Thomas Nichols
Born 1822 (Circa)
Died 1891 (Probable)
Active: 1851 - 1891
Country of birth and death: England
Silver chaser, chaser, sculptor
Born in Finsbury, London. One of his daughters, Frances S. or F. (born c.1847 in London) worked as a silver chaser in her early twenties. Nichols exhibited at the (Royal) Society of Arts Art-Workmanship Competitions in 1864 and 1867, two of these works were acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in 1865 and 1868 respectively. They are a bronze bust of Clytie after the marble in the British Museum and a bronze panel of the Virgin and Child which is a copy of a relief in the style of Desiderio da Settignano's workshop, Florence, mid-15th century belonging to the V&A. Nichol's copy of the bust of Clytie was awarded a prize. Nichols probably died between January and March 1891, certainly his spouse, Catherine, was listed as widowed and living at their house in Everilda Street in the Census Returns of that year.
Locations
Address 2A Church Lane Lower Street London | View on map
1851 (Circa)
Address 4 Everilda Street Islington London | View on map
1861 (Circa) - 1891
Institutional and Business Connections
Represented by Victoria and Albert Museum
The museum acquired two works by Nichol from the Society of Arts Art-Workmanship Competitions in 1864 and 1867: Clytie (museum object number: 39-1865) and Virgin and child (museum object number: 857-1868)
Descriptions of Practice
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 IV, 1909 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a contemporary sculptor and chaser in bronze. Produced a panel for the Society of Arts' Competition in 1867. See Forrer, vol. 4, (1909), p. 258.
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
'Silver Chaser', also Philip B. Stacey (born c.1844, Folkestone, Kent) 'Apprentice to Silver Chaser'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
'Silver Chaser' also his daughter Frances S or F (born c.1847 in London) 'Silver Chaser'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Chaser'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851
'Silver Chaser'
Sources
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851
2004
Class: HO107; Piece: 1501; Folio: 630; Page: 61; GSU roll: 87835
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
2004
RG09 piece 129 folio 38 page 29
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
RG10 piece 262 folio 25 page 37
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
RG11 piece 234 folio 21 page 36
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 156 folio 18 page 30
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Thomas Nicholls
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1823
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1891
Age at Death: 68
Registration district: Islington
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1b
Page: 266
Citing this record
'Thomas Nichols', 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_1239103133, accessed 16 Jan 2021]
