Benjamin Payler (Woodhouse, Leeds 1841 – Leeds 16 November 1907), Births Jun 1841 Payler Benjamin Leeds XXIII 449 Deaths Dec 1907 Payler Benjamin. 66 Leeds 9b 316 (fl. 1871–1901), was a sculptor, stone and marble mason.Mapping the practice and profession of sculpture: Benjamin Payler He was apprenticed to Catherine Mawer, alongside fellow apprentices Matthew Taylor and Catherine's son Charles Mawer. He formed a business partnership at 50 Great George Street with Charles Mawer in 1881. There is no known record of Charles after that. Payler continued to run the business there under his own name. In his day, he was noted for his 1871 bust of Henry Richardson, the first Mayor of Barnsley, his keystone heads on the 1874 Queen's Hotel in the same town, and his architectural sculpture on George Corson's 1881 School Board offices, Leeds. Payler was a member of the Mawer Group, which included the above-mentioned sculptors, plus William Ingle.
Early life His father was James Payler (b.Woodhouse 18 May 1809), a wool cloth sorter; his mother was Hannah Payler nee Spurr (Hunslet 10 March 1808 – Leeds 1852), the fourth of numerous siblings, the surviving ones being Thomas Spurr, Edward T., Ann Elizabeth a milliner (1835–1911), John a brush maker, Emily, James, Mary, Lucy, and twins Henry Thomas and Frederick; all born at Woodhouse.United Kingdom Census 1851: Leeds St Mark Woodhouse p32/371 H.O.107/2321 Deaths Jun 1852 Payler Hannah Leeds 9b 260 The 1851 census finds Benjamin living at Woodhouse Street, Leeds, aged 9 years and a scholar, born at Woodhouse Leeds.United Kingdom Census 1851: Woodhouse St Marks p33 H.O.107/2321 In the 1861 census, he is at 29/30 Woodhouse Street, with his father, stepmother Margaret (b.1818) from Bishop Thornton and siblings. At age 19 he is already described as a sculptor.United Kingdom Census 1861: Leeds north west St Marks p25/16 RG9/3389
Apprenticeship He was apprenticed to Catherine Mawer alongside Matthew Taylor, the "gifted sculptor" of the angler's tomb in Woodhouse Cemetery.Leeds Mercury, Saturday 24 June 1905 p22 col4: Notes and Queries: An angler' tomb and the correction: Leeds Mercury, Saturday 01 July 1905 p22 col4: An angler's tombLeeds Intelligencer, Tuesday 19 February 1856 p3 col3: Important decision respecting apprentice Assuming that he completed his apprenticeship at age 21, he could have been a top sculptor from 1862; it is not known whether he continued employment with Catherine Mawer until 1871 when he began independent work.
Family and career Benjamin married Mary Jane Lassey (1844–1919) Deaths Mar 1919 Payler Mary J. 74 Leeds 9b 865 daughter of cabinet maker Joseph Lassey,Births Sep 1844 Lassey Mary Jane Leeds XXIII 446Leeds Mercury, Monday 29 August 1870 p2 col4: Marriages in the Brunswick Methodist Chapel, Leeds,Now demolished. See images: Category:Brunswick Chapel, Leeds on 27 August 1870.Marriages Sep 1870 Payler Benjamin and Lassey Mary Jane Leeds 9b 674 They had at least six children: Benjamin (1875–1875), Deaths Mar 1875 Payler Benjamin 0 Leeds 9b 383 Frank Lassey (1876–1963) Deaths Mar 1963 Payler Frank Lassey 87 Cardiff 8B 263 a bank clerk, Margaret Louise (b.1877; m.1912),Marriages Sep 1912 Payler Margaret L. Ellis Harold S. Leeds 9b 1149 Sydney (1878–1886), Deaths Dec 1886 Payler Sydney 8 Leeds 9b 346 James Stanley (1880 – 24 January 1883) Deaths Mar 1883 PAYLER James Stanley 3 Leeds 9b 349Leeds Times, Saturday 27 January 1883 p8 col5: Deaths and Henry Rowland (1881 – 7 March 1885).Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Tuesday 10 March 1885 p8 col7: Deaths The 1871 census sees Benjamin, a sculptor and stone carver, and his wife living at 5 Woodville Terrace.United Kingdom Census 1871: Leeds north west St Marks p20 RG10 4560 In 1871 he was already advertising his services and working from his 5 Woodville Terrace address.Leeds Mercury, Saturday 04 November 1871 p1 col.6: Small ads In 1881 they and their children Frank, Sydney and James, and a domestic servant, were living at 19 Kingsham Road, Leeds; he is described as a sculptor mason, employing four men.United Kingdom Census 1881: Leeds north west, St Marks p1 RG11 4527 In 1885 they were living at 19 Bagby Street, Bagby Fields, Leeds. The 1891 census finds him at 14 Archery Place, Leeds under the name Taylor, with his wife and children.United Kingdom Census 1891: Leeds north west All Souls p4 RG12/3700 In the 1901 census Benjamin, his wife and their children Frank and Margaret, are at 7 Blandford Gardens, Leeds; Benjamin is described as a sculptor.United Kingdom Census 1901: Leeds All Souls p15/98 RG13/4231
Death When he died in 1907, his effects were worth £987 2s 3d, and he left them to his widow Mary Jane Payler, and his two children Frank Lassey Payler bank clerk, and Margaret Louisa Payler spinster.Gov.uk: Probate search service
Works by Benjamin Payler
Bust of Henry Richardson JP, 1871
Henry Richardson (1798 – Dodworth Grove Barnsley 1 January 1875) Deaths Mar 1875 Richardson Henry 76 Barnsley 9c 115 was elected first mayor of Barnsley in 1869 and took his seat on 13 September.Visitor UK: Timeline history of Barnsley; 1869Barnsley Chronicle, etc., Saturday 30 May 1896 p5 col6: Notes and Comments He was a West Riding of Yorkshire magistrate, and the head of Richardson, Lee, Rycroft & Co., Manchester and Barnsley linen manufacturers.Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Saturday 09 January 1875 p10 col1: Deaths; and col.2: Death of first mayor of Barnsley His Leeds Mercury obituary described him as "a gentleman who was highly esteemed for his many amiable qualities and unostentatious benevolence."Leeds Mercury, Saturday 09 January 1875 p13 col5; Death of the first mayor of Barnsley
The bust was presented to Richardson at Barnsley Corn Exchange, by his linen factory employees, in token of their esteem, and in recognition of his golden wedding anniversary earlier the same year. The Yorkshire Post described it thus: "A handsome marble bust of himself, which had been executed by Mr Benjamin Payler, of Leeds, a young and rising artist. The bust was placed on a pedestal of polished granite."Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Saturday 02 December 1871 p5 col3: Barnsley, presentation to Mr H. Richardson JPBarnsley Chronicle, etc., Saturday 01 December 1894 p5 col6: "Mention was made by Mr. Sykes"
In 1871, the Barnsley Chronicle reported: "The bust, which is of beautiful white marble, has been executed by Mr Benjamin Payler, of Leeds, a young artist of considerable promise, who bids fair, at no distant date, to distinguish himself as a sculptor. He is, we may state in passing, the same artist who executed the sculptures on the Queen's Hotel, bottom of Regent Street, which comprise admirable likenesses of the Mayor and Mr Richardson. The bust, which represents the head about the life size, is true to nature in its representation of the original. From whatever standpoint it may be viewed, the likeness is a perfect one, not merely the expression of the countenance, but almost every line in the features being traced with a striking fidelity to nature. The base bears the following inscription: Presented to Henry Richardson Esq., J.P., by his workpeople 1871. The pedestal, which represents the lower half of a Corinthian column, has been supplied by Mr Oxley of this town, and is formed of polished granite, the base being of white, or Aberdeen granite, and the stalk of red Peterhead granite. The height of the pedestal is about 3 feet 6 inches, and the circumference of the stalk 30 inches. As will be seen from the subjoined address it is the wish of the workpeople that when Barnsley becomes possessed of a Town Hall ... the bust should be offered to the Corporation, to be placed by them, if accepted, in some conspicuous part of the building, to remain [as a memorial of his integrity, good works and generosity. After thanking them, Richardson commented that the bust was] beautiful - it was perfect. [Looking at the bust which was] so life-like, [he added that,] there it was in marble, symbolical of the future, when that tongue which now spoke to them would speak no more. [His son Mr G.M. Richardson said that,] he really felt as if he was on the point of breaking down when that bust of his father was unveiled, the likeness was so very striking. [Mr H.M. Richardson added that,] the bust had his most unqualified approval, and expressed his conviction that Mr. Payler had a distinguished future before him as a sculptor."Barnsley Chronicle, etc., Saturday 02 December 1871 p8 col4: Presentation of a marble bust and an address to Henry Richardson, Esq., J.P., by his workpeople (Barnsley Chronicle 2 December 1871)
As of 2017 the bust was on display in a glass case in Barnsley Town Hall, and its pedestal was in the Cannon Hall Museum.Information from Experience Barnsley Museum archives
Queen's Hotel, Barnsley, 1874
The Queens Hotel (later Queen's Court) is a Grade II listed building in Regent Street and Eldon Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. It was designed by Wade & Turner and completed in 1874. Payler created the sculpted heads on the building, including portraits of Queen Victoria, and Henry Richardson, first Mayor of Barnsley. He also created the triplicate label stop heads of himself, Catherine Mawer and Old Father Time on the adjacent building. The Historic England listing description includes: "Symmetrical facade to Regent Street: central bay and each end marked by pilasters with acanthus capitals. Central round-arched enriched portal with double, panelled door and consoles supporting heavy dentilled cornice. Carved head of Queen Victoria as keystone. C20 canopy. Round-arched ground-floor sash windows with carved-head keystones and pointed hoodmoulds. 1st-floor sash windows on decorative sill band all square-headed, the central one enriched with garlanded lions-head consoles supporting segmental pediment, with balustrade with urns."
Stage boxes in Grand Theatre, Leeds, 1877–1878 The Grand Theatre in Upper Briggate, Leeds, is a Grade II* listed building, designed by George Corson and his chief assistant James Robinson Watson, and opened in November 1878, having taken "thirteen months to build."Leeds Times, Saturday 23 November 1878 p2 col5-6: Opening of the Grand Theatre at Leeds It originally consisted of a theatre and assembly rooms, with shops in between. The interiors have been much changed, especially in the 1930s. Payler executed the decoration on the stage boxes.Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Tuesday 19 November 1878 p5 col1-4: Opening of the Grand Theatre "The prevailing colour of the decorations (was) crimson and gold."The Era, Sunday 24 November 1878 p7 col1: Opening of the "Grand" Theatre Leeds
Cornice and medallion heads, Thornton's Arcade, 1877–1878 Although no evidence of the authorship of this exterior stone carving has been found, it is likely that Payler carved the stone medallion portrait heads at either end of Thornton's Arcade, in the city centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire. The reasons for considering Payler's possible authorship are as follows. The carvings are not in the same theatrical style as John Wormald Appleyard's nearby wooden clock figures, or his wooden head of the Duchess of Devonshire, inside the arcade. The stone heads resemble Payler's previous work on the former Queen's Hotel, Barnsley, described above. The carvings include a portrait of Payler as a signature, and a portrait of Appleyard with a feather in his cap as an acknowledgement of achievement given from one sculptor to another by members of the Mawer Group. Payler and Appleyard ran stoneyards about fifty yards apart, in Great George Street and Cookridge Street. They sometimes worked side by side on the same building, for example in Leeds Grand Theatre, and Leeds Central Library.