William James Bloye ARBS
Born 8 July 1890
Died 6 June 1975
Active: 1916 - 1962
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor
Wealth at death: £36,767 0s. 0d.
Probate date: 10 October 1975
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.
Plaster modelled design: 'Lamb'
Study of a Calf
1918 (Presumed)
Study of a Calf
1918 (Presumed)
Margaret
1918 (Presumed)
Portrait Bust
December 1918 (Presumed)
The Lamb
December 1918 (Presumed)
Labour
December 1918 (Presumed)
Startled
1919 (Presumed)
Portrait of G. S. Freer, Esq.
1919 (Presumed)
Bronze name-plate
December 1919 (Presumed)
Lions
June 1923 (Presumed)
Persephone
1939 (Circa)
Locations
Address Yardley Road Acock's Green Birmingham England | View on map
1918
Address 111 Golden Hillock Road Small Heath Birmingham England | View on map
1931 (Presumed) - 1957 (Presumed)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Directed Classes for Modellers, Carvers, Letter Cutters, Plaster Workers and Others (Birmingham School of Art), 1921-1932
1921 - 1932
Exhibited at Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Spring Exhibition, 1918
Multiple works
Exhibited at Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Spring Exhibition, 1919
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Birmingham Art Circle. The Forty-Ninth Exhibition, 1918
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Birmingham Art Circle. The Fiftieth Exhibition, 1919
'Bronze name-plate'
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Seventy-Eighth Annual Exhibition, 1939
'Persephone'
Exhibited at Twenty-Five Years of Birmingham Art (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), 1935
6 November 1935 - 6 December 1935
Exhibited: 'Figure of a Baby' (brass, 1934, cat. no. 68) [summary].
Won prize Landseer Scholarships (Royal Academy of Arts), 1884-1950
1915
Two years
Institutional and Business Connections
Associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
4 April 1934 - 1938
Became fellow in 1938.
Elected PRBSA Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1948 - 1950
First listed in the Society's exhibition catalogues as President in Autumn 1948. Last listed in Spring 1950.
Elected professional member of Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1919 - 1930
First listed in the Society's exhibition catalogues as an Associate member in Spring 1919.
From Spring 1927 listed as R.B.S.A.
Elected RBSA Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1930 - 1950
First listed in the Society's exhibition catalogues as a full Member in Autumn 1930. Still listed as a full Member in Autumn 1950.
Elected to membership of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938
Elected as a 'Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors'. Had been an associate member from 1934. See 'Honour for Mr. William Bloye', Birmingham Post, 15 June, 1938, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 29, pp. 8-9.
Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938 - 1968
Member of Birmingham Art Circle
January 1918 - 1921 (Probable)
Bloye was nominated in December 1917, and was elected with 31 votes in January 1918.
Listed in the 'Register of Members' (1879-2002)as ceasing to be a member in 1921. Probably due to failure to pay fees. There is also a note, however, in this book that states 'paid for years 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922 on April 14th 1938'. He exhibited works of
sculpture in the Art Circle exhibitions from 1918 to 1920.
Member of council Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1948 - 1950
Listed in the Society's catalogues as a 'Council Member' in Spring 1948; this was the first time that 'Council Members'listings had appeared in the exhibition catalogues. Listed as a Council Member in Autumn 1950
Professor of sculpture at Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1946 - 1951
Listed in the Society's exhibition catalogues as 'Professor of Sculpture' from Autumn 1946 to Spring 1951.
Studied at Birmingham Municipal School of Art, Central School
See 'Sculptor's Work', Birmingham Weekly Post, 21 March, 1952, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 43, p. 146. The article notes that Bloye 'began his art education at the College (then School) of Art, where he is now head of the School of sculpture'.
Studied at Royal Academy Schools
1915 (Circa)
See 'Honour for Mr. William Bloye', Birmingham Post, 15 June, 1938, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 29, (1938), pp. 8-9. The article notes that 'Bloye recieved his early training at the Royal Academy Schools and was for a time associated with Mr. Eric Gill'.
Bloye was awarded a two year Landseer Scholarship for Sculpture in 1915. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1915', (1916), p. 41.
Teacher of modeling at Vittoria Street School for Jewellers and Silversmiths
September 1912 - 1912 (Presumed)
Listed in the Staff Book (c.1908) as Teacher of Modelling beginning in September 1912; no end date is given.
Teacher of modeling at Birmingham Municipal School of Art, Central School
1 September 1919 - 1951
Teacher of Modelling and Modelled Design.
Described as Head of Department from 1920.
Date of appointment listed in Staff Book (c. 1900-1921).
Teacher of modeling at Architectural School
1923 - 1925
Listed as teacher of Modelling and Stone-cutting.
Tutor at Midland Arts Club
November 1945 - 6 November 1945
Gave a lecture on the 'Relationship of Sculpture to Post-War Architecture.'
Unsuccessful in ballot for election to Royal Academy of Arts
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA], despite nominations in 1938, 1946, 1955 and 1962.
Vice-president of Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1946 (Presumed) - 1948
First listed in the Society's exhibition catalogues as Vice-President in Autumn 1946 [no listings for Vice-Presidents from Autumn 1940 to Spring 1946]. Last listed as Vice-President in Spring 1948.
Personal and Professional Connections
Apprenticed Alan Bridgwater
also John Poole and Raymond Kings
Assistant to George James Frampton
1919 (Circa)
See 'Sculptor's Work', Birmingham Weekly Post, 21 March, 1952, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 43, p. 146. The article notes that Bloye 'served in the first world war, and was assistant to Sir George Frampton, the sculptor, in London, before returning to Birmingham.
Colleague of Benjamin Hancocks
1915 - 1953
Hancocks was an assistant in the Department of Modelling, Stone Carving, and Letter Cutting where Bloye was Head of Department
Friends with Teresa Clarke
Nominated by (Joseph) Hermon Cawthra
1934 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominated by Alan Howard
1934 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominated by Stanley Anderson
1 March 1938 - March 1955
Two nominations for Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA], in 1938 and 1955, both unsuccessful.
Nominated by Alfred Turner
1 March 1938
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Gilbert Ledward
1 March 1938
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by James Arthur Woodford
1 March 1938 - February 1946
Two nominations for Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA], in 1938 and 1946, both unsuccessful.
Nominated by Richard Louis Garbe
1 March 1938
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Alfred Frank Hardiman
1 March 1938 - February 1946
Two nominations for Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA], in 1938 and 1946, both unsuccessful.
Nominated by Philip Connard
1 March 1938
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Charles Thomas Wheeler
24 April 1938
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Edwin Landseer Lutyens
24 April 1938
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Charles E. Cundall
February 1946
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Alan Lydiat Durst
March 1955
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by David McFall
February 1962
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Edward Brantwood Maufe
February 1962
For Associate of the Royal Academy [ARA]; unsuccessful.
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Kelly's Directory of Birmingham with its suburbs and Smethwick, 1931 Kelly's Trades Directories
1931
Listed under Sculptors Kelly's Birmingham Trades and Professional Directory, 1941 Kelly's Trades Directorires
1941
Listed under Sculptors Kelly's Directory of Birmingham (with its suburbs) and Smethwick (with street plan), 1951 Kelly's Trades Directories
1951
Sources
Adjourned Annual Meeting held on Saturday 19th January, 1918 Birmingham Art Circle
19 January 1918
p. 2.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Eleventh Exhibition.
1916
p.138.
Birmingham Biography, Newspaper Cuttings, 1872-1966 Birmingham Biography
See 'Honour for Mr. William Bloye', Birmingham Post, 15 June, 1938, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 29, (1938), pp. 8-9 and p. 72, 'Sculptor's Work', Birmingham Weekly Post, 21 March, 1952, in 'Birmingham Biography', vol. 43, (June 1951-October 1952), p. 146, and vol. 44, (October 1952-January 1954), p. 121.
Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts Prospectus 1949-50 College of Art and Branch Schools
1949
City of Birmingham Education Committee School of Art Staff Book
1921 (Circa)
p. 13.
College of Arts and Crafts Birmingham. Prospectus 1950-51 College of Art and Branch Schools
1950
Find a Will
2014
Name: Bloye, William James
Death: 6 June 1975
Probate: 10 October 1975
Page: 861
Kelly's Birmingham Trades and Professional Directory, 1941 Kelly's Trades Directorires
1941
p. 1813.
Kelly's Directory of Birmingham (with its suburbs) and Smethwick (with street plan), 1951 Kelly's Trades Directories
1951
p. 2074.
Kelly's Directory of Birmingham with its suburbs and Smethwick, 1931 Kelly's Trades Directories
1931
p. 1466.
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1927-1938
1938
p.247.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, c.1939-c.1961
1961 (Circa)
p.104.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Autumn Exhibition, 1948
1948
p. 5.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Autumn Exhibition, 1950
1950
pp. 5-6.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Spring Exhibition, 1918
1918
p. 22.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Spring Exhibition, 1919
1919
pp. 5, 35
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. The Autumn Exhibition, 1946 Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1946
p. 4.
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. The Autumn Exhibition, 1946 Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
1946
p. 2.
Royal Society of Artists Birmingham. The Autumn Exhibition, 1930
1930
p. 5.
Staff Book
1908 (Circa)
p. 108.
The Art Circle, Register of Members to Date, 1879-2002 Birmingham Art Circle
2002 (Presumed)
Unpaged.
The Forty-Ninth Exhibition of Works by Members of the Art Circle, held at the Galleries of the Royal Society of Artists, New Street, Birmingham, 1918
November 1918
pp. 39-42.
The Midland Arts Club, 1945 Midland Arts Club. Reports
29 January 1945
p. 5.
Twenty-Five Years of Birmingham Art, 1935 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition Catalogues
1935
Unpaged.
Citing this record
'William James Bloye ARBS', 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_1204117746, accessed 21 Sep 2023]