Peter Hollins
Born 1 May 1800
Died 16 August 1886
Active: 1820 - 1886
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor
Born and died at 17 Great Hampton Street, Birmingham. Son of the architect and sculptor William Hollins (1763-1843). Among his siblings was the sculptor William Hollins Junior (1788-1831). Hollins studied under his father and was a pupil of J. Vincent Barber's drawing academy in Newhall Street, Birmingham. He also studied under Sir Francis Chantrey c.1822. Hollins lived and worked in London from about 1828, visiting Italy in 1835-6.
After returning to Birmingham on the death of his father in 1843, he built up the family business based in the jewellery quarter. Between c.1851-61 Hollins was employing four assistants in order to complete the numerous commissions for funerary monuments and busts that were the mainstay of his practice. He exhibited frequently in Birmingham and at the Royal Academy between the 1820s and 1871. Around one hundred and fifty works have been attributed to him, the majority that have been traced are located in churches and public buildings in the midlands (particularly Birmingham) and north west England. These include funerary monuments in the cathedrals at Birmingham, Chester, Lichfield, and at Compton Verney Chapel, Malvern Priory and Park Lane Unitarian Chapel in Cradley, Halesowen. Hollins was a teacher of modelling and an active member of the Birmingham Society of Artists; he played an instrumental role in obtaining the society's royal charter. He retired from practice before 1881 and died leaving an estate valued at over £24,000.
See an articles entitled 'Art and Industry', 'Death of Mr. Peter Hollins', Birmingham Weekly Post, 21 August, 1886, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 2, (1882-1899), p. 29, and 'A Gifted Birmingham Family', Birmingham Post, 7 November, 1953, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 44, (1952-1954), pp. 194-196.
Wealth at death: £24,219 1s. 6d.
Probate date: 22 November 1886
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.
Winter
1860 (Presumed)
Monument to David Cox, Birmingham
Bust of Mrs George Richmond Collis
1851 (Presumed)
Colossal Marble Bust of Felix Mendelssohn
1851 (Presumed)
Bust of the late William Congreve Russell, Esq.
1853
Dickey and Skye
1853
Bust of the late Thomas Rhodes, Esq., Handsworth
1853 (Presumed)
l’Aurore et Zéphire
1855
Bust of the late John Rhodes, Esq.
1855 (Presumed)
Model for Monument to Major Bentinck Duncan Gilby
1859 (Presumed)
Thomas Holloway, Esq.
1859 (Presumed)
Faith
1859 (Presumed)
Summer
1860 (Presumed)
Sir Rowland Hill
1868 (Presumed)
Mural Monument
1869 (Presumed)
Bust of the late William Scholefield, Esq., MP
1869 (Presumed)
Bust of the late Thomas Rhodes, Esq.
1869 (Presumed)
The Playmates
1870 (Presumed)
Bust of Samuel Timmins, Esq., FSA
1875 (Presumed)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row (Birmingham Society of Artists), 1853
Multiple works
Exhibited at Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row (Birmingham Society of Artists), 1855
'Bust of the late John Rhodes, Esq.'
Exhibited at Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Birmingham Society of Artists), 1859
'Faith'
Exhibited at Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Birmingham Society of Artists), 1860
Multiple works
Exhibited at Exhibition of Modern Paintings, Sculpture, &c., at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists), 1868
'Sir Rowland Hill'
Exhibited at Spring Exhibition of Watercolour Paintings, &c., at the Rooms of the Society (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists), New Street, 1869
Multiple works
Exhibited at Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture, at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists), 1870
'The Playmates'
Exhibited at The Autumn Exhibition at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham), 1875
'Bust of Samuel Timmins, Esq., FSA'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Fourth, 1852
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1822 - 1871
Exhibited 28 times in total, 18 before 1851. Average 2 works per year.
Exhibited at Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row (Birmingham Society of Artists), 1850
1850
Exhibited at Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row (Birmingham Society of Artists), 1851
1851
Exhibited at Exposition des produits de l'industrie de toutes les nations (Paris), 1855
1855
Institutional and Business Connections
Elected professional member of Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1850 - 1886
Last listed as a member in Spring 1886.
Member of Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design
1851 - April 1876
Listed as a trustee from April 1876 onwards.
Officer of Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design
1853 - February 1872
Committee member.
Principal of Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design
1851 - June 1852 (Presumed)
Headmaster.
Professor of sculpture at Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1870 - 1886
The first elected 'Professor of Sculpture' of the Society. Listed in the Society's exhibition catalogues from Spring 1870 to Spring 1886.
Vice-president of Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1850 - 1878
Listed in the Society's catalogues as Vice-President until Autumn 1878.
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors General and Commercial Directory and Topography of the Borough of Birmingham, 1855 White's Directory of Birmingham
1855
Listed under Sculptors Post Office Directory of Birmingham with the Principal Towns in the Hardware and Pottery Districts, 1856 Post Office Directories
1856
Listed under Sculptors Post Office Directory of Birmingham, 1860 Post Office Trade Directories
1860
Listed under Sculptors Corporation General and Trades Directory of Birmingham and Wolverhampton, 1861 Corporation Directories
1861
Listed under Sculptors Corporation Classified Directory of Professions, Manufactures, and Trades for Birmingham and Envions Coporation Directory for Birmingham
1864
Listed under Sculptors Morris & Co. Commercial Directory and Gazetter of Warwickshire with Birmingham, 1866 Morris & Co. Directories
1866
Listed under Sculptors Post Office Birmingham Trades Directory, 1867 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
1867
Listed under Sculptors White's Directory of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Walsall etc., 1869 White's Directory; Birmingham Trades
1869
Listed under Sculptors The Post Office Directory of Birmingham with its Suburbs for 1871 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
1871
Listed under Sculptors The Post Office Directory of Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, 1872 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
1872
Listed under Sculptors The Post Office Directory of Birmingham Trades Directory, 1875 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
1875
Listed under Sculptors Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Part 2, Alphabetical List to SAD-ZIN and Trades, 1876-77 Hulley's Birmingham Directory
1876 - 1877
Listed under Sculptors Post Office Directory of Birmingham, 1878 Post Office Directorires
1879
Listed under Sculptors Kelly's Directory of Birmingham, Commercial Trades and Official, 1880 Kelly's Trade Directories
1880
Listed under Sculptors Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Trades Section, 1881 Hulley's Trade Directorires
1881
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851
'Sculptor (Employing 4 Men)'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
'Sculptor - Employing 4 Men'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Retired Sculptor'
Sources
A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, 1660-1851
2009
pp. 631-4
Annual General Meeting of the Donnors, Subscribers and Friends of the Society held in the Rooms, New Street, 19 February 1872
19 February 1872
p. 2.
Annual Meeting of the Donnors and Subscribers , held in the Rooms of the Society, New Street, 22 February 1871
22 February 1871
p. 4.
Birmingham Biography, Newspaper Cuttings, 1872-1966 Birmingham Biography
See 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 1 part 2, (1875-1880), pp. 270A-271, vol. 2, (1882-1899), p. 29 ('Death of Mr. Peter Hollins', in Birmingham Weekly Post, 21 August, 1886), and vol. 36, (January 1944-November 1944) p. 174. Also vol. 41, (January 1949-February 1950), p. 180 and vol. 44, (October 1952-January 1954), pp. 194-196.
Birmingham Society of Artists. Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, New Street, 1860
1860
pp. 2, 20
Birmingham Society of Artists. Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row, 1850
1850
pp. 1, 15
Birmingham Society of Artists. Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row, 1851
1851
pp. 2, 14
Birmingham Society of Artists. Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row, 1853
1853
pp. 2, 22
Birmingham Society of Artists. Exhibition of Modern Works of Art, at the Rooms of the Society, Temple Row, 1855
1855
pp. 2, 27
Birmingham Society of Artists. Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture, at the Rooms of the Society, New Street, 1870
1870
pp. 2, 25
Birmingham Society of Arts and Government School of Art, in connection with the Department of Science and Art of the Board of Trade, 29 January 1856 Birmingham School of Art
29 January 1856
pp. 1-4.
Birmingham Society of Arts and Government School of Ornamental Art, 13 September 1853 Birmingham School of Art
13 September 1853
pp. 1-3.
Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design in connection with The Government School of Design, 29 June 1852 Birmingham School of Art
29 June 1852
p. 1.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851
2005
Class: HO107; Piece: 2058; Folio: 646; Page: 6; GSU roll: 332119-332121
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
2005
Class: RG9; Piece: 2156; Folio: 13; Page: 24; GSU roll: 542927
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
Class: RG10; Piece: 3119; Folio: 15; Page: 21; GSU roll: 839579
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
Class: RG11; Piece: 2991; Folio: 13; Page: 19; GSU roll: 1341715
Corporation General and Trades Directory of Birmingham and Wolverhampton, 1861 Corporation Directories
1861
p. 520.
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Peter Hollins
Probate Date: 22 Nov 1886
Death Date: 16 Aug 1886
Death Place: Warwick, Warwickshire, England
Registry: Birmingham
Exposition des produits de l’industrie de toutes les nations, 1855, Catalogue Officiel
1855
Francis White & Co.'s Commercial & Trades Directory of Birmingham, 1876 White & Co.'s Directory of Birmingham
1875
p. 1755.
Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Part 2, Alphabetical List to SAD-ZIN and Trades, 1876-77 Hulley's Birmingham Directory
1876 (Probable)
p. 675.
Hulley's Birmingham Directory, Trades Section, 1881 Hulley's Trade Directorires
1881
p. 702.
Kelly's Directory of Birmingham, Commercial Trades and Official, 1880 Kelly's Trade Directories
1880
p. 595.
Meeting Minutes of the Commitee, 27 April 1876 Birmingham School of Art Minutes
27 April 1876
p. 1.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2004
Michael Fisher, ‘Hollins, William (1763–1843)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/13564, accessed 17 April 2009]
Post Office Birmingham Trades Directory, 1867 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
1867
p. 372.
Post Office Directory of Birmingham, 1860 Post Office Trade Directories
1860
p. 325.
Post Office Directory of Birmingham, 1878 Post Office Directorires
1879
p. 573.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. Spring Exhibition of Watercolour Paintings, & c., at the Rooms of the Society, New Street, 1869 Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1869
p. 2 and p. 26.
Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham. The Autumn Exhibition at the Rooms of the Society, New Street, 1875
1875
pp. 2, 42
The Builder, Vol. 17, 6 August 1859
6 August 1859
p. 527
The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The Eighty-Fourth, 1852
1852
p.63
The Post Office Directory of Birmingham Trades Directory, 1875 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
1875
p. 494.
The Post Office Directory of Birmingham with its Suburbs for 1871 Post Office Directory of Birmingham
May 1871
p. 442.
White's Directory of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Walsall etc., 1869 White's Directory; Birmingham Trades
1869
p. 631.
Citing this record
'Peter Hollins', 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=msib4_1202124599, accessed 04 Jun 2023]
