William Jabez Muckley B, G, RA, RBA; RI.
1837 - 1905

WIlliam Jabez Muckley was born on the 23rd March, 1837 at Wordsley, Kingswinford, in
Staffordshire. He was the eldest of seven children. Muckley began his career as a glass
cutter with W.H.B & J.Richardsonof Wordsley and became their principal designer and
engraver. When he was 22, he was responsible for much of the engraving that earner
the firm considerable praise in the Great exhibition of 1851. After the Richardson glass
firm was declared insolvent in 1852, Muckley joined the Birmingham School of Art.
He won the 8 scholarships competed for by students at all the art schools in Britain.
He went on to study in London and Paris and obtained four art degrees of the highest
class. He was head of the Burslem School of art for 5 years in the late 1850's and then
went on to be headmaster of Wolverhampton School of Art. In 1862 he became principle
of Manchester School of Art. It is said that he was a talented but demanding master and
has taught artists such as John Henry Henshall. He exhibited at the Royal Academy between
1859 and 1904 and at Suffolk street, the royal institution and Grosvenor Gallery. In 1878 he
wrote The Student's manual of artistic anatomy, with 25 plates of the bones and surface
muscles of the human figure, together with a description of the origin, insertion and use
of the muscles, ad in 1882 wrote a handbook for painted and art students about the
character, nature and use of colours, their permanent or fugitive qualities and the proper
vehicles to employ, also short remarks on the practice of painting in oil and watercolours,
and wrote 2 other books. Muckley had a son, who also went on to be an artist named Angelo
Fairfax Muckley who was born in 1859 and died in 1920. Artists and Illustrator of many published
works - Angelo exhibited 3 pictures at the royal academy between 1889 and 1895. His last RA
exhibit was a portrait of William. Angelo was the eldest of 7 of WIlliam's children. A prolific family
of artist's and glass engravers from the Worcester area. Muckley retired to White
Notley Hall, Witham, Essex about 1900 and died at home on the 30th August 1905.