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George Alexander

Born 1881
Died 12 November 1942

Active: 1901 - 1940

Country of birth: Scotland

Country of death: England

Architectural sculptor, wood carver, modeller, metalwork designer, medallist

Born in Partick, Glasgow, Lanarkshire. He worked as an architectural sculptor in Glasgow before 1901. Alexander moved to London to study at the Royal Academy Schools (1904-7) where he was a prize-winning student. His brother William (born c.1876), an engineer, also moved to London by 1911.

George Alexander received a number of important commissions, including carving the furniture for the Council Chamber, Cardiff County Hall (1908), designing the Members' seating in the Council Chamber as well as embellishing the most important committee and chairmen's rooms, at County Hall, London (c.1922), and carving all of the wood and stone in the new Ironmongers' Hall, London, finished in 1924-1925. Other commissions included Cassell's in La Belle Sauvage Yard, London and at Westerham Church, Kent. In 1924 Alexander won the competition to design the city war memorial in Sheffield with the architect, Charles Carus Wilson. The memorial was unveiled on 28th October 1925. [see Public Art Research Archive, Sheffield Hallam University online database at http://public-art.shu.ac.uk/index.html] Kineton Parkes remarked in 'The Art of Carved Sculpture' that: 'He uses exceptionally true craftsmanship as Grinling Gibbons did, not accentuating the cut qualities, and relying upon a sober use of high-relief rather than resorting to an ever-increasing elaboration which can only end in virtuosity.' [1931, p. 76]

However, Alexander made his name as a designer in metal, collaborating with a firm of Sheffield iron-workers and with the Crittall Manufacturing Company. In Kineton Parkes view his work was: 'some of the finest applied sculpture of the revival inaugurated by [Alfred] Stevens, a monument of plastic decoration worthy of comparison with those of the later Renaissance in England and on the Continent'. [Architectural Review, August 1927, pp. 84–5 and Crittall Freeman Bronze Ltd, Catalogue, 1926, quoted in 'County Hall' (1991), pp. 57-69] He died at St. Mary Abbot's Hospital, London after a short illness and was cremated at Putney Vale Cemetery.

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.

Atalanta
1912

Locations

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Address 4 Gray Street Sandyford Glasgow | View on map
1901 (Circa)

Studio located at Hans Studios 43a Glebe Place London | View on map
1910 (Circa)

Studio located at 1 Justice Studios Justice Walk London | View on map
1912 (Circa) - 1940 (Circa)
In 1940 address was: Justice Studios, 4 and 6 Justice Walk, Chelsea, SW3

Worked at Glamorgan County Hall Cathays Park Cardiff | View on map
1908 (Presumed)
George Alexander did the carving of all the oak furniture in the Council Chamber of the County Hall. Presume this is the sculptor of this name who was a member of the RBS because the society was closely involved with projects in Cardiff at this date

Worked at County Hall Westminster Bridge Road London | View on map
1922 (Circa)
'Alexander was responsible both for the wood carving in the most important committee and chairmen's rooms, and for designing the Members' seating in the Council Chamber. He also modelled the manganese bronze enrichments and ornamental work in the Council Chamber and on the ceremonial doors.' [See 'Architectural sculpture and decorative treatment', Survey of London Monograph 17: County Hall (1991), pp. 57-69. URL: http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=118182 Date accessed: 02 May 2011]

Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events

Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Eighty-Seventh, 1913
'Atalanta'

Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1905 - 1940
Exhibited 7 times, seven works in all

Won prize Landseer Scholarships (Royal Academy of Arts), 1884-1950
1905
Two years

Institutional and Business Connections

Associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1923 - 1938 (Presumed)
Became Fellow in 1938.

Committee member of Royal Society of Arts
1919 (Presumed) - 1921
Served as a Member of the Council.

Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938 - 1942
Died in 1942.

Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1909 - 1942

Member of council Royal Society of British Sculptors
1923 - 1940
Served as a member of the Council from 1923 to 1928, and from 1931

Studied at Royal Academy Schools
1904 (Presumed) - 1907 (Presumed)
Won a silver medal for a model of a design containing figure and ornament, in 1904. The following year, Alexander won a two year Landseer Scholarship for sculpture. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Reports'. In 1907, he was awarded a silver medal and £10 prize for a design for a medal. See 'Annual Report, 1907', (1908), p. 29.

Personal and Professional Connections

Nominated by William Goscombe John
7 December 1908
For membership of Royal Society of British Sculptors [7 December 1908, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Nominated by Albert Hemstock Hodge
7 December 1908
For membership of Royal Society of British Sculptors [7 December 1908, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].

Nominator of Alexander R. Fraser
1921 (Circa)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors

Seconder of Charles Leighfield Jonah Doman
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].

Descriptions of Practice

Listed under Sculptors The London Directory, 1930 Post Office/Kelly London Directories

Occupation given in 1901 Scotland Census
'Architectural Sculptor'

Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor (Artist)' working on own account

Sources

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1901 Scotland Census
2007
Parish: Glasgow Sandyford; ED: 17; Page: 19; Line: 5; Roll: CSSCT1901_298; Year: 1901

Annual Report from the Council of The Royal Academy to the General Assembly of Academicians for the Year 1904, 1905 Royal Academy Annual Reports
1905
p. 24.

Annual Report from the Council of The Royal Academy to the General Assembly of Academicians for the Year 1905, 1906 Royal Academy Annual Reports
1906
p. 33.

Annual Report from the Council of The Royal Academy to the General Assembly of Academicians for the Year 1907, 1908 Royal Academy Annual Reports
1908
p. 29.

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN2147 RG78PN74 RD26 SD1 ED4 SN214

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
Name: George Alexander Death Registration Month/Year: 1942 Age at death (estimated): 61 Registration district: Kensington Inferred County: London Volume: 1a Page: 162

List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008

Royal Academy Exhibitors 1905-70: A Dictionary of Artists and their Work in the Summer Exhibitions of the Royal Academy of Arts, Vol. I A-Car
1973
p. 19

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council and Accounts For the Year ending 21 December 1919. To be Presented at the Sixteenth Ordinary General Meeting, 1919
1919
p. 3.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council and Accounts For the Year ending 21 December 1921. To be Presented at the Eighteenth Ordinary General Meeting, 1921
1921
p. 10

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council and Accounts For the Year ending 31 December 1923. To be Presented at the Twentieth Ordinary General Meeting, 1924
1924
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council and Accounts for the Year Ending the 31 December 1924. To be Presented at the Twenty-First Ordinary General Meeting, 1925
1925
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1926, to be Presented at the Twenty-Second Ordinary General Meeting, 1927
February 1927
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1928, to be Presented at the Twenty-Fourth Ordinary General Meeting, 1929
March 1929
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1931, to be Presented at the Twenty-Eighth Ordinary General Meeting, 1932
March 1932
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1932, to be Presented at the Twenty-Ninth Ordinary General Meeting, 1933
March 1933
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1933, to be Presented at the Thirteenth Ordinary General Meeting, 1934
March 1934
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1934, to be Presented at the Thirty-First Ordinary General Meeting, 1935
March 1935
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1935, to be Presented at the Thirty-Second Ordinary General Meeting, 1936
March 1936
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1936, to be Presented at the Thirty-Third Ordinary General Meeting, 1937
March 1937
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of the Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1938, to be Presented at the Thirty-Fifth Ordinary General Meeting, 1939
March 1939
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of the Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1939, to be Presented at the Thirty-Sixth Ordinary General Meeting, 1940
March 1940
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Annual Report of the Council, with Accounts for the Year Ending 31 December 1940, to be Presented at the Thirty-Seventh Ordinary General Meeting, 1941
March 1941
p. 2.

Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 1, 1905-1913
19 May 1913
7 December 1908; 21 November 1910.

Superb Buildings erected by E. Turner and Sons, Ltd, Builders and Contractors, Penarth Road, Cardiff
April 1929
presume this is the same sculptor as members of the RBS were closely involved with projects in Cardiff at this date

Survey of London Monograph 17: County Hall
1991
'Architectural sculpture and decorative treatment', Survey of London Monograph 17: County Hall (1991), pp. 57-69. URL: http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=118182 Date accessed: 02 May 2011

The Art of Carved Sculpture: Western Europe, America and Japan
1931
pp. 76-77

The London Directory, 1930 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1930
p. 1354

The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1861-1989. Volume 1, A-D. A Dictionary of Exhibitors at the Annual Exhibitions of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1990 The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1861-1989
1990
p. 35

The Royal Scottish Academy Exhibitors 1826-1990: A dictionary of artists and their work in the Annual Exhibitions of the Royal Scottish Academy. Volume 1, A-D
1991
p. 25

The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
Deaths. The Times (London, England), Monday, Nov 16, 1942; pg. 1; Issue 49394. (1843 words) Category: Deaths

Citing this record

'George Alexander', 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_1220041255, accessed 30 May 2023]

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