Location York

MR. GUEDALLA tells us that the ordered elegance of pagan ornament proclaims the eighteenth century; the second half of which gave us a great number of marble tablets in the Minster and Parish Churches-they are usually signed.

The beauty of Katherine Coppinger's monument is enhanced by its graceful curve. How effective the cartouche can be is shown in the designs for Thomas Clifton and Thomas Condon.

The tablet to Samuel Dawson, d. 1731, in St. Martin-cum-Gregory (Plate LXa). and the fine one to Joseph Buckle, d. 1760, in St. Helen's (Plate LIX), are in freestone- the latter is surmounted with a bust.

Later in the century the urn or casket takes the place of the cartouche; the palm or bay being used for decoration. This is seen in those to William Grews, d. 1770, in St. Michael's, Spurriergate (Plate LXc), and Thomas Payler, d. 1759, in St. Helen's (Plate LXIfl).

There is a little tablet of rather unusual shape to Elizabeth Ann, d. 1760, in Holy Trinity, Micklegate (Plate LX£), and another which might be by the same sculptor of Michael Loftus, gentleman, d. 1762, in St. Olaf's, " Servant to the Duke of Ormonde " (Plate LXXIX&). Acomb Church has one to Rebecca Armitage, very like the one to Michael Loftus.

Most of the later monuments are signed, the more important are by the Fisher family, four generations of which worked in York. Their work is to be found in other parts of England, from Lowther on the borders of Cumberland to St. Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge, at Howden, Selby, Filey, Lichfield, and in many lesser places. Their names appear on a very large number of the memorial tablets in the Minster and Parish Churches. The figure of Christ on the altar in the Lady Chapel in the Minster is by John Fisher's father, Richard Fisher, and is one of two " statues "-we should say "statuettes" to-day-which, as Mrs. Esdaile has found, were.shown in Nos. 95 and 96 at the second Exhibition of works of art ever held in England; that of the Free Society of Artists in 1761. The other statuette, a lovely little Jupiter and the Eagle, was discovered in a much-damaged state in the Museum of York Philosophical
Society in September 1941, and shows Richard Fisher as a very fine artist; his Christ is apparently the first figure of the type executed in England since the Reformation -such was the dread of Popery-and has genuine historical importance.

The legend given by Dean Purey-Cust is that he would not divulge his real name, as, being an adherent of the house of Stuart, he had fled out of Scotland.

John Fisher, 1760-1839, the son of Richard Fisher, had three sons-all sculptors: the eldest, Samuel, b. 1784, left York; John, b. 1786, and Charles, 1789-1861, worked in York. Charles's eldest son, 1823-84, was named John, and was the last of the line practising sculpture in York.

The Fisher monuments made in the eighteenth century, signed "J. Fisher," are obviously by John Fisher; those signed " Fisher " may be by either John or Richard, whilst others signed " Fishers," like the beautiful Hutchinson tablet, are presumably by Richard and John Fisher. The later Fisher monuments are much inferior to the earlier. The work of Richard and John Fisher is the finest we have in York of this period.

The fine monument to John Dealtry, M.D., d. 1773, in the Minster (Plate LXII), which, unlike some of the earlier memorials, does not conflict with its Gothic background, is signed Fishers, and is probably the work of Richard and John.

The epitaph on the Dealtry monument is by William Mason, and is printed in his works; it reads:

" Here o'er the tomb where Dealtry's ashes sleep,
See Health in emblematic anguish weep!
She drops her faded wreath, ' No more ' she cries,
' Let languid mortals with beseeching eyes
Implore my feeble aid; it failed to save
My own and Nature's guardian from the grave '."

A wall tablet to Henry Waite, d. 1780, " Eminent in the profession of the law," in St. Crux (Plate LXIII), with a medallion portrait rather lavishly decorated, is by J. Fisher, and another to Thomas Bowes (Plate LXI&)-a less elaborate but more attractive design signed Fisher-is probably the work of John. Thomas Bowes, apothecary, " descended from honest and reputable parents," died in his second Mayoralty, in 1777.

The charming tablet to William Hutchinson, d. 1784, in St. Michael's, Spurriergate (Plate LXIV), signed "Messrs. Fishers, Invt. et Sculpt," is also the joint work of father and son. William Hutchinson, according to the epitaph, served the office of Sheriff, living eighty-nine years in the city of his birth.

The important statue of Sir George Savile, d. 1784, in the Minster (Plate LXV), is signed Fisher-at that date presumably John. Sir George Savile represented Yorkshire in four Parliaments; this memorial was erected to his memory by his friends.

There is a series of beautiful tablets in the Minster in white and coloured marble, similar in design to the expensive chimney-pieces in the Georgian houses erected in this period. It is difficult to say which are the most pleasing, but those to Sir John Davenport, d. 1786 (Plate LXVI), Mary Pulleyn, d. 1786 (Plate LXVII), and Richard Wharton, d. 1794 (Plate LXXII), are beautiful examples of Fisher's work, and are typical of the art of this period. There are two of his more important tablets in the Parish Churches-Thomas Rodwell, d. 1787, in St. Mary's, Bishophill Senior (Plate LXX), and William Musket, M.D., d. 1792, in St. Mary's, Castlegate (Plate LXXI).

The memorials in the Minster to Edward Tipping, d. 1791 (Plate LXVIII), and Lady Mary Hore, d. 1798 (Plate LXXIII), are by Michael Taylor, who was working in York at this period.

That to Anne Thompson, d. 1791 (Plate LXIX), is also probably by him.

Of the smaller memorials, one of the most interesting is that to Dr. John Burton, d. 1771, in Holy Trinity, Micklegate (Plate LXrf)- the Doctor Slop of Tristram Shandy; a Gothic element has been introduced into the design, to commemorate the antiquary who published Dugdale's Monasticon.

Another one is to Tate Wilkinson. d. 1803, in All Saints, Pavement (Plate LXXW), the " original patentee and thirty-four years manager of the Theatre Royal, York"; the author of The Wandering Patentee, who also published Memoirs of his own life, both books of importance in the history of the Provincial Theatre.

The two tablets of rather similar but unusual design are those to ElizabethScarisbrick, d. 1797, in Holy Trinity, Micklegate (Plate LXXVa), by Thomas Atkinson, and another to the sculptor, Thomas Atkinson, by J. W. Atkinson, in St. Saviour's (Plate LXXVc).

Thomas Atkinson, who died in 1798, was the architect who designed the Gothic front and Gate House for Archbishop Markham at Bishopthorpe, and the chimney-piece in the drawing-room and best dining-room.

A favourite feature of these smaller memorials in black and white marble is the classical urn placed above the inscription. (See Plates LXXIVabcd; LXXVIafo.)
A more elaborate one to Robert Welborn Hotham, d. 1806, in St. Dennis (Plate LXXVII), is by W. & C. Fisher. William Fisher was a son, Charles a grandson, of Richard Fisher.

The classic tradition continued into the middle of the nineteenth century; a late example is a large and poor monument to William Burgh, d. 1808, by Richard Westmacott, in the Minster (Plate LXXVII I).

The Georgian memorials deteriorated in the nineteenth century. The ones in St. Olaf's, to Sarah Eyre, d. 1825, Frances Worsley, d. 1837 (Plate LXXIX), and David Russell, d, 1840 (Plate LXXX), are heavy and without the charm and grace of those of the previous century.

There are several interesting busts in the City.
The Castle Museum contains a fine one of the architect, John Carr, by Nollekens; in the Yorkshire Museum there is one of Rev. W. V. Harcourt, and another of Stephen Beckwith, both of which are by Chantrey. The Blind School, which was founded in memory of William Wilberforce, has a bust of him by Samuel Joseph. There are memorials of two members of the Corporation, Alderman Carr in the Art Gallery, by M. Noble, and one at the entrance to the Council Chamber of Alderman Bentley, by F. W. Doyle Jones.

The Public Statues in York are by Mr. Milburn, who carved the statues of Queen Victoria inside the Art Gallery, that of Etty in the Square facing it, and one of George Leeman, a Member of Parliament for the City of York, who did much to make it a railway centre.