James Havard Thomas was born in Bristol, England on 22 December 1854 and studied at Bristol School of Art; the National Art Training School in South Kensington [now Royal College of Art] in London; and from 1881 to 1884 under Pierre-Jules Cavelier at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. In 1884 he returned to London where he lived until 1889 when he moved to Italy. After studying bronze casting in Naples, he lived in Capri until 1906 when he went back to London. In 1911 he began working as an assistant lecturer at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London, and in 1914 was appointed the first professor of sculpture at the Slade, a post he held until 1921 A solo exhibition of Thomas's work was held at Carfax Gallery in London in 1909.