Miers, William

Introduction:

Seal engraver, picture-frame maker, goldsmith and jeweller, London-born WILLIAM MIERS (1793-1863) was the 8th of 11 children fathered by the phenomenally successful profilist John Miers (1758-1821). Following Miers Snr's death he co-partnered the business with the gifted, longtime Miers studio profilist John Field (1772-1848) until their commercial collaboration was sundered by bankruptcy in 1829. Thereafter both operated independently. However, though William Miers later trade-labels advertised profile taking, current commentators consider it unlikely he painted any himself.

For 16 years an itinerant, well patronised profilist - and doubtless calculating its potential client base - John Miers settled permanently in London in 1788. Moving to 111 Strand in May 1791, demand was high, as Miers studio became the benchmark of quality. At death his worth, in 2026 terms, amounted to nearly £2 million - and how his son William and John Field seemingly malmanaged the once buoyant business over bankruptcy's threshold remains unspecified.

Born in June 1793, William Miers and elder brother John Jnr (1789-1879) were, circa 1815, both employed engraving and crafting jewellery settings for their father's venture. Decamping to Brazil in 1819, John Jnr became a highly regarded, albeit self-taught, botanist. Employing his engraving skills and inherent artistry, his publications of South American flora were illustrated with his own lithographs of his drawings.

From 1796 John Field was Miers Snr's sole, but anonymous, in-house profilist. Given the opportunity 25 years later of buying into the business, he took it. William Miers was 3 years old when Field initially took up the brush at 111 Strand, but for the duration of their partnership Field continued, or was compelled to sign his own work with a 'Miers' signature, and it's possible an undertow of friction gradually tainted their commercial relationship.

Bankruptcy proceedings were protracted, and though issued a certificate to continue trading to reduce their liabilities, in August 1831 the LONDON GAZETTE recorded 'Miers and Field' only offering creditors a sparse 6 pence in the Pound. And whatever it entailed, the bankrupt 'separate estate' of William Miers, first listed in October 1830, yielded creditors a meagre 1 1/2 pence in the Pound in January 1835. And probably pressure by creditors compelled Miers to, seemingly, auction his effects 2 months later.

The MORNING ADVERTISER 19th March 1835 offers an insight into Miers' stock-in-trade as furniture and fixtures were to be auctioned '...without reserve on the premises, No 111 Strand - comprehending several hundred miniature and other frames, medalions, fine shells, show glasses, profile-machine, shop and house fixtures with all the household furniture...'. However, as evidenced by directories, Miers continued trading at the presumably still furnished address, and was only declared ' late of 111 Strand' in the LONDON GAZETTE 15th May 1840.

Thereafter, between 1841-1861, directories record him at 7 different addresses working primarily as an engraver and miniature and ormolu frame maker. In January 1846, trading in Soho's Greek St., the LONDON GAZETTE  records another bankruptcy. Possibly brother John plucked him from his financial plight both in 1840 and 1846. Living in Blackheath in the 1840s, at his death John Mier's estate was worth £6 1/2 million, in 2026 terms. In any event, William Miers continued in business, without interruption, for a further 15 years.

Five printed trade-labels are  known. Most expansive is the first, circa 1830-1835, describing himself a goldsmith and engraver with '...an extensive stock of ormolu frames manufactured on the premises'. Miniature profiles for bracelets, brooches and rings were offered as were 'nearly 50 years worth' of archived Miers studio profiles which '...could supply copies without clients needng to sit again', while portrait miniatures could be 'Correctly copied '.

If any 'correctly copied' miniatures were ever painted they may have been by the hand of Londoner, Cornelius Beavis Durham (1809-1884), whose son was born at 111 Strand in 1838 and is listed there as a miniaturist in the 1840 POST OFFICE directory. Equally speculative is who was employed painting William Miers' few extant trade-labelled profiles. All are painted on card, all are copied from his father's stock. McKechnie conjectured that Charles Hervé (1785-1866) may have been the copyist as a Miers-style profile on card bore a 145 Strand, Hervé stencil. Another candidate is George Atkinson (ca.1785-1851) whose 1830s working life is opaque, but is known for painting noteworthy bronzed profiles on card in the style of John Miers' studio.

Regarding his family circumstances, aged 22, William Miers wed Norwich-born Amelia Barnes (1790-1858) on 8th February 1816 at, Islington, Middlesex. McKechnie erroneously stated 2 sons, later settling in Leeds, were born to the couple. In fact, Amelia bore William John (ca. 1817-1880) and Amelia #2 (ca. 1821-1883), who were lifelong London-based.

William John, evidenced by the 1845 POST OFFICE directory, worked for his father as an 'electrotypist', wed in 1859 and, by then working independently, is listed in the 1861 Census as a 'general metal worker'. Amelia #2 wed 'engineer' William House (1816-1853) in 1848. Daughter Amelia #3 (1851-1897), possibly abandoned by her widowed mother, was committed in April 1860 to Westminster's parochial juvenile establishment at Brentford, Middlesex, by ' ...Grandfather, William Miers of 88 Dean Street, Soho'. Listed a 'servant' in the 1871 Census, and a consumptive patient in Cheddar, Somerset, in 1881-1891 Census returns, her death was registered in Hampstead, London, in 1897.

William Miers' wife died in 1858. By 1860, he seemingly lacked sufficient funds to spare his 9-year-old granddaughter from being put on the parish, while the 1861 Census shows him with 16 others, mainly dress and boot makers, sharing the same Soho address, which also suggests his means were slender.

William Miers' death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1863. His place of interment is unknown.

REVISED: 29 April 2026 (Brian Wellings)