Florence Harriet Steele
Born 1857
Died 6 January 1948
Active: 1891 - 1918
Country of birth and death: England
Art metal worker, sculptor, medallist
Born in Reigate, Surrey. She was the daughter of John S. Steele (born c.1810), a general practitioner. Florence lived at home with her family for many years (her mother was an invalid from about 1881). In 1901 her widowed brother-in-law and nephew were living with her at 63 Rowan Road, Fulham. A decade later Steele and a housekeeper were resident at the same address.
Florence was taught by Edouard Lanteri at the National Art Training School where her contemporaries included Margaret Giles, Ruby Levick, Lilian Simpson and Esther Moore. Florence Steele was a prize-winning student and her sculpture was included in a retrospective show of works submitted in the 'National Competition of Schools of Art' (1896). In 1900 she was awarded a prize of £10 for a pilaster for faience at an exhibition organised by the Founders' Company. Between c.1910 and c.1921 Steele taught at the School of Art Woodcarving. Based on a prospectus from 1920-21 she was a part-time teacher of modelling but it is possible her duties changed over the decade she worked at the School.
"Steele was commissioned by William Burton of Pilkington's Tile and Pottery Company to design tiles for the company. She probably came to Burton's attention at the same time as A.J. Kwiatkowski who was employed on a full time basis by Pilkington's. (Kwiatkowski was also a student at the National Art Training School and works were included in the college's retrospective exhibition of 1898). Several examples of Steele's designs were exhibited at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900 including 'The Rose' and 'The Sweet Pea' which were panels each made up of two six by six inch tiles. In addition two twelve by six inch tiles called 'Welcome' were shown. A further two twelve by six inch tiles entitled 'Women's Work' present a surprising depiction of women. Although the women are depicted in conventional roles (hanging out washing and spinning thread) the representation is starkly feminist compared to 'Welcome'. Pilkington's also used a Steele design of a classic somewhat muscular maiden in a seated pose as a centerpiece for a dish. Examples of her tile work are to be found at The Peter Scott Gallery John Chambers collection where copies of the plate and cast are held. The other tiles are to be found in private collections. Steele went on to specialise in metalwork and designed for Elkington’s and Barkentin and Krall. Her art metal works includes civic regalia." (Information supplied by Angela and Barry Corbett, Pilkington's Lancastrian Pottery Society, who are preparing a book on Pilkington's Tile and Pottery Company).
Wealth at death: £7,142 5s. 4d.
Probate date: 9 April 1948
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.
Locations
Address 63 Rowan Road Brook Green London | View on map
1891 (Circa) - 1918 (Circa)
Address 54 Hammersmith Road London W | View on map
1897 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Eleventh Exhibition, 1916
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1897
'Silver Bottle'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1900
'Christening Cup'
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-sixth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1896
1896
George Clarke, Esq. (cat. no. 1219, bronze medallion, not for sale); Silver Bottle (cat. no. 1225, £15).
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1896 - 1918
Exhibited 16 times, about 34 works in all (mainly art metalwork, but also medals and sculpture)
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1899
1899
A Christening Cup (cat. no. 1377A, silver, £10 10s.).
Institutional and Business Connections
Commissioned by Pilkington's Tile and Pottery Co. Ltd.
To design tiles for the company
Student at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1896 (Circa)
In 1896 she won a gold medal and two bronze medals
Teacher at School of Art Wood Carving
1910 (Circa) - 1921 (Circa)
Based on a prospectus from 1920-21 she was a part-time teacher of modelling but it is possible her duties changed over the decade she worked at the School. ['School of Wood Carving, Prospectus, 1920-21']
Personal and Professional Connections
Colleague of Alexander Joseph Kwiatkowski
Both studied at the National Art Training School and then worked for Pilkington's Tile and Pottery Company (Kwiatkowski was full-time, Steele worked on commission).
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 V, 1912 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a contemporary medallist and sculptor living in London. Exhibited medallic work in 1899, 1901 and 1908 at the Royal Academy, London. Forrer notes that Steele 'was a member of the London Society of Medallists'. See Forrer, vol. 5, (1912), p. 670, and lists Spielmann's 'British Sculpture and Sculptors of to-day' (1901), and 'Catalogues of the Royal Academy Exhibition 1899-1910' as sources.
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 VIII, 1930 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Forrer notes that the artist exhibited medallic works and designs for medals at the Royal Academy, London, in 1896, 1899, 1901 and 1914. See vol. 8, (1930), pp. 220-221.
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Artist, modeller and designer' working at home on own account
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Modeller & Designer' working at home
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Artist, Modeller (overwritten 'Sculp.') & Designer' working on own account at home
Sources
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Eleventh Exhibition.
1916
p.79.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth, 1899 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1899
pp. 48-52.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-sixth, 1896 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1896
pp. 45-48.
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1897
1897
Cat. No. 799, pp. 75, 109
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1900
1900
Cat. No. 170, pp. 24, 85
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
Class: RG13; Piece: 46; Folio: 27; Page: 45
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 46 folio 27 page 45
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN253 RG78PN8 RD3 SD2 ED27 SN154
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
Name: Florence H Steele
Death Registration Month/Year: 1948
Age at death (estimated): 90
Registration district: Surrey South Eastern
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume: 5g
Page: 695
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Florence Harriet Steele
Jan-Feb-Mar 1857
Reigate, Surrey.
Vol. 2a Page 109
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Florence Harriet Steele
Registration Year: 1857
Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration district: Reigate
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume: 2a
Page: 109
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Florence Harriet Steele
Probate Date: 9 Apr 1948
Death Date: 6 Jan 1948
Death Place: Surrey, England
Registry: London, England
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
Mr. Alma Tadema On Art Training.
The Times (London, England), Friday, Jul 26, 1895; pg. 8; Issue 34639 AND "National Competition Of Schools Of Art." Times [London, England] 3 Aug. 1896: 14 AND The Fire Brigades And The Paris Exhibi-.
The Times (London, England), Thursday, May 10, 1900; pg. 8; Issue 36138 (accessed 3 Jan. 2012)
Citing this record
'Florence Harriet Steele', 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=msib5_1208213037, accessed 08 Jun 2023]
