Introduction
The London firm of Messrs Farmer and Brindley (both were called William) "specialised in providing architectural sculpture under contract to varying degrees and as such represent a significant phenomenon in the development of architectural sculpture during the nineteenth century" (Read 240). They were responsible for all the architectural sculpture on Alfred Waterhouse's Manchester Town Hall, for example, and were used again for the decoration of his Natural History Museum.
William Brindley (1832-1919) seems to have been the one to carry out the commissions — the "executant" (Read 240). Sir George Gilbert Scott said he was "the best carver I have met with and the one who best understands my views" (qtd. in Read 265). Amongst the firm's work for Scott, Read lists the model of the Albert Memorial, the ornamental work on it, the capitals and so on of Scott's Government Offices in Whitehall, and the carving for his major ecclesiastical restoration work at Exeter, Worcester and Gloucester (265-56). — Jacqueline Banerjee
Architectural Sculpture: Columns, Bas Reliefs
- Carved Mice, Natural History Museum, London
- Birds, Natural History Museum, London
- Climbing Monkeys, Natural History Museum, London
- Details on feet of columns, Natural History Museum, London
- Columns at Main Entrance, Natural History Museum, London
- Capitals, Foreign Office, London
- Capitals (II), Foreign Office, London
- Interior Interior Carving at Sir George Gilbert Scott's St Pancras (1)
- Interior Interior Carving at Sir George Gilbert Scott's t Pancras (2)
- Exterior Carving at Sir George Gilbert Scott's St Pancras (1)
- Exterior Carving at Sir George Gilbert Scott's St Pancras (2)
Architectural Sculpture: Figures in the round
- Fine Artt, Holborn Viaduct
- Science, Holborn Viaduct
- Henry III, former Public Record Office, Chancery Lane
- Edward III, former Public Record Office, Chancery Lane
- Winged Lion, Holborn Viaduct
- The Peace Drinking Fountain (with John Birnie Philip)
- Europe and the Americas, North Western Hotel, Liverpool
- Sculptural decoration on 21, Old Bond Street, London W1
- Sculptural decoration on Alfred Waterhouse's Manchester Town Hall
Ecclesiastical Sculpture and Memorials
- Reredos, St Mary's, South Tidworth
- Font, St Mary's, South Tidworth
- Pulpit, St Mary's, South Tidworth
- Memorial to Lt. Col Sir William Hutt Curzon Wyllie, St. Paul's Cathedral
Related Material
Bibliography
Read, Benedict. Victorian Sculpture. New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1982.
Ward-Jackson, Philip. Public Sculpture of the City of London. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2003.
Last modified 16 May 2013