Gerald (Gerolamo) Giudici
Other names: Gerry, Jerry
Born 18 December 1896
Died 1969
Active: 1911 - 1961
Country of birth: Italy
Country of death: England
Pointer, stone carver, sculptor
Born in Milan. He was the son of Antonio Giudici (born c.1862 in Melegnano, near Milan), a pointer and marble carver who came to Britain possibly in the 1890s. Antonio had three sons who also worked as stone carvers and pointers, Raimondo, Gerald (Geralomo, Gerry or Jerry) and Romino as well as another son, Roberto, who worked as a bronze founder and moulder. It is possible that Gerald partly trained in Italy, certainly he seems to have been absent in 1911 although his younger brother was already an apprentice.
According to James Butler RA, who worked for Gerald Giudici for over ten years in the 1950s and 1960s, Gerald worked with his brother Raimondo and employed a number of carvers and sculptors as assistants. Butler met Gerald Giudici in 1951 when he was brought in to St Martins by the Head of Sculpture, Walter Marsden, to teach the final year students how to copy a work in plaster into stone. The class ended abruptly and unsuccessfully (see entry for Marsden) but the outcome was a kind of apprenticeship for Butler followed by paid employment.
When Butler first worked for Giudici there were about four others working for Gerald and Raimondo. There was an elderly ex-music hall performer called Bert Tongue (who used to sing old music hall ballads while working) and three others: Reg Carnell, Charlie Randall and Peter King (1928-57). King was highly regarded during his brief career and also worked as an assistant for Henry Moore. Among other sculptors who worked for Gerald Giudici was Roy Noakes (1936-2002) who switched his apprenticeship from Anselm Odling to Giudici.
Butler continued working with Raimondo (Ray) and Gerry Giudici after Carnell, Randall and King had left. Butler assisted in the carving of the Queen's Beasts at Kew (sculptor James Woodford RA) and many other architectural sculptures by Woodford, Charles Wheeler PRA and William McMillan. Butler also carved a Virgin and Child on a church in Kennington for Walter Marsden. In the early 1960s Butler had a job carving a figure of Lord Balfour for David McFall RA and left Gerry Giudici's employment to carry out this project. At about this time Gerry suffered a terrible setback and never worked again. Indeed on 11 July 1961 he filed a petition for bankruptcy.
This account is largely based on notes submitted by James Butler MBE RA. There are references to 'Jerry' Giudici in Charles Wheeler's autobiography 'High Relief', p. 126 and in Sarah Crellin 'The Sculpture of Charles Wheeler', 2012, pp. 89 and 169. The latter includes a photograph of Giudici's team, including James Butler RA, at work on Charles Wheeler's massive statues 'Earth' and 'Water' for the Ministry of Defence (1950-53).
Locations
Address 24 Seaton Street Chelsea London | View on map
1901 (Circa) - 1911 (Circa)
Address 14 Rockland Road London SW15 | View on map
1961
Probably living here for some time before this date.
Conducted a business at 10 Thicket Crescent Sutton London | View on map
1961
Prior to this date, in 1961 Giudici filed for bankruptcy.
Personal and Professional Connections
Brother/sibling of Raimondo Evereto Giudici
Brother/sibling of Roberto Giudici
Daughter/son/child of Antonio Giudici
Worked with James Arthur Woodford
According to information submitted by James Butler RA, the carving firm owned and operated by Gerald and Raimondo Giudici carved a number of architectural sculpture schemes for James Woodford. Butler was employed by Gerald Giudici to carve the Queen's Beasts at Kew Gardens as well as other projects.
Worked with Charles Thomas Wheeler
According to information submitted by James Butler RA and confirmed by Wheeler's autobiography 'High Relief', p. 126, Gerald Giudici carved a number of sculptures for Charles Wheeler including 'Earth' and 'Water' for the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall (1950-53). Butler was employed by Gerald Giudici to assist on some projects.
Worked with William McMillan
According to information submitted by James Butler RA, Gerald Giudici carved a number of sculptures for William McMillan. Butler was employed by Gerald Giudici to assist on some projects.
Worked with Gilbert Ledward
Based on information from Roy Noakes (1936-2002) who served some of his apprenticeship with Giudici, Ledward employed Gerald Giudici and his carvers on several projects.
Worked with Walter Marsden
Marsden was Head of the Sculpture Department at St Martins School of Art and in 1951 brought in Gerald Giudici to teach final year students how to copy a work cast in plaster into stone. The class was not a success - there is an account of this in the entry for Walter Marsden submitted by James Butler RA. Butler later worked for Giudici and carved a Virgin and Child for Walter Marsden which is sited in a church in Kennington.
Worked with David Evans
1957
Gerald Giudici was employed by David Evans to carve two dragons to flank the north entrance of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's new office building for the City of London Corporation which formed an extension to the Guildhall (1955-58). The carving was carried out in 1957 by Raimondo (Ray) Giudici and James Butler RA under Gerald's direction.
Sources
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 79 folio 85 page 70
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
Name: Gerald Giudici
Birth Date: 18 Dec 1896
Date of Registration: Jun 1969
Age at Death: 72
Registration District: Surrey South eastern
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume: 5g
Page: 870
The London Gazette
Issue Number 42411, 14 July 1961, p. 5229 AND Issue Number 42856, 14 December 1962, p. 9796.
The Sculpture of Charles Wheeler
2012
pp. 89 and 169.
Citing this record
'Gerald (Gerolamo) Giudici', 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_1388677889, accessed 30 Sep 2023]
