Beaumont, William Henry 'Dyer'

Introduction:

Recorded working between 1831 and 1852, Cambridge-born itinerant profile cutter WILLIAM HENRY 'DYER' BEAUMONT (ca. 1805-1852) is best known for crafting a significant number of accomplished coloured full-length and conversation pieces during the 1840s. Often referred to as 'Beaumont of Cheltenham' , recently sourced newsprint also located him active in the South and Southwest of England.

Nine of the 12 advertisements plotting his career were placed in the 1830s, and while appearing well-patronised, few silhouettes from that decade have come to light. McKechnie assesses work from this time of moderate quality, while rating compositions from the 1840s as "...among the finest of the period".

Overall, few bust-size silhouettes are recorded. However, 18 named female sitters cut in Bath between 1842-1845, are housed in a scrap book of the period (see Beaumont SCC Newsletter-January 2005). Highlights and detailing are neatly applied, bustline terminations are variable. In addition, one male sitter cut from sepia paper with gilt highlights, dark sepia detailing and diagonal bustline termination, is also recorded housed in a papier-mâché frame. Doubtless other unattributed bust-size profiles are extant.

Fortunately, Beaumont's full-length single or group profiles are sometimes signed. These works evidence confident attention to detail. Fabrics, furnishings, side tables, desks and chairs - all are well reproduced, as are baskets or vases of brightly-coloured flowers which are an often recurring motif. Employed at some pastime or merely at ease, sitters are realistically posed and most of them placed on a simple wash base, or more rarely on patterned coloured carpet. The majority of sitters are cut from sepia-coloured paper, detailed and applied to card, Bristol or London Board. Most are framed in maplewood, some in reeded ebonised wood. One printed trade label is recorded. Headed "Mr. BEAUMONT from BATH and BRIGHTON...", it must postdate his first recorded vist to Bath in 1837.

His initial record appears in the HAMPSHIRE ADVERTISER 20th August 1831, where "W.H.BEAUMONT-PROFILIST...[prolonging his stay in Southampton, offered] ...Profile Likenesses (always warranted) from 1s to 5s 5d". On 24th December 1831, the same newspaper under the heading "A Measurement of Mortality" stated that with over 2,000 Southampton clients "...on a modest computation the delineating wire of...[Beaumont's]...profile machine passed over 3 miles of the human form". The information is useful, insomuch as it relates to him using a profile machine, a fact never mentioned in any of his advertisements.

Extended stays in various towns are indicated by Beaumont's advertisements. In Bath, he dubs himself 'The Cheltenham Profilist', in Cheltenham 'The Bath Profilist', while THE HAMPSHIRE CHRONICLE 27th February 1832 announced his arrival in Winchester as 'The Brighton Profilist'. Curiously, only the number of profiles taken in Portsmouth and Southampton are quoted and no Brighton-based advertisements have been discovered.

In the HAMPSHIRE CHRONICLE 27th May 1833, Beaumont advertises himself patronised by the Lord Bishop of Winchester and offers "...a variety of Frames, calculated for Profiles - just received from London - on sale - moderate prices". Three months later, intending to prolong his stay, the CHELTENHAM LOOKER-ON 17th August records Beaumont's initial visit to the spa town.

He next appears as 'The Cheltenham Profilist' in Salisbury. The SALISBURY and WINCHESTER JOURNAL 28th April 1834 recorded him patronised by the Lord Bishops of Winchester, Chichester, and their relevant Deans and Chapters. His terms were "Plain Busts 2s, Busts bronzed 3s 6d, Whole Length 4s, ditto shaded 7s. Profiles of the Clergy and well-known Characters of Winchester, Chichester, Southampton &c..." were viewable in his studio window. Two years later, 11th April 1836, the same newspaper stated Beaumont would not revisit Salisbury for at least 3 years.

Though Beaumont never revisited Salisbury, a lengthy time was next spent in Bath. Placed in the BATH CHRONICLE 7th September 1837, he advertised his removal to Queens Parade Place, while a columnist in the same edition recorded Beaumont had already resided 15 months in the city "...visited by more than 2,000 persons which says something in favour of his success in his art'. In addition, 'Profile Shades in a New Style' were offered and likely were the first intimation of the highlighted full-length compositions he is best known for.

Absent from records for the next 4 years, Beaumont reappears in the BATH CHRONICLE 20th January 1842 "...for a very short period resuming his professional duties...[in]...Broad Street". However, 4 profiles dated Bath, May 1844 and Bath, February 1845, may indicate his stay was prolonged.

As "THE NOTED BATH PROFILIST", his penultimate advertisement appears in the CHELTENHAM LOOKER-ON 29th June 1850, where his "...NEW STYLE OF SILHOUETTE...attained the patronage of a numerous portion of the Nobility". Though again advertising a short stay in the town, he was certainly there in March 1851 when his details were recorded for the National Census.

Beaumont's final advertisement appears in the BATH CHRONICLE 23rd October 1851, where once more paying a 'brief visit' to his former abode in Broad Street "...copies of Likenesses done by...[him]...at any former period may be obtained without referrals to the Originals". And for the only time, leastways in newsprint, he promotes himself as  Mr. W. D. Beaumont.

Though full-length works can be signed Beaumont, W.H. Beaumont or W.H. Beaumont fecit, some are signed Dyer Beaumont or W. Dyer Beaumont. For whatever reason, it appears the name 'Dyer' was adopted, as were a further 2 given names recorded on his headstone.

Unfortunately, information regarding his personal circumstances remains sparse. Seemingly unrecorded in the 1841 Census, "Wm. H. Beaumont", Cambridge-born artist and widower, is located in the Census of 1851 lodging at the Cheltenham home of a "shoeing smith". Cut the year he died and almost certainly taken in Bath, his last-known works were a quartet of full-length silhouettes signed "W. Dyer Beaumont fecit 1852" which sold at Dominic Winter's Auction Rooms 25th July 2019.

Buried 22nd November 1852 at St. Michael's, Twerton, on the outskirts of Bath, his epitaph reads in part "WILLIAM HENRY WERDER BAYNTON DYER BEAUMONT who departed this life November 17th 1852, aged 48 years...". The significance of the additionally acquired given names eluded research.

Revised 22 March 2025 (Brian Wellings)