William Birnie Rhind
RSA (1853–1933) was a Scottish sculptor.
Life
Rhind was born in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
on 27 February 1853 as the first son of sculptor
John Rhind (1828–1892), and his wife, Catherine Birnie. He was the elder brother of
J. Massey Rhind
John Massey Rhind (9 July 1860 – 1 January 1936) was a Scottish-American sculptor. Among Rhind's better known works is the marble statue of Dr. Crawford W. Long located in the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington D.C. (1926).
E ...
. The two brothers set up a studio in Glasgow in 1885, then Birnie moved to Edinburgh, and his brother went to Paris, then permanently to America in 1889, despite the warnings of their father. His younger brother was
Thomas Duncan Rhind
Sir Thomas Duncan Rhind (14 July 1871 – 24 April 1927) was a Scottish architect and military figure. He was knighted in 1919 for services to his country.
Life
Thomas was the son of John Rhind a prominent Edinburgh sculptor. His older brothe ...
, an architect.
His name is particularly connected to several dozen sculptural war memorials in the Edinburgh and
Lothian
Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Sco ...
area. One of these is a monument to the Royal Scots Greys on
Princes Street
Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...
in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. Also of note is the 1919 bronze figure of a fallen officer, telling his men to "carry on", which acts as the school war memorial at
Fettes College
Fettes College () is a co-educational independent boarding and day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, with over two-thirds of its pupils in residence on campus. The school was originally a boarding school for boys only and became co-ed in 1983. In ...
, a private school in Edinburgh.
William died on 9 July 1933 and was buried with his parents, and Alice Stone (1862-1937), his wife, in the family plot in
Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping si ...
,
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
.
Works
* "Virtue" panels on the memorial to the
Duke of Buccleuch
Duke of Buccleuch (pronounced ), formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created twice on 20 April 1663, first for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and second suo jure for his wife Anne Scott, 4th Cou ...
in front of St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, 1887
*
Lifeboat Monument, St Anne's on the Sea, 1888
* Sculpture on the
Sun Life Insurance
Sun Life Financial Inc. is a Canadian financial services company. It is primarily known as a life insurance company.
Sun Life has a presence in investment management with over CAD$1.3 trillion in assets under management operating in a number o ...
building in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
(1889) commissioned by
William Leiper
William Leiper Royal Institute of British Architects, FRIBA Royal Scottish Academy, RSA (1839–1916) was a Scotland, Scottish architect known particularly for his domestic architecture in and around the town of Helensburgh.
* Allegorical figures on Charing Cross Mansions, Glasgow, 1889–1891
* The Main Entrance Archway, West Ham Technical College, 1898
* Pulpit and font at
St Mary's Collegiate Church, Haddington
The Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin is a Church of Scotland parish church in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland.
Building work on the church was started in 1380, and further building and rebuilding has taken place up to the present da ...
1891
* ''Apollo Group'', sculpture on the former Sun Life Building, Glasgow, 1889–1894
* Figures of angels and apostles inside Bellevue Reformed Baptist Church, East London Street, Edinburgh, 1894
* Pair of statues to
Thomas and Peter Coats in
Paisley, 1895
* Monument to
Lord Belhaven and Stenton
Lord Belhaven and Stenton, of the County of Haddington, is a Lordship of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1647 for Sir John Hamilton, 2nd Baronet, with remainder to his heirs male.
History
This branch of the prominent ...
,
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...
, Edinburgh, 1896
* The seated figure of ''Science'' on the
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. It reopened in 2006 after a three-year refurbishment and since then has been one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions. The museum has 22 galleries, h ...
, 1898
* Figures in niches on the
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. The gallery holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Co ...
, Edinburgh, 1898
* Sculptural figures on a large memorial in
Roslin churchyard, 1899
* Bronze portrait head of Dr James Cappie (1829–1899) in Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh (1899)
* Allegorical figures on the Scotsman Building, Edinburgh, 1900 (above North Bridge Arcade)
* Figures and panel on the former
National Bank of Scotland
The National Bank of Scotland was founded as a joint stock bank in 1825. Based in Edinburgh, it had established a network of 137 branches at the end of its first hundred years. In 1918 the bank was bought by Lloyds Bank, although it continued ...
branch, Glasgow, 1902–1903
* Last Supper panel within St Pauls Church, Lorne Street,
Leith
Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world.
The earliest ...
, 1903
* Monument to Sir
Hector MacDonald
Major-General Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald, ( gd, Eachann Gilleasbaig MacDhòmhnaill; 4 March 1853 – 25 March 1903), also known as Fighting Mac, was a Scottish soldier.
The son of a crofter, MacDonald left school before he was 15, enl ...
,
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...
, Edinburgh, 1904
* Monument to soldiers killed in the Boer Wars,
Alloa
Alloa (Received Pronunciation ; educated Scottish pronunciation /ˈaloʊa/; gd, Alamhagh, possibly meaning "rock plain") is a town in Clackmannanshire in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is on the north bank of the Forth at the spot where ...
, 1904 (to a design by
Robert Lorimer
Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer, KBE (4 November 1864 – 13 September 1929) was a prolific Scottish architect and furniture designer noted for his sensitive restorations of historic houses and castles, for new work in Scots Baronial and Gothi ...
)
* Statue of
William Light
William Light (27 April 1786 – 6 October 1839), also known as Colonel Light, was a British- Malayan naval and army officer. He was the first Surveyor-General of the new British Province of South Australia, known for choosing the site o ...
, founder of
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, South Australia, designed 1904 and unveiled 1906 in the city of Adelaide
* ''The River Mersey'', ''Navigation'', and ''Commerce'', with sculptor
Edward O. Griffith, formerly on the Liverpool Cotton Exchange, 1905–1906
* Frieze within the old Lothian Region Chambers on
George IV Bridge
George IV Bridge is an elevated street in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is home to a number of the city's important public buildings.
History
A bridge connecting the Royal Mile to the south was first suggested as early as 1817, but was first p ...
in Edinburgh, 1905
* Heads on corbels,
Corstorphine
Corstorphine (Scottish Gaelic: ''Crois Thoirfinn'') ( ) is an area of the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh. Formerly a separate village and parish to the west of Edinburgh, it is now a suburb of the city, having been formally incorporate ...
Old Parish Church, Edinburgh, 1905
* ''Science'' on the Armstrong Building, Newcastle, 1906
* Sculpture on the entrance tower of Hawick Public Library 1906
* Monument to the
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSBs) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. On 28 March 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with the Royal Scots, the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own ...
on
North Bridge, Edinburgh
North Bridge is a road bridge and street in Edinburgh linking the High Street with Princes Street, and the Old Town with the New Town. The current bridge was built between 1894 and 1897. A previous North Bridge, built between 1763 and 1772, s ...
, 1906
* Monument of horse and rider to the
Royal Scots Greys
The Royal Scots Greys was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1707 until 1971, when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) to form the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard ...
on
Princes Street
Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...
, Edinburgh, 1906
* Figures on the former R. W. Forsyth Department Store (corner of
Princes Street
Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...
and St. Andrew Street), Edinburgh, 1906
* Figure of St. Andrew on St. Andrew's Parish Church,
North Berwick
North Berwick (; gd, Bearaig a Tuath) is a seaside town
A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on th ...
, 1907
* Monument to the
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...
for the South African War (
Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...
), The Mound, Edinburgh, 1908
* Monument to the poet
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
, Montrose 1912
* Ashton Building at the
University of Liverpool
, mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning
, established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...
, 1912–1914
* City Arms on the
Usher Hall
The Usher Hall is a concert hall in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has hosted concerts and events since its construction in 1914 and can hold approximately 2,200 people in its recently restored auditorium, which is well loved by performers due to its ...
, Edinburgh, 1914
* ''Allegory of Learning'', two figures above portico of
Shipley Art Gallery
The Shipley Art Gallery is an art gallery in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, located at the south end of Prince Consort Road. It has a Designated Collection of national importance.
Origins
The Shipley Art Gallery opened to the public in 1 ...
, Gateshead, 1917
* Four allegorical groupings representing ''Agriculture'', ''Art'', ''Industry'' and ''Learning'' at the base of the dome of the
Manitoba Legislative Building The Manitoba Legislative Building (french: Palais législatif du Manitoba), originally named the Manitoba Parliament Building, is the meeting place of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, located in central Winnipeg, as well as being the twelfth pr ...
, Winnipeg, 1918–1919
*
Kelty
Kelty (Scottish Gaelic: Cailtidh) is a former coal mining village located in Fife, Scotland. Lying in the heart of the old mining heartlands of Fife, it is situated on the Fife/Kinross-shire boundary and has a population of around 6,000 res ...
War Memorial, 1921
*
Buckie
Buckie ( gd, Bucaidh) is a burgh town (defined as such in 1888) on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland. Historically in Banffshire, Buckie was the largest town in the county until the administrative area was abolished in 1975. The town is the ...
War Memorial, 1921
*
New Brighton War Memorial, 1921
* Figure of a pensive soldier of 8th Battalion
Royal Scots
The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland. The regimen ...
atop a commemorative plinth,
Prestonpans
Prestonpans ( gd, Baile an t-Sagairt, Scots: ''The Pans'') is a small mining town, situated approximately eight miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the Council area of East Lothian. The population as of is. It is near the site of the 1745 ...
War Memorial, 1922
Gallery
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhind, William Birnie
1853 births
1933 deaths
Scottish male sculptors
Artists from Edinburgh
Royal Scottish Academicians
19th-century British sculptors
20th-century British sculptors
Burials at Warriston Cemetery