Biography of Charles Alfred Stothard 1786-1821
In 1783 [his father] Thomas Stothard (age 27) and [his mother] Rebecca Watkins were married. They had eleven children, of whom six – five sons and one daughter – survived infancy.
On 05 Jul 1786 Charles Alfred Stothard was born to Thomas Stothard (age 30) and Rebecca Watkins.
In 1815 Charles Alfred Stothard (age 28) was appointed historical draughtsman to the Society of Antiquaries of London, who sent him to Bayeux to make coloured drawings of the tapestry for publication in the series Vetusta Monumenta.
In Feb 1818 Charles Alfred Stothard (age 31) and Anna Eliza Kempe (age 27) were married. He the son of Thomas Stothard (age 62) and Rebecca Watkins.
In 1819 Charles Alfred Stothard (age 32) was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
Introduction. Charles Alfred Stothard (age 33). Engraved by Cooper from a Miniature printed by Alfred Chalon RA in the possession of Mr C Stothard.
On 28 May 1821 Charles Alfred Stothard (age 34) died as a consequence of falling off a ladder while tracing a portrait from one of the windows at St Andrew's Church, Bere Ferrers [Map] in which churchyard he was subsequently buried.
Monumental Effigies of Great Britain. ADVERTISEMENT.
On issuing the twelfth and concluding number of the Monumental Effigies of Great Britain to the Subscribers and the Public, [his former wife] Mrs. Bray (age 41) is desirous to explain the reasons which have constrained her to publish the Introduction and Historical Descriptions, written by her brother, Alfred John Kempe (age 47), Esq. F.S.A. in a separate form, and to charge for it accordingly.
Since Mr. Charles Stothard's decease, who not only executed the drawings but the etchings from them himself, the work has been placed in a very different position, and Mrs. Bray has been obliged to employ artists, at a very heavy expense, for the purpose of furnishing the plates, twelve in each number.
The completion of the Monumental Effigies in a manner respectful to her late husband's great talents, and satisfactory to the Subscribers, has ever been her primary object; and, long as the interval may seem that has elapsed between Mr. Stothard's decease and such completion, the undertaking has never stood still.
With respect to the Head-plates for the different Monuments, Mr. Stothard, had he survived, would no doubt have added many more to those which he published; but, except in the instance of the tomb of Sir Robert de Shurland, he left behind him no materials available to pursue his intention. His practice in drawing the elevation of Monuments for the Head-plates, was merely to take the just admeasurements, and sketch the mouldings and architectural parts, reserving the putting such materials together for a future opportunity. To these drawings, made only for his own information, there were not any memoranda in writing appended, indicating to what tombs they should be applied: consequently (the overwhelming increase of expense out of the question) it became impossible to appropriate them to the purpose for which they were made. It is, however, fortunate that in the head-plates will be found distinct examples of the variation in altar-tombs, from the thirteenth to the early part of the fifteenth century.
The Introduction and Historical Descriptions for the Monumental Effigies, will be found to consist of upwards of one hundred and twenty pages of letter press, elegantly printed, and embellished with a Frontispiece, etched by the late Mr. Charles Stothard, after an original design by his father; his Portrait, by Chalon, engraved by Cooper; a View of the inscribed Coffin-lid of Matilda, Queen of William the Conqueror; the elevation of the Tomb of Sir Robert Shurland, at Minster Church, Sheppy; and various wood-blocks, not here particularized.
The Price of the Introduction and Historical Descriptions will, therefore, be the same as that of the Numbers containing the Effigies;—Large Paper, £1. 15s; Small Paper, £1. 5s.
A very limited edition of the work has been struck off.
Monumental Effigies of Great Britain. Introduction and Descriptions for Stothard's Monumental Effigies of Great Britain by Alfred John Kempe (age 47) FSA 1832.
Alfred John Kempe: On 04 Jun 1784 he was born to John Kempe and Anne Arrow. In 1828 Alfred John Kempe was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. On 21 Jun 1846 he died.
On 21 Jan 1883 [his former wife] Anna Eliza Kempe (age 92) died.
Georgian Memoirs. CHARLES ALFRED STOTHARD.
Charles Alfred Stothard, eldest son of Thomas Stothard, Esq., the royal academician, was born in London, on the 5th of July, 1786. He received the first part of his education at the school of a Mr. Dearne, and afterwards became the private pupil of the Rev. Robert Burnside. He first developed his taste for the arts by painting, in a very superior manner, the miniature scenes for his schoolboy model of a theatre. A propensity to the study of history, also marked his early years; and, by turns, poetry, astronomy, chemistry, natural history, Latin, French, Italian, music, and drawing, all engaged his attention. The proficiency which he made in these was the result of his own diligence; and, indeed, his biographer and widow remarks, that, for whatever he acquired during life, he was little indebted to the instruction of others; — such as he was, he made himself.
Archaeologia Volume 29 Section III. The volume of Monumental Effigies, drawn and engraved by Mr. Charles Alfred Stothard, F.S.A. the late draughtsman to the Society, is so generally known and so highly appreciated wherever known, that it is only necessary, in order to introduce the subject of the following remarks, to remind the reader that it was left imperfect, in consequence of the author's sudden death, from a lamentable accident which occurred in the pursuit of his congenial profession. It was a part of Mr. Stothard's plan to have included in his work a complete series of the effigies of the Kings and Queens of this country; and for that purpose he visited France, and brought from Fontevraud [Map] his drawings of the statues of Henry the Second and his Queen, of Richard the First, and of Isabella Queen of John; and from the Abbey of L'Espan, near le Mans, the effigy of Berengaria, Queen of Richard I., as well as the figure of Geoffrey, Comte of Anjou, from an enamelled Plate in the church of St. Julien at le Mans [Map]. There were others, however, and those by no means inferior to any in beauty or interest, which had been left, perhaps from the very reason of their being within immediate reach, until some convenient opportunity, which was frustrated by the premature close of the artist's career. I allude particularly to thosea of Queen Philippa, King Richard the Second, and his Queen Anne of Bohemia, all in Westminster Abbey.
Note a. Mr. Stothard also intended to have included in his work all the knightly effigies in the Temple church. Those he omitted will be given by the Messrs. Hollis.