Goscombe John

Sir William Goscombe John RA (21 February 1860 – 15 December 1952) was a prolific Welsh sculptor known for his many public memorials.

Goscombe John
William Goscombe John by George Roilos
Born	(1860-02-21)21 February 1860 Cardiff, Wales
Died	15 December 1952(1952-12-15) (aged 92) London, England
Education	Cardiff School of Art South London School of Technical Art Royal Academy Schools
Known for	Sculpture
Movement	New Sculpture

Biography

He was born in the Canton area of Cardiff,[1] and as a youth assisted his father, Thomas John, a wood carver, in the restoration of Cardiff Castle. He initially studied in his home town, attending the Cardiff School of Art.[2] He went to London in 1882 and studied at the South London School of Technical Art under Jules Dalou and William Silver Frith and afterward at the Royal Academy schools, where he won the gold medal and a travelling scholarship in 1887.[3] In 1890–91 he studied in Paris with Auguste Rodin.[3] He married the Swiss-born Marthe Weiss. Their daughter Muriel married Frederick Luke Val Fildes, the son of the artist Sir Luke Fildes.[4]

As a young man he adopted the first name Goscombe, taken from the name of a village in Gloucestershire near his mother's home.[5]

Goscombe John returned to Paris in 1892 to show a statuette, Morpheus at the Paris Salon.[6] John embraced the vigous naturalistic style of the New Sculpture movement and cemented his reputation with works such as John the Baptist for Lord Bute and with a number of life-sized figures including The Elf and Boy at Play.[6] By the early 1890s John had established himself as a sculptor of some note and began to receive significant public commissions.[6] Although based in London, John won a number of large commissions in his native Wales. These included his 1916 marble St David Blessing the People and ten other figures for Cardiff City Hall.[6]

Goscombe John was commissioned to design many public monuments and statues of public figures such as the shipping magnate and philanthropist John Cory; John's statue of the latter was erected in front of Cardiff City Hall. In 1921 he designed the memorial at Port Sunlight to the employees of Lever Brothers Ltd who had died in the First World War; he also sculpted portraits of Lord and Lady Lever. He received a gold medal in Paris in 1901, was made a Royal Academician in 1909, was knighted in 1911, and became corresponding member of the French Institute.[3] He settled in Greville Road, Kilburn, London (in a house that had previously belonged to Seymour Lucas), and is buried in Hampstead Cemetery.[7] The memorial statue of his wife, which he designed when she died in 1923, was stolen from the cemetery in 2001 but recovered after a few months; it was put into secure storage, but was again stolen in early 2007.

Public memorials

1890–1899

Image	Title / subject	Location and coordinates	Date	Type	Material	Dimensions	Designation	Wikidata	Notes
More images	Daniel Owen	Mold, Flintshire	c.1896	Statue on pedestal	Bronze & stone		Grade II	Q29480968	[8][9]
	The Elf	Kibble Palace, Botanic Gardens, Glasgow	1899	Statue on plinth	Marble	2.25m high			[10]

1900–1909

Image	Title / subject	Location and coordinates	Date	Type	Material	Dimensions	Designation	Wikidata	Notes
	Tomb of Dean Vaughan	North choir-aisle of Llandaff Cathedral	1900	Tomb with sculpture	Marble				[11]
More images	Arthur Sullivan	Victoria Embankment Gardens, London	1902	Bust and figure on pedestal	Bronze & granite		Grade II	Q27081637	[12]
	Wigan and District Boer War memorial	Mesnes Park, Wigan	1903	Sculpture on plinth	Stone with bronze additions				Removed after repeated vandalism.[13]
	James Reid (1823–1894)	Springburn Park, Glasgow	1903	Statue on pedestal	Bronze and granite		Category B	Q17811051	[14]
More images	Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein	Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire	1903	Statue and surround	Bronze and Portland stone		Grade II	Q26411185	[15]
	Coldstream Guards	Vestibule of south nave, St Paul's Cathedral, London	1904	Relief sculptures	Gilt, bronze & stone	1.5m x 0.9m			[16]
More images	RAMC Memorial, Aldershot	Gun Hill, Aldershot	1905	Sculpture group, obelisk and wall with plaques	Bronze & granite		Grade II	Q26672950	Architect, Robert Weir Schultz[17][18]
More images	Alfred W. Hughes Memorial	Corris, Gwynedd	1905	Celtic cross on pedestal with a bronze plaque	Granite		Grade II	Q2949920	[19][20]
More images	King's Liverpool Regiment memorial	St John's Gardens, Liverpool	1905	Statues with base & wall	Bronze & stone		Grade II	Q26333154	AB Burton (foundary); William Kirkpatrick Ltd (builders)[21][22]
	Journalists of the South African War memorial	Crypt of St. Faith, St Paul's Cathedral, London	1905	Plaque	Marble & bronze				[23]
More images	John Cory	Gorsedd Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff	1906	Statue on pedestal	Bronze & stone		Grade II	Q29491668	[24]
More images	Judge Gwilym Williams of Miskin (1839–1906)	Opposite Crown Court, Cathays Park, Cardiff	1906	Statue on plinth	Bronze & stone		Grade II	Q29491700	[25][26]
More images	Memorial to 2nd Battn Royal Sussex Regiment, 1882 to 1902	Grand Parade, Eastbourne	1906	Statue on pedestal	Bronze statue, stone pedestal		Grade II*	Q17555428	AB Burton (foundary)[27][28]
	John Viriamu Jones	Entrance hall of the Main Building of Cardiff University, in Cathays Park	1906	Statue on pedestal	Marble
More images	William Edward Hartpole Lecky	Trinity College, Dublin	1906	Statue on pedestal	Bronze and stone			Q82094233
More images	Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar	Gorsedd Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff	1909	Equestrian statue on pedestal with reliefs	Bronze & stone		Grade II	Q29491649	[29]

1910–1919

Image	Title / subject	Location and coordinates	Date	Type	Material	Dimensions	Designation	Wikidata	Notes
	The Boy Scout	National Museum Cardiff	1910	Statuette	Bronze				Portrait of Basil Webb, son of Henry Webb, and who served as a 2nd lieutenant with the Welsh Guards during the First World War and was killed in December 1917.[30]
More images	Charles Rolls	Agincourt Square, Monmouth	1911	Statue on pedestal	Bronze & granite		Grade II*	Q7604480	[31]
More images	Memorial to the Engine Room Heroes of the Titanic	Pier Head, Liverpool	1916	Obelisk with statues	Bronze & stone		Grade II*	Q3305518	[32][33]
More images	Edward VII	Pier Head, Liverpool	1916	Equestrian statue on pedestal	Bronze		Grade II	Q26320984	[34][3]
	Lieutenant Colonel A. Carteret-Thynne DSO	Parish Church of St. James the Great, Kilkhampton, Cornwall	1917	Tablet with figure & plaque	Marble & bronze				Carteret-Thynne was killed in action in 1917, having also served in the South African War.[35]
More images	Equestrian statue of the Viscount Wolseley	Horse Guards Parade, London	1917	Equestrian statue on pedestal	Bronze & Portland stone		Grade II	Q18159880	[3][36]
More images	Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart	Cathays Park, Cardiff	1917	Statue on plinth	Bronze & stone		Grade II	Q29491669	[37]
	Capt H B Knott and Major J L Knott DSO	St Andrew's Church, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland	1918	Tablet with relief figures	Marble	1.2m by 1.5m			[38]

1920–1929

Image	Title / subject	Location and coordinates	Date	Type	Material	Dimensions	Designation	Wikidata	Notes
More images	Lampeter War Memorial	Bryn Square, Lampeter	1921	Statue on pedestal and raised terrace	Bronze statue, granite pedestal	4.5m high	Grade II	Q29489055	Terrace & wall designed by Llewllyn Bankes-Price[39][40]
More images	Port Sunlight War Memorial	Port Sunlight Merseyside	1921	Celtic Cross on an octagonal podium with eleven sculptured figures and twelve relief panels.	Bronze and granite	11.5m high	Grade I	Q15979246	AB Burton (foundary); William Kirkpatrick Ltd (builders)[41][42][43]
More images	David Lloyd George	Castle Square, Caernarfon	1921	Statue on plinth	Bronze & stone		Grade II	Q29483625	AB Burton (foundary); Base by J Fletcher of Caernarfon.[44]
	Statue of Sir John Tomlinson Brunner	Grounds of Brunner-Mond works, Winnington, Cheshire	1922	Statue on pedestal	Bronze and granite		Grade II	Q15979536	[45][46]
More images	Thomas Charles Edwards	Old College, Aberystwyth	1922	Statue on pedestal	Bronze & granite		Grade II	Q29488944	AB Burton (foundary)[47][48]
	Llanelli war memorial	People's Park, Llanelli	1923	Relief panel and cenotaph	Bronze sculpture & granite cenotaph		Grade II	Q29490305	[49][50]
More images	The Northumberland Fusiliers Memorial "The Response"	Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne	1923	Bronze relief figures on a granite base with three granite figures on the reverse	Bronze and granite		Grade I	Q17552582	AB Burton (foundary); William Kirkpatrick Ltd (builders)[51][52]
	Penarth war memorial	Alexandra Gardens, Penarth	1924	Obelisk-mounted sculpture on stepped plinth	Bronze and granite		Grade II	Q29491428	[53][54]
More images	Royal Welch Fusiliers memorial	Junction of Bodhfryd Rd. & Chester Rd., Wrexham	1924	Twin sculptures on pedestal	Bronze and stone				[55]
	Carmarthen County war memorial	Priory Street, Carmarthen	1924	Statue on pedestal and plinth	Bronze and Portland stone	4.5m high			[56]
More images	Llandaff Cathedral School war memorial	Cathedral Green, Llandaff, Cardiff	1924	3 Sculptures on pedestals	Bronze and stone		Grade II	Q29491677	[57][58]
More images	James Rice Buckley	Cathedral Green, Llandaff	1927	Statue on pedestal	Bronze & granite		Grade II	Q29491672	[59]
	Basil Webb	Crypt of Lady Chapel, Hereford Cathedral		Reredos with figures of 3 saints					Basil Webb was the son of Henry Webb who funded the memorial.[60]

1930–1939

Image	Title / subject	Location and coordinates	Date	Type	Material	Dimensions	Designation	Wikidata	Notes
More images	Evan James & James James	Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd	1930	2 statues on plinths	Bronze		Grade II*	Q17743403	[61][62][63]
	Harry Seymour Berry, Baron Buckland of Bwlch	Outside Central Library, Merthyr Tydfil	1931	Statue on pedestal	Bronze and stone		Grade II		[64]
More images	George V	Entrance to Queensway Tunnel, Liverpool	1939	Statue	Bronze
More images	Queen Mary	Entrance to Queensway Tunnel, Liverpool	1939	Statue	Bronze

Other works

John's output also included:

Saint John the Baptist

• Statue of Saint John the Baptist.[65]
• Sculptures on Electra House in Moorgate, City of London, these dating from 1900 to 1903 and representing Egypt, Japan, India and China.[66]
• The work Grief dating to 1890.[67]
• Queen Alexandra. Statue on the facade of the Victoria and Albert Museum.[68]
• Carved figures on a reredos in St John the Baptist Church, St John Street, Cardiff.[69]
• Designed the regalia for the investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon in 1911.[3]
• Designed the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935.[3]
• Merlin and Arthur (c. 1896) in the collection of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Accession number: NMW A 127. This bronze was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1902.[70] The museum also holds many other works by Goscombe John.[71][3]
• Memorial Relief to the late Canon Guy D.D, (1897) in Llandaff Cathedral.[72]

Goscombe John's output was prolific and also includes the statue of King Edward VII at Cape Town and the equestrian statue of the Earl of Minto at Calcutta. Goscombe John also executed the monument to the Marquis of Salisbury, in Westminster Abbey[3] and Hatfield Church.

References

1. Introduction to "Sir William Goscombe John, R.A., LL.D. Sculpture in the National Museum of Wales Catalogue" dated 1948
2. "The Welsh Cartoonist: An Interesting Chat With Mr. Staniforth". The Weekly Mail. papuraunewyddcymru.llgc.org.uk. 19 December 1906. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
3. David Buckman (2006). Artists in Britain Since 1945 Vol 1, A to L. Art Dictionaries Ltd. ISBN 0 953260 95 X.
4. University of Glasgow History of Art / HATII (2011). "Sir William Goscombe John RA". Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain & Ireland 1851–1951. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
5. "John, Sir William Goscombe (1860–1952), sculptor and medallist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
6. Oliver Fairclough (10 December 2011). "William Goscombe John (1860–1952)". Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
7. Historic England. "Tomb of Marthe Goscombe John and Sir William Goscombe John in Hampstead Cemetery (1322159)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
8. Cadw. "Statue of Daniel Owen (365)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
9. "Daniel Owen". Hither & Dither. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
10. "The Elf by Sir William Goscombe John". www.victorianweb.org. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
11. "Tomb of Dean Vaughan". Victorian Web. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
12. Historic England. "Sir Arthur Sullivan Memorial (1238072)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
13. "War Memorials Register, Wigan and District – South African War – Original (Lost)". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
14. Historic Environment Scotland. "Springburn Park, Staue of James Reid  (Category B) (LB33297)". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
15. Historic England. "Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein Monument (1117677)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
16. "War Memorials Register: Coldstream Guards – Boer War". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
17. "War Memorials Register, Royal Army Medical Corps – South African War". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
18. Historic England. "Royal Army Medical Corps Boer War Memorial (1393807)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
19. Cadw. "Hughes Memorial (22742)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
20. "Welsh History Month: Corris Roadside Memorial". Wales Online. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
21. "War Memorials Register, King's Liverpool Regiment Boer War". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
22. Historic England. "Monument to the King's Liverpool Regiment (1073470)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
23. "War Memorials Register: Journalists – South African War". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
24. Cadw. "Statue of John Cory (13692)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
25. Cadw. "Statue of Gwilym Williams of Miskin (13735)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
26. "Judge Gwilym Williams". Victorian Web. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
27. "War Memorials Register, 2nd Battn Royal Sussex Regiment, 1882 to 1902". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
28. Historic England. "Bronze statue of Royal Sussex Regiment ... (1043677)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
29. Cadw. "Statue of Godfrey, First Viscount Tredegar (13665)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
30. "The Boy Scout". Victorian Web. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
31. Cadw. "Charles Rolls, Monmouth (2229)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
32. "War Memorials Register, Engine Room Heroes (Titanic Memorial)". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
33. Historic England. "Memorial to Heroes of the Marine Engine Room (1209973)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
34. Historic England. "Monument of Edward VII (1068224)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
35. "War Memorials Register: Lieutenant Colonel A Carteret-Thynne". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
36. Historic England. "Statue of Field Marshal Viscount Wolseley (1357125)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
37. Cadw. "Statue of Lord Ninian Edward Crichton-Stuart (13693)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
38. "War Memorials Register: Capt HB Knott and Maj JL Knott DSO – Tablet". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
39. Cadw. "War Memorial and surrounding terrace and walls (10425)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
40. "War Memorials Register, Lampeter". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
41. "War Memorials Register: Port Sunlight and Lever Brothers Ltd Employees". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
42. Historic England. "Port Sunlight War Memorial (1343491)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
43. Catherine Jones (31 October 2014). "Port Sunlight war memorial grant Grade I listed status". liverpoolecho.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
44. Cadw. "Statue of David Lloyd George (3843)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
45. Edward Morris & Emma Roberts (2012). Public Sculpture of Cheshire and Merseyside (excluding Liverpool). Public Sculpture of Britain. 15. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. ISBN 978-1-84631-492-6.
46. Historic England. "Statue of Sir John Brunner in front of Research Lab., Winnington Works (1161131)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
47. Cadw. "Statue of Thomas Edwards (10311)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
48. "Statue of Thomas Charles Edwards". Hither & Dither. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
49. Cadw. "Great War Memorial in gardens of the Town Hall (11964)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
50. "War Memorials Register, Llanelli". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
51. "War Memorials Register: The Response 1914". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
52. Historic England. "War Memorial (The Response) (1186201)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
53. "War Memorials Register: Penarth". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
54. Cadw. "Cenotaph (13340)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
55. "War Memorials Register: Royal Welch Fusiliers". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
56. "War Memorials Register, Carmarthenshire". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
57. "War Memorials Register: Llandaff and Llandaff Cathedral School". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
58. Cadw. "Llandaff War Memorial (13703)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
59. Cadw. "Statue of James Rice Buckley (13698)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
60. "War Memorials Register: Basil Webb". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
61. Cadw. "Evan and James James Memorial (24841)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
62. "Evan James and James James Statues". Hither & Dither. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
63. "Anthem writers' memorial". historypoints.org. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
64. Cadw. "Statue and Plinth yo Harry Seymour Berry (11443)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
65. Encyclopædia Britannica, ed. 1911, vol. 24, pg. 505, Plate IV.
66. Sculptures on Electra House Victorian Web. Retrieved 20 November 2012
67. Grief Victorian Web. Retrieved 19 November 2012
68. Queen Alexandra Victorian Web. Retrieved 20 November 2012
69. Reredos in St John the Baptist Church Victorian Web. Retrieved 20 November 2012
70. Merlin and Arthur Victorian Web. Retrieved 19 November 2012
71. Some works held by the National Museum of Wales National Museum of Wales. Retrieved 19 November 2012
72. Memorial Relief to the late Canon Guy D.D Victorian Web. Retrieved 19 November 2012

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• John, Sir William Goscombe (1860–1952) Article on Goscombe John's work with images from The National Archives.
• Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections