Details of Sculptor

Surname

Sidnell

Alternative Surname

First Name

Michael, of Bristol

Initial of Surname

S

Year of Birth/Baptism

Flourished

1718-62?

Year of Death

Biographical Details

An architect and statuary, he became a freeman of Bristol on 2 December 1718 (City Archives in GPC). His monuments are architectural in design, and he makes much use of heraldic shields and coats of arms. The best, commemorating James Lyde stands about 12 feet high and has Doric pilasters supporting a broken pediment (16). The Cornelius Lyde is a baroque tablet with cherubs’ heads carved at its foot (2). He made use of coloured marbles in the monument to Christopher Devonshire (7), and sent one known work to America (14).
Sidnell signed the fine monument to Edward Colston, though the semi-recumbent figure is by Michael Rysbrack (5). Sidnell must therefore have been responsible for the architectural elements or for setting it up when it was sent down from London. It was designed by James Gibbs and is illustrated in his Book of Architecture, 1728, to which Sidnell was a subscriber.
In 1742 the sculptor became bankrupt (London Mag, 1742, 518), but he continued to work. Between 1743 and 1745 he was the architect responsible for Westbury Court, Glos, and was described at that time as ‘of the City of Bristol, master-workeman and architect’ (Archives, Sir Francis Colchester-Wemyss in Gunnis 1968, 351). He also worked under Thomas Paty in 1744 at Redland chapel, Bristol. He was a vestryman at St James Church until 1746 when he became Sexton. In 1762 he took a lease for 21 years for two floors of accommodation, yard and stables in nearby Whitsun Street, now spelt Whitson (Bristol Records Office ref. P.StJ/VCD/5/1/2).
A ‘Daniel Sidnell of Bristol, Free Stone Cutter’, became free of that city on 1 June 1739, on his marriage to Sarah, daughter of James Tanner, weaver, deceased (BRO, Burgess Books 04359, microfiche FC/BB/1 (m), 5 fol 155).
Literary References: Gunnis 1968, 351; Friedman 1984, 95, 290; Colvin 1995, 868; Eustace 2006 (1), 10, 16 n89; inf Rob Harding