Sydney March
Born 1876
Died 1968
Active: 1891 - 1932
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, monumental sculptor
Born in Sutton, Yorkshire. Son of George Henry March (born c.1843 in Sutton, Yorkshire). He worked as a seed crusher (oil miller) in Yorkshire and then as a builder's clerk when the family moved to London c.1900. Eight of the March children became artists, and three of them sculptors (Sydney, Elsie and Vernon). The other artist siblings were Edward (1873-1941), Percival (born c.1878), Frederick (born c.1881), Dudley (1885-1962) and Walter (born c.1889). They lived and worked for most of their careers at the family home of Goddendene in Kent. The Marches, including their mother, Elizabeth, and father, George Henry, are buried at St. Giles Church, Farnbough, Kent. The grave is marked by a bronze statue by Sydney March, dating from 1922.
One of Sydney's earliest commissions was a marble portrait of King Edward VII for Windsor Castle. The royal family subsequently visited the artist's home. Sydney together with five of his other siblings helped complete the bronze groups for the National War Memorial of Canada in Ottawa. This was a commission that was awarded to Vernon in open competition in January 1926 and was left incomplete when he died of pneumonia in 1930. The family completed the work by 1932 and are said to have cast the bronzes at Goddendene. In 1937, after the memorial groups had been shown in London, they were transported to Ottawa and the memorial arch was constructed. The unveiling ceremony took place on 21 May 1939.
In a catalogue entry on a bust of Harry Beasley by Elsie March owned by the British Museum, Aileen Dawson notes a sale of 168 lots comprising pictures, watercolours, drawings and sculpture by six members of the March family: Edward, Sydney, Henry (1879-1962), Elsie, Dudley and Vernon which was held at Sotheby's, Belgravia, on 2 August 1982.
This record includes information supplied by Claire Garrett. The details of the bust of Harry Beasley and the information about the March family compiled by Aileen Dawson can be found at: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=31695&partid=1&searchText=elsie+march&fromADBC=ad&toADBC=ad&numpages=10&orig=%2fresearch%2fsearch_the_collection_database.aspx¤tPage=1 (accessed 8 February 2012) There is further information about the National War Memorial of Canada in Ottawa at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_War_Memorial_%28Canada%29 (accessed 8 February 2012)
Locations
Address 4 Studley Avenue Studley Street Hull HU8 7NX | View on map
1891 (Circa)
Address 69 Worfield Street Albert Bridge Road London SW | View on map
1901 (Circa)
Address Goddendene Farnborough Kent | View on map
1902 - 1932
Address 64 Glebe Place Chelsea London | View on map
1907 (Circa) - 1911 (Circa)
Also using the family address at Goddendene between these dates
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1906 - 1932
Exhibited 13 times, seventeen works in all (chiefly portrait busts, statuettes and equestrian groups)
Institutional and Business Connections
Studied at Royal Academy Schools
1900 (Presumed)
In 1900, March was awarded a first prize silver medal for a model of a statue or group. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1900', (1901), p. 31.
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Monumental Sculptor's Apprentice' and his older brother, Edward (born c.1874) 'School of Art Student'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Art Student' working on own account, his brother Edward was a 'Designer' working on his own account at home and brothers Percival (born c.1878), Frederick (born c.1881) and Dudley (born c.1884) were all 'Art Craftsmen' working on their own account at home
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
Sydney and Vernon: 'Sculptor', the oldest brother Edward and Elsie were 'Artist Painter' (Elsie 'etc.'), Percival (born c.1878) 'Artist Craftsman Marble etc.', and brothers Frederick (born c.1881), Dudley (born c.1884) and Walter (born c.1889) all 'Art Craftsmen Metal etc.' the whole family were working on their own account at home
Sources
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 3923 folio 148 page 19
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2001
RG13 piece 440 folio 100 page 25
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2009
RG14PN3694 RG78PN139 RD42 SD3 ED7 SN79
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
Name: Sydney March
Birth Date: abt 1876
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1968
Age at Death: 92
Registration district: Bromley
Inferred County: Kent
Volume: 5a
Page: 423
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Sydney March
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1876
Registration district: Sculcoates
Inferred County: Yorkshire East Riding
Volume: 9d
Page: 129
Citing this record
'Sydney March', 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_1261394439, accessed 20 Feb 2019]