Michael Hewan Crichton [also known as M. Hewan Crichton] was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1882 and studied at Edinburgh College of Art. He was indentured to jewellers in Edinburgh between 1898 and 1905. In c.1907 he moved to Birmingham where for the next three decades he worked as a sculptor, medallist, jewellery designer, goldsmith and art metalworker. From 1907 he was employed by Elkington's as chaser of figures and other cast metal objects. in the evenings he taught jewellery and enamelling at Birmingham School of Art. In 1919 he began working for the Bromsgrove Guild, subsequently becoming their chief modeller. A silver medallion by him was shown in the British Arts & Crafts Section at the International Exhibition in Ghent in 1913. Between 1910 and 1922 he also exhibited at Royal Academy in London; the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh; and at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.