Stanford was born in London, England, son of Thomas Tyrell, contractor, and his wife Frances née Trevor.
[1] In 1854 he was found guilty on a charge of horse-stealing and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment at HM Prison Pentridge, near Melbourne.
On 1 May 1860 Stanford was found guilty on two charges of highway robbery and one of horse-stealing and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
The carving was shown to Colonel Champ, governor of the prison, who offered Stanford the opportunity to create more art if he promised to improve his behaviour.
Stanford died of "ulceration of the stomach" on 2 June 1880 at Prahran,[1] partly from the effects of inhaling the fine dust while working on the fountain.