John Alfred Lemon
Born 16 February 1845
Died 1910
Active: 1861 - 1910
Country of birth and death: England
Modeller, stone carver, sculptor, sculptor's assistant, sculptor's moulder
Born on 16th February (or possibly January) in Clerkenwell, London. He was the son of John Lemon (born c.1822 in Bloomsbury), brass finisher and Mary Ann Lemon (born c.1820 in Cambridge) lacquerer. John trained as a modeller and stone carver and then worked as a sculptor, a sculptor's assistant and moulder. A story passed down in the family, states Lemon was known to John Henry Foley and modelled for the legs on the latter's statue of Prince Albert for the Albert memorial because his were more shapely than those of the prince consort.
If there is some basis to this story it is also possible Lemon worked for or with Foley's chief assistant, Thomas Brock. Certainly Lemon was known to Brock's assistant, Francis Derwent Wood. In the late 1890s Wood modelled a portrait head and shoulders in bas-relief of Lemon. He died in the last quarter of 1910 in Wandsworth.
This record includes information supplied by Christopher Hayes.
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
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Subject of John Lemon, Esq.
1899 (Circa)
Locations
Address 12 St. James Street Finsbury London England | View on map
1851 (Circa)
Address 23 Bloomberg (or Bloomsbury) Terrace Vauxhall Bridge Road London England | View on map
1861 (Circa)
Address 14 Camden Street Islington London England | View on map
1871 (Circa)
Address 68 Eland Road Wandsworth London England | View on map
1881 (Circa)
Address 58 Holden Street Battersea London England | View on map
1891 (Circa)
Address 66 Sabine Road Battersea London England | View on map
1901 (Circa)
Personal and Professional Connections
Portrayed in portrait by Francis Derwent Wood
Derwent Wood made a portrait in bas-relief of John Lemon's head and shoulders (information supplied by Christopher Hayes)
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
'Modeler (sic) and Stone Carver'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Sculptor's Assistant' employed
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Sculptor's Moulder' worker
Sources
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851
2005
HO107 piece 1516 folio 396 page 22
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1861
2005
RG09 piece 50 folio 85 page 18
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
RG10 piece 280 folio 49 page 50
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
RG11 piece 652 folio 6 page 6
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 428 folio 57 page 12
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 448 folio 14 page 20
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: John Alfred Lemon
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1845
Registration district: Clerkenwell
Inferred County: Middlesex
Volume: 3
Page: 120
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: John A Lemon
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1910
Age at Death: 65
Registration district: Wandsworth
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1d
Page: 384
London, England, Baptisms, Marriages, Burials 1538-1812
2010
Name: John Alfred Lemon
Record Type: Baptism
Estimated Birth Date: abt 1846
Baptism Date: 27 Dec 1846
Father's Name: John Lemon
Mother's Name: Mary Ann Lemon
Parish or Poor Law Union: Clerkenwell St James
Borough: Islington
Register Type: Parish Registers (The record is inscribed with his birth date, this is probably 16th February 1845 but could be 16th January)
Citing this record
'John Alfred Lemon', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=ann_1321134754, accessed 23 Sep 2023]
