Character

According to the Harrogate Advertiser:^[21]

Webber was a shy unpushful man, careless about money which inhibited his professional advancement. He was interested in natural history and attended Natural History Society meetings in the Harrogate area. He was religious (Webber's family were non-conformists but he was tolerant of all faiths), and well read, particularly in philosophy.^{[6][21][nb 3]}

Studios

In 1870, Webber had a studio at 205 Tottenham Court Road, London.^[22] Between 1874 and 1884, he had a studio at 39 Googe Street, London.^{[23][24][25][26][27][28]} By 1877 and until 1882 he was maintaining a second studio at 245 Stanhope Street, Hampstead Road, London.^[29][30] From 1888 he shared a studio in Dale Street, Harrogate, with the painter Thomas Holroyd. There he "continued to practise as a sculptor for the remainder of his career".^[6][31]

Awards

• Two medals and a national medallion, awarded by the Exeter School of Art.^[14]
• Gold medal awarded by South Kensington (1850s).^[6]
• Medals for "modelling in the antique and life" awarded by Royal Academy Schools (1871, 1873).^[6][14]
• Gold medal and £50 scholarship award for The Warrior and the Wounded Youth (1875) awarded by Royal Academy Schools.^[6][32]

Warrior and Wounded Youth, 1875 and 1878

Warrior and Wounded Youth, 1875 and 1878

This marble statuette was modelled in 1875, and copied by Webber in marble for Thomas Holroyd in 1878.^[33] It was reviewed by S.C. Hall in the Art Journal, December 1880:^[14]

The work was modelled by Mr. Webber whilst he was a student in the Royal Academy, and he was awarded by the council of that body a [prize] for the general excellence of the design. The warrior represented is one of a prehistoric type, when the weapons in use were chiefly flint-headed arrows or bronze swords and spears, and the clothing merely the skin of some wild animal, giving the sculptor an excellent opportunity of displaying, what is always of importance in sculpture, the form and structure of the rude human figure. The figure of the warrior is vigorous in action, the anatomical form being well defined, and the expression of tenderness and anxiety on account of the youth whom he is bearing is well depicted in his face. The striking contrast with this robust and vigorous figure is the shrinking, writhing form of the wounded youth, stricken down in his first campaign. His left hand covers the wound he has received, and he turns with an expression of pain to his comrade, who is bearing him to a place of safety.^[14]

Jubilee Memorial, Harrogate, 1887

This is a Grade II listed building,^[34] designed by Arthur Bown of Harrogate. It was constructed by Richardson of Scarborough, and it contains a statue of Queen Victoria executed by Webber.^[13][35][36] The memorial was given to Harrogate by Mayor Richard Ellis, and unveiled on 6 October 1887.^[6] According to English Heritage, the canopy was also carved by Webber.^[34]

• 
  The Jubilee Monument, 1887
• 
  Queen Victoria by Webber, 1887
• 
  Queen Victoria by Webber, 1887
• 
  Queen Victoria by Webber, 1887. Showing the Koh-i-Noor cabochon diamond on her necklace.
• 
  Queen Victoria by Webber, 1887

Holyroyd bequest, 1904

Thomas Holroyd, by Webber, 1875/1876

Five marble sculptures, The Warrior and the Wounded Youth (statuette, 1878),^{[nb 4]} Mr Thomas Holroyd (bust, 1876), Mr James Holroyd (bust), Mr Bertie Holroyd (bust) and John Charles Dollman (bust, 1875), were commissioned by the painter Thomas Holroyd and executed by Webber.^[6][13] They were left by Holroyd to Harrogate Corporation in 1904,^[20] and were formally accepted by the Corporation on 21 March 1904.^[37] Harrogate Library acquired eight marble busts by Webber in 1916,^[38][39] but some of the Holroyd bequest pieces have not been retained by the Borough of Harrogate.^[40][41] For example, the 1878 Warrior and the Wounded Youth was sold in 1998, in Miami.^[42]

Exhibitions

• Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (1870–1891):^[6][43] Dr Phillpotts, late Bishop of Exeter (1870),^[44] Sir John Bowring (1874),^[45] John C. Dollman (1875, 1878),^[46][47] Thomas Holroyd, Esq., marble bust (1876), Warrior and wounded Youth (1876, 1878),^[48][49] A Nereid (1876),^[50] Maidenhood, statuette (1877),^[51] T.F. Dollman Esq. (1879), Miss Emma Glase (1879),^[52] W.R. Seward, Esq., bust (1882),^{[53][nb 5]} Elsie, daughter of J.N. Fitch, Esq. (1884),^{[54][nb 6]} and The Late Alderman Dawson (1891).^[55]

Collections

• Royal College of Music: Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence (bust, 1890). It is on "semi-public display".^[6][56]
• Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate: Eight busts were originally displayed from 1906 in Harrogate Library:^[6] William Shakespeare (bust, 1902);^[57] John Ruskin (bust, 1903);^[58] Richard Jefferies (bust, 1904);^[59] Alfred, Lord Tennyson (bust, 1901);^[60] Charles Darwin (bust, 1904);^[61] Walter Scott (bust, 1903);^[62] Thomas Carlyle (bust, 1902);^[63] Robert Burns (bust, 1901).^[64] The following items in the Mercer collection are portraits of civic personages:^[6] Alderman Richard Ellis (bust, 1888);^[65] Mary Jane Ellis (bust, 1888);,^[66][67][68] and Barry Alderman George Dawson (bust, 1889);^[69]

Works in date order

• Dr Phillpotts, late Bishop of Exeter (1870),^[44]
• Sir John Bowring (1874),^[45]
• John C. Dollman (1875),^[46]
• Thomas Holroyd, Esq., (bust, 1876).^[48]
• Warrior and wounded Youth (first version, 1876).^{[48][nb 7]}
• A Nereid (1876),^[50]
• Maidenhood, (statuette, 1877).^[51]
• T.F. Dollman Esq. (1879).^[52]
• Miss Emma Glase (1879).^[52]
• W.R. Seward, Esq., (bust, 1882),^[53]
• Elsie, daughter of J.N. Fitch, Esq. (1884),^[54]
• Queen Victoria (statue for the Jubilee Memorial, Harrogate, 1887).^[6]
• Mr and Mrs Ellis (busts, 1888).^{[66]: 28, 32, 52, 33 [70]} As of 1902 they were "standing in the Royal Baths", Harrogate, having been presented by "the burgesses of Harrogate by public subscription".^[13]
• Alderman George Dawson and his wife (busts, 1889) for the Royal Baths, Harrogate.^[13]
• H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence (bust, 1890), for the Royal College of Music, London.^[13][71] Samson Fox commissioned it. It was presented in 1894 to the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), who in turn gave it to the Royal College of Music.^[6]
• Rev. John Kinghan (memorial bust, 1896), "the principal of the Ulster Institution for the Deaf and Dumb" for the Institution in Belfast".^[13]
• Robert Burns (bust, 1901).^[13]
• Lord Tennyson (bust, 1901).^[13]
• William Shakespeare (bust, 1902);^[57]
• Thomas Carlyle (bust, 1902).^[13]
• John Ruskin (bust, 1903).^[13]
• Walter Scott (bust, 1903).^[62]
• Richard Jefferies (bust, 1904);^[59]
• Charles Darwin (bust, 1904);^[61]

Undated works

• The Earl of Beaconsfield (statuette, undated).^[13]
• The Right Hon. W.E. Forster, M.P. (statuette, undated).^[13]
• The Right Hon. W.L. Jackson, M.P. (statuette, undated).^[13]
• General Sir Redvers Buller (statuette, undated).^[13]
• Samson Fox of Grove House, Harrogate (undated).^[6]
• Mrs Harrison Gibson (bust, undated), for the Royal Bath Hospital, Harrogate.^[13]
• His First Invention (statuette, undated) "of a young engineer studying a mechanical model".^[13]
• Mr James Holroyd (bust, undated).^[6][20]
• Mr Bertie Holroyd (bust, undated).^[20]