Alfred Lyndhurst Pocock
Born 1882
Died 1962
Active: 1901 - 1930
Country of birth and death: England
Gem sculptor, sculptor, art teacher, watercolourist, mineralogist
Born in Paddington, London. His father was Lexden Lewis Pocock, 1850-1919, a painter in watercolours who exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1875-1914. Alfred's sister was Lilian Pocock (1883-1974) who became a successful stained glass artist and who also worked in other media.
Alfred Pocock won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools in 1903. He began working for Fabergé in 1905, when the company's European manager, H.C. Bainbridge had to get some wax models of animals made for Queen Alexandra, these were sent to Russia for carving in semi-precious stone [1]. The RA recommended Pocock and his models pleased the Queen. Later she acquired gem carvings from Pocock, who had taught himself the technique using accounts in books. In a paper on 'Gem Engraving' by the sculptor Cecil Thomas delivered to the Royal Society of Arts in 1912 [2], Pocock was the only British artist who attempted to work on a large scale in semi-precious stones (a practice that was more widespread in France).
Pocock taught sculpture at Birckbeck College of Art and gave art lessons at Glamis. According to Cecil Thomas, who was also the author of Pocock's obituary, he was a watercolourist, an expert minerologist and had significant technical ability which led him into metallurgy, optics, instrument making, photography etc.
[1] An example of an animal modelled by Pocock together with a description of the commision is available here: http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/40268/queen-alexandras-pekingese (accessed 14 December 2013)
[2] Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, Vol. 60, No. 3091, 16 February 1912, pp. 360-71
This record includes information submitted by Rona Moody.
Locations
Address 28 Blomfield Place Paddington London W England | View on map
1909 (Circa) - 1923 (Circa)
In 1911 living at this address with seven siblings who were all art students, students of literature or music apart from one who was a geologist
Address The Chalet Slinfold England | View on map
1930 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1909 - 1930
Exhibited 8 times, 8 works, statuettes and busts between 1909-18 and then sculptured gems
Institutional and Business Connections
Member of Art Workers Guild
2 February 1923 - 1924
Resigned a year after joining
Personal and Professional Connections
Friends with Cecil Walter Thomas
Cecil Thomas admired the work of Alfred Lyndhurst Pocock - both were expert carvers of gems and worked for Faberge.
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Art student' also Lexden L. Pocock, father, age 51 occupation given as: 'Artist, painter (‘sculp’ overwritten)' and working on own account at home
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Art master modelling' teaching at Birckbeck College
Sources
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1913-1933
1923, p.12; 1924, p.12.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
Class: RG13; Piece: 8; Folio: 36; Page: 5.
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN38 RG78PN1 RD1 SD1 ED38 SN17
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Alfred Lyndhurst Pocock
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1882
Registration District: Kensington
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1a
Page: 16
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Saturday, Oct 27, 1962; pg. 10; Issue 55533; col F
Obituary Mr. Alfred Pocock Mr. Cecil Thomas.
Category: Obituaries
Citing this record
'Alfred Lyndhurst Pocock', 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_1218720100, accessed 25 Sep 2023]
