Person    | Male  Born 26/6/1851  Died 17/11/1920

Richard Claude Belt

Categories: Sculpture

Sculptor. Born Westminster. At Mapping Sculpture we learnt that Belt was twice caught up in significant court cases, one of which had the Byron statue at its centre. Belt's former employer, Charles Lawes (sculptor and athlete, 1843-1911) claimed in print that the winning design for the statue was Lawes's and not Belt's. Belt sued and the high profile trial ran for 6 months in 1882. Witnesses included prominent portrait sitters and members of the Royal Academy. Belt won the case but Lawes filed for bankruptcy to avoid payment.

Then in 1886 Belt and his brother Walter were accused of obtaining money by false pretences (by the fraudulent sale of jewellery) from Sir William Neville Abdy. Walter was found not guilty but Richard got 12 months hard labour.

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Richard Claude Belt

Creations i

Byron statue

Byron is shown with his beloved Newfoundland dog, Boatswain, who had died of ...

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Queen Anne statue, St Paul's

The 4 female figures around the base represent: Britannia, France, America, I...

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Other Subjects

John Gibson (sculptor)

John Gibson (sculptor)

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1 memorial
Lady Hetta Empson

Lady Hetta Empson

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1 memorial
Lawrence Holofcener

Lawrence Holofcener

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Person, Sculpture, USA

1 memorial
Michael Condron
2 memorials
Alfred Turner

Alfred Turner

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Previously viewed

Crane Court - Royal Society

Crane Court - Royal Society

EC4, Crane Court

The Society's own website says "Meeting nights were indicated by a lamp hung over the Fleet Street entrance to the courtyard." Matt Bro...

1 subject commemorated
Meridian Bronze

Meridian Bronze

We're not certain we have found the right foundry. Its name seems right but it's Australian which seems wrong. From their website: "Established in 1973 by Peter Morley, Meridian Sculpture was the ...

Group, Craft / Design, Sculpture, Australia

1 memorial