William Walter Tyrell Stanford (1839–2 June 1880) was an Australian

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

. Stanford was born in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

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, son of Thomas Tyrell, contractor, and his wife Frances Trevor. As a youth Stanford was apprenticed to a stonemason. Stanford came to

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

in 1852, probably as a ship's boy, and for a time worked on the gold diggings at

Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...

. In 1854 he was found guilty on a charge of horse-stealing and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment at

HM Prison Pentridge HM Prison Pentridge was an Australian prison that was first established in 1851 in Coburg, Victoria. The first prisoners arrived in 1851. The prison officially closed on 1 May 1997. Pentridge was often referred to as the "Bluestone College", ...

, near

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. After serving nearly six years, he was released on

ticket of leave A ticket of leave was a document of parole issued to convicts who had shown they could now be trusted with some freedoms. Originally the ticket was issued in Britain and later adapted by the United States, Canada, and Ireland. Jurisdictions ...

. On 1 May 1860 Stanford was found guilty on two charges of highway robbery and one of horse-stealing and sentenced to 22 years in prison. Afterward Stanford declared his innocence of two of the charges, and, in the charge of horse-thievery, he said was not the principal actor but assisted a fellow ex-prisoner. Stanford was again imprisoned at Pentridge, to become one of the most insubordinate of all the prisoners and thoroughly hardened. The chaplain was impressed Stanford's drawings on a slate and carved bone figure. The carving was shown to Colonel Champ, governor of the prison, who offered Stanford the opportunity to create more art if he promised to improve his behaviour. The chaplain gained permission for

Charles Summers Charles Summers (27 July 1825 – 24 October 1878) was an England, English sculptor active in London, Melbourne and Rome. He was an important figure in the Australian art world of the 1850s and 60s, and is particularly remembered as the creator ...

to teach Stanford modelling. Later Stanford submitted a design for a fountain which was approved. He only had local

bluestone Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including: * basalt in Victoria, Australia, and in New Zealand * dolerites in Tasmania, Australia; and in Britain (including Stonehenge) * felds ...

from the prison quarry for construction. Stanford worked for four years on it and became exemplary in his conduct. Summers told his friends about it and many appeals were made for the release of the prisoner. Stanford was "discharged to freedom by remission" in October 1871, the fountain was set up in the triangular piece of ground between Parliament House and the treasury building, and there Stanford gave it its finishing touches. It is an excellent piece of design, amazingly successful when the conditions under which it was produced are considered. Stanford became a monumental mason at

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

, a suburb of Melbourne. There he married and was respected and liked by his neighbours. His business was successful and he made a reputation for his carved headstones. One of these may be seen on the main drive of the

St Kilda Cemetery St Kilda Cemetery is located in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda East, Victoria. History St Kilda Cemetery covers a large block bordered by Dandenong Road, Hotham Street, Alma Road and Alexandra Street. It is bounded by a historic wall and conta ...

not far from the gate. Another example of his work is on his wife's grave at the

Melbourne cemetery The Melbourne Cemetery or City of Melbourne Cemetery is a cemetery in Melbourne, Florida, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily lo ...

. Stanford died of "ulceration of the stomach" on 2 June 1880 at Prahran, partly from the effects of inhaling the fine dust while working on the fountain.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stanford, William Monumental masons 1839 births 1880 deaths 19th-century Australian sculptors