William John Seward Webber | |
|---|---|
.jpg) W.J.S Webber, 1880s | |
| Born | January 1842 |
| Died | 17 March 1919 (aged 77) Harrogate, North Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Resting place | Grove Road Cemetery, Harrogate |
| Nationality | English |
| Known for | Civic sculpture and busts of local worthies, in marble |
| Notable work | Warrior and Wounded Youth (group, 1878); Queen Victoria (monument, 1887) |
William John Seward Webber (January 1842 – c. 17 March 1919) was an English sculptor who created civic statuary, and busts of national heroes and local worthies, in marble. He sculpted the statue of Queen Victoria for the Jubilee Monument in Harrogate, North Riding of Yorkshire, England in 1887. An early success was his Warrior and Wounded Youth group of 1878, executed while he was still a student. His busts include portraits of the Duke of Clarence, John Charles Dollman, Henry Phillpotts, John Bowring, John Ruskin, Richard Jefferies, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Charles Darwin, Walter Scott, Thomas Carlyle, Robert Burns and Thomas Holroyd.
He was the son of a carver and emigration depot master. He was born and grew up in South West England, and he trained with John Gendall, and at the Exeter School of Art and West London School of Art, before attending the Royal Academy Schools. He worked from studios in London for a while, then at the age of around 49 years he moved to Harrogate, where he worked for the rest of his life. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Grove Road Cemetery, Harrogate.