Boating Boys

Durham was born in London and was first apprenticed to John Francis, a decorative carver. He later worked for three years in the studio of Edward Hodges Baily, RA, FRS and exhibited his first piece of sculpture in the Royal Academy in 1835 and was to exhibit a total of 126 pieces there and 6 at the British Institution. In 1858 his model of Britannia Presiding Over the Four Quarters of the Globe was awarded the first prize in a competition to select a memorial for the Great Exhibition of 1851 and in 1863 he executed a statue of the Prince Consort. This was first erected in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society at Kensington, and was moved to its present position near to the Royal Albert Hall in about 1890. He became and Associate of the Royal Academy in 1866. In addition to his portrait figures he produced medallions, memorials, fountains and a delightful series of sporting figures. In 1864, along side a group of 5 cricket players, he exhibited British Sports: Group, Boating Boys; bronze statuette at the Royal Academy (no.954).