Richard Lockwood Boulton

Updated on Nov 26, 2024

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Nationality British Years active 1851–1893		Occupation Sculptor, artist

Born c. 1832 Thornton Dale, Yorkshire, England Known for Messrs R. L. Boulton & Sons Died 23 January 1905, Bournemouth, United Kingdom

Richard Lockwood Boulton (c. 1832–1905) was an English sculptor who founded the firm Messrs R. L. Boulton & Sons. They were centred in Cheltenham, England, and built monuments made of iron and stone in the United Kingdom.

Family

Richard Lockwood Boulton was born around 1832 in Thornton Dale, North Yorkshire. Around 1792, his father, Richard Boulton, was born, he was also a stonemason. Around 1822, his older brother, William Boulton was born. William Boulton went on to run his own masonry business in Southwark. Richard Lockwood Boulton started trained as a stonemason and then began working with William Boulton. In 1855, Richard Lockwood Boulton left his brother's business and moved to Birmingham. There he married Martha Mary Dutson (born 1834 in Herefordshire). They had five children, including Lockwood Dutson (1857–1927), Thomas Dutson Boulton (1860–1932), Gilbert Dutson (1866–1936) and Martha Miriam Dutson (born 1867). Lockwood Dutson, Thomas Dutson and Gilbert Dutson all followed their father by becoming sculptors and stonemasons. In 1861, Lockwood Dutson worked on Worcester Cathedral, and Gilbert Dutson made the statues in St Cuthbert's Church, Earls Court.

In August 1873, Boulton's wife, Martha Mary, died. By 1876, he was remarried, to Fanny Cowley. With her, he had five more children: Frank Cowley (born 1877), Bertha (born 1879), Evelyn M. (1880), Richard William and Phyllis. Frank Cowley joined his half-brothers in the masonry firm.

Cheltenham

Around 1870, Boulton moved to Cheltenham. In 1871, he had moved his workshop to London Road in Charlton Kings. Later the workshop would be on Bath Road in Cheltenham. At one stage he was employing twenty-one people in the firm, which included Herbert Henry Martyn.

R. L. Boulton & Sons

In 1893, Boulton retired and his sons took over the business. On 23 January 1905, Boulton died and his sons continued running the firm. Boulton died in Bournemouth and was buried next to his first wife in the churchyard of St Mary's Church in Charlton Kings. There is no record of the firm existence after 1972.