Benjamin Clemens
Born 5 October 1875
Died 27 December 1957
Active: 1899 - 1942
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, teacher
Born in Dalston, London, date of birth noted on his record of baptism in February 1876. His father, Richard Clemens (born c.1836 in Cornwall) worked as a travelling salesman and then a warehouseman in the gloving trade. Benjamin worked as a haberdasher's assistant aged 15 but by c.1900 was studying art. He attended the North London School of Drawing and then the Royal College of Art. According to his obituary in The Times, after completing his studies Clemens worked as an assistant to Professor Edouard Lanteri.
During the First World War Clemens served with the British Expeditionary Force and then the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), British Red Cross Society. In 1920 he participated in an exhibition of work produced by members of the RAMC at the Imperial War Museum and organised by Lieutenant-Colonel F.S. Brereton. Clemens was commissioned to make a group called the 'St John's Ambulance Bearers' for this display.
Among his other commissions were the four figures for the Canterbury War Memorial and the figure group on Africa House, Kingsway, London. Clemens sacrificed his career to his teaching duties and consequently did not receive the recognition he deserved. He is described as 'fiery and forthright' in his criticisms of students' work but also 'warmhearted and kindly' so all Clemens' students 'loved him'. (Obituary by 'G.L.' in The Times, 1958)
Wealth at death: £1,216 13s. 2d.
Probate date: 13 August 1958
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Completed Mace (for Westminster Abbey)
1945
Hunters
1921 (Presumed)
£30
Sapho
1921 (Circa)
Hunters
1923 (Circa)
The Knight
1926
Miserere mei Deus
1926
Rememberance
1929 (Circa)
The Archer
1931 (Circa)
Lion
1931 (Circa)
The Blessing
1933
The Beggar
1933
Life
1935 (Circa)
Andromeda
1938
Eurydice
1939
Locations
Address 52 Powell Road Clapton London NE | View on map
1899 (Circa)
Address 33 Joubert Mansions Jubilee Place London | View on map
1902 (Circa)
Address 111 New King's Road Fulham London SW | View on map
1904 (Circa) - 1906 (Circa)
Address 23 Fitzroy Square London W | View on map
1907 (Circa) - 1913 (Circa)
Address 24 Maitland Park Villas London | View on map
1914 (Circa) - 1922 (Circa)
Address 124 Cheyne Walk London SW | View on map
1921 (Circa) - 1942 (Circa)
Also using other addresses in this period
Studio located at 2 Applegarth Studios Augustine Road London W14 | View on map
1924 (Circa) - 1944 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Sixth Exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1906
'Orpheus'
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Sixth Exhibition, 1899
'Design for a statuette'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Ninety-Eighth, 1924
'Neme me impune lacessit'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The One-Hundred-and-Thirteenth, 1939
'Eurydice'
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1935
Multiple works
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1933
'The Blessing'
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1937
'Eurydice'
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1921
Multiple works
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1923
Multiple works
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1926
Multiple works
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1929
'Sapho'
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1931
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1902 - 1944
Exhibited 27 times, usually one or two works per year (three in 1921 and 1922), primarily statuettes.
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures & sculpture: the thirty-second (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1902
1902
Sappho (cat. no. 1446, plaster statue, not for sale).
Exhibited at The Seventy-Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1921
1921
Exhibited at Palace of Arts Empire Exhibition Scotland, 1938
1938
Institutional and Business Connections
Assistant teacher of modeling at Royal College of Art (including National Art Training School)
1911
See 'List of Staff' in the 'Report of the Departmental Committee on the Royal College of Art' (1911), p. 60. No end date is given, however, it is likely that Clemens was still working at the school when the list was published.
Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1923 - 1945
Became honorary member in 1946.
Honorary member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1946 - 1957 (Presumed)
Died in 1957.
Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1905 - 1957 (Presumed)
Amongst the second wave of those invited to join 'without further nomination' [2 March 1905, Royal Society of British Sculptors, Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.I]. Died in 1957.
Member of council Royal Society of British Sculptors
1924 (Presumed) - 1944
Served as a member of the Council from 1924 to 1927, from 1938 to 1939, and from 1941 to 1944
Unsuccessful in ballot for election to Royal Academy of Arts
Despite nominations in 1912, 1920 and 1927-1929.
Personal and Professional Connections
Friends with George Edward Kruger Gray
Described in an article in The Times of 1945 about Clemens completing the Mace designed by Kruger Gray for Westminster Abbey, as very close friends
Nominated by Thomas Brock
19 November 1907
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Reginald Theodore Blomfield
19 November 1907
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominated by George James Frampton
19 November 1907
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominated by (Edward) Alfred Briscoe Drury
19 November 1907 - 12 March 1929
Two nominations for RA, in 1907 and 1929, both unsuccessful.
Nominated by Frederick William Pomeroy
19 November 1907
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominated by William Goscombe John
19 November 1907
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Frank Short
7 March 1927
For RA; unsuccessful.
Nominated by Henry Alfred Pegram
12 March 1929
For RA; unsuccessful.
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Haberdashers Assistant'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Art Student' and worker
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor', industry or service 'Marble Works', worker
Sources
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Eighteenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1923
November 1923
p. 43
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Nineteenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1926
November 1926
p. 81
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Seventeenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1921
November 1921
p. 47
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Twentieth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1929
November 1929
p. 71
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Twenty-first Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1931
November 1931
p. 57
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Sixth Exhibition.
1899
p.81.
Autumn exhibition of pictures & sculpture: the thirty-second, 1902 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1902
pp. 42-47.
Catalogue for the Seventy-Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1921
1921
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
RG12 piece 186 folio 106 page 44
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2001
Class: RG13; Piece: 211; Folio: 77; Page: 9
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2009
RG14PN1062 RG78PN35 RD11 SD2 ED29
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Year of Registration: 1875; Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec; District: Hackney; County: Greater London, London, Middlesex; Vol: 1b; Page: 493
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=clemens&yearOfDeath=1958&page=3#calendar (accessed 12 May 2016)
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
2010
London Metropolitan Archives, Saint Philip, Dalston, Register of baptisms, P79/PHI, Item 007 (his birth date is noted on the register)
Palace of Arts
Empire Exhibition
Scotland
1938
The Fine Art Section of the Empire Exhibition
1938
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1906-1927
1927
p.9.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1927-1938
1938
p.17.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 1, 1905-1913
19 May 1913
2 March 1905.
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Monday, Aug 23, 1920; pg. 13; Issue 42496; col E: Artists Of The R.A.M.C. GILBERT ROGERS..
Category: Letters to the Editor (accessed 21 June 2010)
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Tuesday, Oct 11, 1921; pg. 7; Issue 42848; col A Cavalry Not A "Dead Arm." Lord Haig's Defence, The Canterbury War Memorial. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) (accessed 21 June 2010)
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Thursday, Sep 18, 1930; pg. 12; Issue 45621; col B Africa House, Kingsway "Gold Medal " Building Sold Category: News (accessed 21 June 2010)
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Monday, May 21, 1945; pg. 6; Issue 50147; col C Ecclesiastical News Mace For Westminster Abbey Category: Official Appointments and Notices (accessed 21 June 2010)
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Tuesday, Jan 07, 1958; pg. 11; Issue 54042; col B Mr. Benjamin Clemens Category: Obituaries - by 'G.L.' (accessed 21 June 2010)
Citing this record
'Benjamin Clemens', 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=msib2_1203710028, accessed 03 Feb 2023]
