TONY (Antoine) DURY
Dury was born in Lyons, France. He trained as a painter with Claude Bonneford (1796-1860) and Francois Edouard Picot (1786--1868). He exhibited portraits in Paris from 1844. His portrait of Josephine Benoite Coffin-Chevalier (1825-1874), at the Bowes Museum in County Durham was painted in Paris in 1850, two years before she married John Bowes. He did some work for King Louis Philippe, then came to England and painted the canvas wall panels at the Banqueting Room at the Royal Pavilion at Brighton. He arrived in Warwick about 1860, and may have lived in Packmores, before setting up a workshop at his home in Smith Street. Thomas William Bone of 9 Spencer Street, Leamington Spa [see article on Leamington History Group website] worked for Dury who "was a renowned artist who had been painter to the late Louis Philippe of France and who had also been Decorator to the Royal Pavilion at Brighton". He also painted "the celebrated ceiling of St Mary's Church, Moorefields, London", the only Roman Catholic Church in the City, demolished in 1899. Advertisement in the Leamington Courier on 23 September 1865: T. Dury, decorator, stained glass works, mediaeval and modern styles, embossed and enamelled glass. Pictures mounted, relined and restored. Decoration of apartments. Paper hangings of every description. Painting, Graining, Glazing, Gilding, etc. Picture frames. Transparent blinds. Designs and estimates for every class of work. Mr Dury also has an establishment of this description (ie for stained glass and decorative work) at Holland, Son & Holt at 14 Smith Street. Warwick, where stained glass is efficiently executed. 1871 Census: 14 Smith Street, Warwick, a widower, artist, painter, decorator. Son Gustave, aged 16, a scholar, nephews Armand Darlot, aged 12, a scholar and Claude Darlot aged 8, a scholar, and a female servant, Fides Wagner aged 25, born in France. In 1874 White's Directory Dury is listed as an oil painter and as Glass stainers and decorators. T. Dury, 14 Smith Street, Warwick. 1876 Kelly's Directory: Decorative painter, 14 Smith Street. 1881 Census: Dury was residing at 3 Bold Place, Liverpool, with his second wife Marie, aged 33, born in France, dressmaker. [No record found of this marriage.] He had two works exhibited at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 1882-3. Dury designed stained glass windows in other local churches: St. Francis of Assisi, Baddesley Clinton; St Nicholas, Warwick; St Paul, Warwick; All Saints, Emscote; St. Peter's, Leamington Spa; and Wroxall Abbey. In St Nicholas, Warwick he designed a memorial to the Heathcote family commissioned by George Morris Heathcote, 1867 with additions in 1870 and 1880, and his cartoon for the window is framed in the church. Dury’s first wife was buried at St Nicholas, Warwick. Dury is recorded as having paid a subscription to the Freemasons in Warwick. He sang in our choir. From The Birmingham Post 11th December 1860 St. Mary’s Catholic Church “In the morning the musical service consisted of Danjou’s First Mass which was very effectively rendered by the choir, and particularly so, considering the short time many of its members have had in becoming acquainted with Catholic music…The principal solos were taken by Miss Maycock, The Misses Roberts, Mons Tony Dury, and Mr J.W. Percy:……..The church which has only been open about 6 months, was designed by the celebrated Mr Pugin and during the past week another step in its advancement and beautification has been made by fitting the south eastern window with stained glass. The subject represents the Virgin and child…The richness and harmony of the colours and the elegance of the design reflect high credit upon the artist, Mons. Tony Dury TONY DURY’S STAINED GLASS AT ST MARY IMMACULATE, WARWICK Dury designed the windows in the apse in 1862 (except the three central windows designed by Hardman & Co). From the left the images are: St Thomas, St George, St Elizabeth of Hungary, and then continuing on the right hand side: St Joseph, St Patrick and St James. He designed the sexfoil windows in the side chapels 1862-5: on the left of the altar St Helena is depicted discovering the True Cross; and on the right are the Virgin and Child with St Dominic. These two windows were originally the other way round. He produced the four narthex windows during 1865-70: (The narthex is the enclosed area at the back of the church.)
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