Weston Park, Staffordshire, Three fireplaces 1864/1865
I was contacted in March 2021 by Gareth Williams, Curator of the Weston Park Foundation, about three fireplaces that he knew had been completed by James Forsyth at Weston Park in 1865. These had never come up in any of my searches
Gareth has kindly provided the pictures below, used with his permission, as well as details of a brilliant letter, text shown below, written by the architect R.C.Hussey to Lord Bradford about James bill. It adds context to the letter that the bill's total of £799 equates, looking on the National Archives site, to around £50,000 in 2021 !
" D1287/R/617
R.C.Hussey letter to Lord Bradford from 16 King William Street, Strand, London, 29 August 1865
‘I have seen Mr Forsyth the sculptor who made the three chimney pieces for the lower rooms at Weston Hall and he has given me the enclosed account which he had copied to send to your Lordship….the amount is certainly large, but the work is very costly and elaborate, and I think quite worth what is charged for it. Forsyth voluntarily gave me some information as to the cost of the marble and the sums he paid to the workmen engaged and he is a man of such good repute that I don’t doubt his word..
...the first sketches, which I made for these chimneypieces were of much less costly character but they were not approved and I was directed to provide others. I did not know what the expense of them would be until I received Forsyth’s bill. I could not therefore have previously told your Lordship or the late Mr Simpson what they would cost.’
Hussey went on to ask Forsyth if he would take them back but Forsyth told him that he could not afford to do so. He did, however, offer to put them up for sale in his London gallery to sell on commission for Lord Bradford.
Hussey continued concerning Forsyth: ‘he’s known as one of the best architectural sculptors in London’
The letter included Forsyth’s bill dated London August 25th 1865, 8 Edward Street, Hampstead Road:
1864 Sept. 24
‘To Breakfast Room Statuary and Sienna Marble chimneypiece with carved mouldings and other enrichments, including model’ £75 £5-15—for fitting
1865 January
‘To No. 1 large solid Statuary Marble chimney piece with Sculptured Lions, Frieze & carved enrichments, modelling etc.’ £350
1865 January
‘No. 2 large Do for same room with sculptured Goats, and other carved enrichments, similar to No. 1’ £345 Packing costs £10-12-- Fitting £13-10--
Bill total £799-17--
Gareth has kindly provided the pictures below, used with his permission, as well as details of a brilliant letter, text shown below, written by the architect R.C.Hussey to Lord Bradford about James bill. It adds context to the letter that the bill's total of £799 equates, looking on the National Archives site, to around £50,000 in 2021 !
" D1287/R/617
R.C.Hussey letter to Lord Bradford from 16 King William Street, Strand, London, 29 August 1865
‘I have seen Mr Forsyth the sculptor who made the three chimney pieces for the lower rooms at Weston Hall and he has given me the enclosed account which he had copied to send to your Lordship….the amount is certainly large, but the work is very costly and elaborate, and I think quite worth what is charged for it. Forsyth voluntarily gave me some information as to the cost of the marble and the sums he paid to the workmen engaged and he is a man of such good repute that I don’t doubt his word..
...the first sketches, which I made for these chimneypieces were of much less costly character but they were not approved and I was directed to provide others. I did not know what the expense of them would be until I received Forsyth’s bill. I could not therefore have previously told your Lordship or the late Mr Simpson what they would cost.’
Hussey went on to ask Forsyth if he would take them back but Forsyth told him that he could not afford to do so. He did, however, offer to put them up for sale in his London gallery to sell on commission for Lord Bradford.
Hussey continued concerning Forsyth: ‘he’s known as one of the best architectural sculptors in London’
The letter included Forsyth’s bill dated London August 25th 1865, 8 Edward Street, Hampstead Road:
1864 Sept. 24
‘To Breakfast Room Statuary and Sienna Marble chimneypiece with carved mouldings and other enrichments, including model’ £75 £5-15—for fitting
1865 January
‘To No. 1 large solid Statuary Marble chimney piece with Sculptured Lions, Frieze & carved enrichments, modelling etc.’ £350
1865 January
‘No. 2 large Do for same room with sculptured Goats, and other carved enrichments, similar to No. 1’ £345 Packing costs £10-12-- Fitting £13-10--
Bill total £799-17--
