers Guild), 1929
Speaker at Wood as a Sculptors' Medium (Art Workers Guild), 1931
Speaker at Prettiness, Beauty and Ugliness (Art Workers Guild), 1931
Speaker at The Geological Basis of Architecture (Art Workers Guild), 1931
Speaker at Lesser Known Sculptors of Florence (Art Workers Guild), 1931
Speaker at The Influence of Eastern on Western Art (Art Workers Guild), 1931
Speaker at The Science of Sight in Relation to Art (Art Workers Guild), 1932
Speaker at Pieter Bruegel (Art Workers Guild), 1932
Speaker at Primordial Aesthetic Perception (Art Workers Guild), 1933
Speaker at English Original Line Engraving (Art Workers Guild), 1934
Speaker at Is there a Philosophy of Art? (Art Workers Guild), 1934
Speaker at The Beauty of Horse-drawn Vehicles (Art Workers Guild), 1934
Speaker at American Sculpture (Art Workers Guild), 1935
Speaker at Gold Granulation (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Speaker at Stage Lighting as an Art (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Speaker at The Tools and Technique of the Greek Sculptors (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Speaker at Glass in Building (Art Workers Guild), 1936
Speaker at Manuscript and its Importance (Art Workers Guild), 1937
Speaker at Wind-Mills (Art Workers Guild), 1937
Speaker at The International Exhibition of Paris (Art Workers Guild), 1937
Speaker at Television as a new field for the Artist (Art Workers Guild), 1937
Speaker at Art in General Education (Art Workers Guild), 1938
Speaker at Comparative Sculpture (Art Workers Guild), 1938
Speaker at City Churches (Art Workers Guild), 1938
Speaker at Modern Façades (Art Workers Guild), 1938
Speaker at Mediaeval Mural Painting in England (Art Workers Guild), 1939
Speaker at Religion and Its Relation to Art (Art Workers Guild), 1939
Speaker at Coins and Medals (Art Workers Guild), 1945
Speaker at Is Portrait Painting a Science or an Art? (Art Workers Guild), 1926
Took part in Art Workers Guild Revels, 1930
Took part in The Master's Night (Art Workers Guild), 1950
Institutional and Business Connections
Associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
3 April 1929 - 1938
Became fellow in 1938.
Donor to Art Workers Guild
1940
Gave a copy of 'Royal Society of British Sculptors: Modern Sculpture' to the Guild library
Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938 - 1976
Died in 1976
Master of Art Workers Guild
1946
Member of Junior Art Workers Guild
1910 (Presumed)
Member of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1920 (Presumed)
Member of Art Workers Guild
1921 - 1976
Committee member 1926-1928, honorary secretary 1931-1937 [retired from post], committee member 1937-1939, master 1946, honorary treasurer 1953-1958.
Member of council Royal Society of British Sculptors
1947 - 1949
Studied at Central School of Arts and Crafts
1902 (Circa) - 1914 (Circa)
Personal and Professional Connections
Friends with Alfred Lyndhurst Pocock
Cecil Thomas admired the work of Alfred Lyndhurst Pocock - both were expert carvers of gems and worked for Faberge.
Nominator of Eric Harry Peskett
1948
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Charles Walter Edward Lewis
1949
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Studied under Edwin Roscoe Mullins
Thomas studied under Mullins: see Forrer, vol. 6, (1916), p. 69, no dates are given.
Studied under Richard Louis Garbe
Thomas studied under Garbe: see Forrer, vol. 6, (1916), p. 69, no dates are given.
Descriptions of Practice
Listed as medallist 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 VI, 1916 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a medallist and seal and gem engraver living in London. Trained in his fathers workshop and under Roscoe Mullins, Onslow Whiting and Richard Garbe for sculpture. Exhibited gems, medals and plaquettes from 1909 onwards at the Royal Academy. Forrer lists works produced between 1905 and 1913. See Forrer, vol. 6, (1916), pp. 69-72.
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
Forrer notes that the artist exhibited 'sculptured gems' at the Royal Academy in 1914, and a memorial plaque in 1918. See vol. 8, (1930), p. 235.
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Apprentice Seal Engraver' worker, he is listed at his parent's address and his father is listed as a 'Seal Engraver' working on his own account
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Seal Engraver' employer he was still living with his parents, and his father is again listed as a 'Seal Engraver' working on his own account
Sources
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1901-1912
1910, p.7.
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1913-1933
1913, p.13; 1920, p.21; 1926, p.4; 1928, p.7; 1929, p.4, pp.8-9; 1930, p.4; 1931, p.8, pp.10-11; 1932, p.8, p.13; 1933, p.11, p.41.
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Rules and List of Members, 1920
1920
p.7.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Eleventh Exhibition.
1916
p.137.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 40 folio 115 page 43
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN205 RG78PN7 RD3 SD1 ED11 SN293
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
Name: Cecil Walter Thomas Birth Date: 3 Mar 1885 Death Registration Month/Year: 1976 Registration district: Kensington Inferred County: London Volume: 13 Page: 1590
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Cecil Walter Thomas
Year of Registration: 1885
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
District: Fulham
County: Greater London, London, Middlesex
Volume: 1a
Page: 194
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Cecil Walter Thomas
Death Date: 16 Sep 1976
Death Place: London
Probate Date: 18 Aug 1977
Registry: London
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
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.
The fifty-fifth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1939
1939
p.10, p.12, p.14.
The fifty-first annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1935
1935
p.7, p.10, p.13, p.15.
The fifty-fourth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1938
1938
pp.10-11, p.16, p.45.
The fifty-second annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1936
1936
p.9, p.42.
The fifty-seventh annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1941
1941
p.6.
The fifty-sixth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1940
1940
p.7, p.10, p.15.
The fifty-third annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1937
1937
pp.5-7, p.9, p.11, p.13, p.17.
The sixty-eighth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1951
1951
p.28.
The sixty-first annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1945
1945
p.8.
The sixty-second annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1946
1946
p.10.
The sixty-seventh annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1951
1951
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Sep 20, 1976; pg. 14; Issue 59813; col F
Mr Cecil Thomas
Category: Obituaries
Citing this record
'Cecil Walter Thomas OBE, FRBS', 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_1208264663, accessed 29 May 2023]
