Ernest George Gillick ARA
Born 19 November 1874
Died 25 September 1951
Active: 1899 - 1946
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, medallist
Born in Bradford, Yorkshire. His father, Cornelius, was a tailor. The family moved to Nottingham when Ernest was growing up and he was first apprenticed as a designer c.1891. Ernest began studying art at Nottingham School of Art (NSA), where he was a prize-winning student. In 1899 Gillick was awarded a National Scholarship to study for two years at the Royal College of Art. At the end of this he received an extension and a travelling scholarship which enabled him to visit all the principal sites in Italy, and to spend time in Paris. In 1905 he married the sculptor and medallist, Mary Gaskell Tutin (1881-1965) who had been a fellow student at NSA. Their peer group in Nottingham had included the painters, Harold and Laura Knight with whom they remained friends throughout their lives.
It appears George Frampton may have provided valuable assistance to Gillick early in his career, possibly suggesting him for the memorial to Dr James Adam at Emmanuel College, Cambridge (1912). This is based on an obituary to George Frampton that Gillick wrote for 'The Times' (28 May 1928), in which he praised the older sculptor for his lifelong generosity to younger artists, steering work their way when his own practice was too busy.
His practice was primarily focused on architectural and memorial sculpture. Among his major works were: a statue in bronze and six busts in plaster of of the Raj of Cochin, India (1915-22, unveiled 1925, the completion of the statue was delayed because of restrictions on bronze casting during the First World War);'Henry VII at Bosworth Field' commissioned by Lord Rhonda and gifted to the City Hall, Cardiff (c.1919); three figures (Crucifixion, flanked by mother and child) for the reredos in Winchester College Chapel, as part of the Winchester College War Memorial (1923); he collaborated with Gilbert Ledward on the Guards Memorial (1923-6) by designing the lettering panel which was then executed by Mr S. J. Newman; a bust of Thomas Hellyer Foord, the founder for the Foord Almshouses at Rochester (architect Guy Dawber, stained glass by Anning Bell) completed 1927; a memorial to George Frampton (a child holding a figure of Peter Pan), St Paul's (unveiled 1931); statuary group for National Provincial Bank, Princess Street, London (1932); Burlington House.
He served on the Sculpture Faculty of the British School at Rome and on the Council of the Imperial Arts League. In 1935 Gillick was awarded a medal for 'Ex Tenbris Lux' from the Royal Society of British Sculptors which voted it the best work exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts that year. (This bronze was purchased in 1938 by the Christchurch Art Gallery, New Zealand.) According to his obituary he was a steady, thoughtful person and an idealist tempered by a quiet sense of humour.
There is a lengthy description of the commission to make the busts and statue of the Raj of Cochin available online: http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-story-of-a-statue/article7333585.ece. There is a record for 'Ex Tenebris Lux' on the Christchurch Art Gallery's website: https://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/collection/69-557 (both sites accessed 18 November 2017).
Wealth at death: £4,529 0s. 1d.
Probate date: 13 May 1952
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.
Royal Academy Schools Medal
1937 (Circa)
Gillick was commissioned to design the Schools Medal. He received 250 guineas. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1937', 1938, p. 20.
Memorial to Sir George Frampton
1931
Peace
1939
Locations
Address 516 King's Road Chelsea London | View on map
1901 (Circa)
listed as 'boarder' with fellow art students: Joseph Else (see separate entry); William W Stephens age 21 born Cheltenham; Henry J Pike age 24 born Southampton and William R Alexander age 24 born Scotland
Address 14A Cheyne Row Chelsea London | View on map
1908 (Circa) - 1913 (Circa)
Address Moravian Close 381 King's Road London SW | View on map
1916 (Presumed) - 1951
Moravian Close occupies the site of Sir Thomas More's garden, and the Gillicks hosted an event there to commemorate his canonization on 7 July 1935
Address given as Nottingham | View on map
1899 (Presumed)
[address given as School of Art].
School located at Great Cheyne Studio Chelsea London | View on map
1904 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Exhibition of Fair Women (International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, London), 1909
Multiple works
Exhibited at Ninth Exhibition of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1909
Multiple works
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Sixth Exhibition, 1899
Multiple works
Exhibited at Laing Art Gallery, Special Inaugural Exhibition of Pictures by British and Foreign Artists, 1904
'Robert Millhouse, Poet'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The One-Hundred-and-Thirteenth, 1939
Multiple works
Exhibited at Special Loan Exhibition of Paintings of the British School 1878-1903, and Sculpture (Nottingham Castle Museum), 1903
September 1903
Gillick exhibited one sculpture (undated).
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1904 - 1951
Exhibited 25 times, about 37 works in all
Selection committee member of The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The One Hundred and Sixty-Eighth (Summer Exhibition), 1936
7 April 1936 - 18 April 1936
He served on the Selection Committee, and was responsible for the arrangement of sculpture. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1936' (1937), p. 43.
Selection committee member of Chantrey Bequest (Chantrey Fund; Royal Academy of Arts), 1875-1948
1937
Served on the Recommending Committee in 1937 (Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1937', 1938, p. 23).
Speaker at Coins and Medals (Art Workers Guild), 1928
Speaker at Bronze Casting (Art Workers Guild), 1928
Speaker at Alfred Stevens (Art Workers Guild), 1928
Speaker at Sculpture, Carved and Modelled (Art Workers Guild), 1933
Speaker at Sculpture on Buildings (Art Workers Guild), 1934
Speaker at Principles of Classic Architecture as Applied to Modern Usage (Art Workers Guild), 1935
Speaker at American Sculpture (Art Workers Guild), 1935
Speaker at Artistic Collapse in the Reign of Victoria (Art Workers Guild), 1935
Speaker at The Work of Alfred Stevens (Art Workers Guild), 1945
Speaker at Monuments Worthy and Unworthy (Art Workers Guild), 1933
Won prize Competition for a Memorial to "Ouida"
1 March 1909 (Circa)
Won commission. Results communicated by Reynolds-Stephens at meeting of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [1 March 1909, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Won prize Prize for the best work of sculpture exhibited in London
1935
Won the prize for his statues entitled 'Ex Tenebris Lux', and exhibited at the Royal Academy. Awarded a silver medal.
Institutional and Business Connections
Associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938
Became fellow in 1938.
Elected ARA Royal Academy of Arts
26 April 1935 - 1 January 1950
Then became Senior ARA until his death in 1951.
Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938 - 1951
Died in 1951.
Lectured at Royal Academy Schools
1935
Gillick gave a 'short talk on the difficulties of a sculptor's life'. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1935', (1936), p. 53.
Master of Art Workers Guild
1935
Year as master was a quiet one for the guild [Fifty-second annual report of the committee of the Art Workers' Guild, 1936, p.6]
Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1906 - 1914
Resigned in 1914 only to rejoin as Associate in 1938.
Member of Art Workers Guild
February 1916 - 1951
Committee member 1919-1921 and 1933-1936
Member of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1946 (Presumed)
Received award from Royal Society of British Sculptors
1935
Recieved medal [fifty-second annual report of the committee of the Art Workers' Guild, 1936, p.15].
Student at Nottingham School of Art
1896 (Circa)
Personal and Professional Connections
Nominated by Edouard Lanteri
15 January 1906
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Nominated by Thomas Brock
1912
For RA.
Nominated by George James Frampton
1912 - 22 February 1927
Two nominations for RA.
Nominated by William Hamo Thornycroft
1912
For RA.
Nominated by Frederick William Pomeroy
1912 - 24 February 1920
Twice, for RA, in 1912 and again in 1920.
Nominated by (Edgar) Bertram Mackennal
1912
For RA.
Nominated by William Goscombe John
1912
For RA.
Nominated by Solomon Joseph Solomon
1912
For RA.
Nominated by Francis Bernard Dicksee
27 February 1920 - 22 February 1927
Two nominations for RA.
Nominated by Frank Short
1 March 1920 - 22 February 1927
Two nominations for RA.
Nominated by Henry Scott Tuke
1 March 1920
For RA.
Nominated by John James Burnet
22 February 1927
For RA.
Nominated by George Clausen
22 February 1927
For RA.
Nominated by Philip Connard
22 February 1927
For RA.
Nominated by Charles Leonard Hartwell
22 February 1927
For RA.
Nominated by William Llewellyn
22 February 1927 - March 1934
Two nominations for RA.
Nominated by Walter Westley Russell
22 February 1927 - March 1934
Two nominations for RA.
Nominated by Malcolm Osborne
22 February 1927
For RA.
Nominated by George Harcourt
22 February 1927
For RA.
Nominated by David Murray
7 January 1927
For RA.
Nominated by Wilfred Gabriel de Glehn
March 1934
For RA.
Nominated by William Russell Flint
March 1934
For RA.
Nominated by Alfred Turner
March 1934
For RA.
Nominated by William McMillan
March 1934
For RA.
Nominated by George Spencer Watson
March 1934
For RA.
Nominated by Sydney Lee
March 1934
For RA.
Nominated by William Curtis Green
March 1934
For RA.
Nominator of Joseph Else
5 July 1909
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [5 July 1909, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Nominator of Winifred Turner
27 April 1934
For RA; unsuccessful.
Seconded by Frank Lynn Jenkins
15 January 1906
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Seconder of Mervyn Herapath
21 November 1910
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors [21 November 1910, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Seconder of Thomas Stirling Lee
20 November 1911
To represent the Royal Society of British Sculptors on the Council for formulating the Travelling Studentship of Rome, following the death of Lawes-Wittewronge [20 November 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Wife/husband/spouse to Mary Gaskell Gillick
1905
See Lowe, 'Sculpturess with city at heart', (2006).
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem, and Seal-Engravers, Mint Masters, &c., Ancient and Modern with References to their Works, B.C. 500 - A.D. 1900, Volume VII, 1923 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a contemporary sculptor who exhibited at the Royal Academy, London, from 1904 onwards. Forrer lists a number of medals that were designed by Gillick between 1901 and 1904. The artist made the model for the 'new Silver Mayoralty Seal of the City of London' in 1911. In 1916 Gillick modelled two of a series of nine portrait plaques of Gaekwars of Baroda, that were issued by M. H. Spielmann. See Forrer, vol. 7, (1923), p. 363.
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Art Student'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Designer's Apprentice'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor' working on own account at studio
Sources
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1913-1933
1916, p.11; 1928, pp.8-9; 1933, p.9.
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Members and Craftsmen
1946 (Probable)
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Sixth Exhibition.
1899
p.75.
Bygones - 'Sculpturess with city at Heart ...', 1 April, 2006 Nottingham Local Studies Collection, Central Library, Nottingham
1 April 2006
p. 24.
Catalogue of the Special Inaugural Exhibition of Pictures by British and Foreign Artists, 1904
1904
p. 127
Catalogue of the Special Loan Exhibition of Paintings of the British School, 1873-1903, and Sculpture, 1903
1903
pp. 79-80.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
Class: RG12; Piece: 2695; Folio 116; Page 17; GSU roll: 6097805
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2001
Class: RG13; Piece: 71; Folio: 41; Page: 73
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2009
RG14PN3177 RG78PN118 RD36 SD1 ED3 SN101
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
Name: Ernest G Gillick Death Registration Month/Year: 1951 Age at death (estimated): 76 Registration district: Westminster Inferred County: London Volume: 5c Page: 314
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Ernest George Gillick
Year of Registration: 1874
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
District: Bradford
County: Yorkshire - West Riding, West Yorkshire
Volume: 9b
Page: 133
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Ernest George Gillick
Probate Date: 13 May 1952
Death Date: 25 Sep 1951
Death Place: London, England
Registry: London, England
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1906-1927
1927
p.42.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1927-1938
1938
p.18, p.210.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 1, 1905-1913
19 May 1913
15 January 1906; 1 March 1909; 5 April 1909; 5 July 1909; 21 November 1910.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 2, 1913-1922
1922 (Presumed)
20 April 1914
The fifty-first annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1935
1935
p.13, p.34.
The fifty-second annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1936
1936
p.9, p.11, p.13, p.15, p.34.
The sixty-eighth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1951
1951
Notice of death.
The sixty-second annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1946
1946
p.8.
The sixty-sixth annual report of the committee of the Art-Workers' Guild, 1950
1950
p.19.
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
Department Of Science And Art.-The list (News)
The Times Saturday, Aug 15, 1896; pg. 10; Issue 34970; col E and The Times, Thursday, Sep 27, 1951; pg. 6; Issue 52117; col F
Mr. E. Gillick, A.R.A. Architectural Sculptor
Category: Obituaries (accessed 11 August 2010)
Citing this record
'Ernest George Gillick ARA', 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_1204138444, accessed 04 Jul 2022]
