William Shirreffs

William Shirreffs was a Scottish sculptor in the 19th century.
He served as one of the chosen sculptors of the figures depicting characters from the novels of Sir Walter Scott on the Scott Monument on Princes Street in Edinburgh and was the sculptor of the figures on the north entrance porch of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Life

He was born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, to James Shirreffs and his wife, Mary Wagrel, in 1846 and was baptised in the same parish on 14 April 1846.
He studied at Glasgow School of Art under William Mossman from 1870 to 1873, winning a free scholarship in 1872.
In 1877 he opened his own studio at 108 West Regent Street and in 1887 opened his own foundry at 261 West George Street, probably with his brother, Charles Gordon Shirreffs, who was a brass-founder.
He worked closely with the architect J J Burnet on several projects. He also did co-operative works with other sculptors such as Sir George Frampton, John Rhind and Pittendreigh MacGillivray.
He exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1896.
For the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, he visited Paris with Frampton to study sculptures on contemporary French buildings.
He died at his home, Lochwinnoch in Paisley on 23 June 1902 and is buried in Glasgow's Western Necropolis.

See

Figure of Gurth the Swineherd on the Scott Monument, Princes Street, Edinburgh
Copper panels in Glasgow's City Chambers
Carving on the Sugar Exchange, Greenock
Low relief bronze panels on the pedestal of John Rhind’s statue to Sir William Chambers on Chambers Street, Edinburgh
Carving on the General Accident and Assurance Company offices, Perth
Carving on Clark Memorial Church, Largs
Sculpture on Glasgow Savings Bank, 177 Ingram Street
Monument to Thomas Gildard, architect, Glasgow Necropolis
Heraldic sculpture, 67 St Vincent Street, Glasgow demolished 1967
Figure of Diana Vernon in final phase of Scott Monument, Princes Street, Edinburgh
Figures on the north side of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Lower figures on the monument to William Gladstone on Coates Crescent, Edinburgh - main statue by Pittendreigh MacGillivray
William Barbour Monument, Paisley