early life and apprenticeship Charles Stuart Calverley, born December 22, 1831, in Martley, Worcestershire, England, emerged from a family steeped in stoneworking tradition—a heritage that profoundly shaped his artistic trajectory. From the tender age of fourteen, he embarked on an apprenticeship under Erastus Dow Palmer, mastering the craft of sculpting and stone carving, skills that would become central to his distinctive style.artis…