ANTIQUE STAFFORDSHIRE FIGURE OF WILLIAM WATERS

ANTIQUE STAFFORDSHIRE FIGURE OF WILLIAM WATERS

Circa 1840

Height: 8½ inches / 21.6 cm
Stock number: AL0705/0123
Price: £850

A Victorian Staffordshire figure of William Waters, also known as ‘Billy Waters’ and ‘Black Billy’, standing on a square base, holding a fiddle in his left hand, one foot on the road and his peg on the kerb, wearing a plumed hat, jacket, neckerchief, waistcoat and trousers, (missing his bow).

William Waters was a one-legged black man, who after losing a leg during His Majesty’s service, earned his money begging and playing the fiddle in London’s west End. His peg leg was shorter than his own so his act was to put his good leg on the road and the peg leg on the pavement. A sad end became him and shortly before his death he had to pawn his fiddle, his only source of income.