Alfred James Oakley
Born 13 March 1878
Died 28 April 1959
Active: 1911 - 1951
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor, teacher, chair maker's apprentice
Born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. He was the son of James Oakley (born c.1849 in High Wycombe), chair maker. Alfred was a chair maker’s apprentice before studying at the City & Guilds School (Lambeth School of Art) between 1903-8 and 1910. He was awarded the school's Modelling Scholarship of £50 over two years in 1908 (this covered the years 1909-10). Other students who won lesser prizes in the same year included William Reid Dick and Percy Apthorpe. Oakley may also have studied at Regent Street Polytechnic but this is unconfirmed.
During the First World War he served in the 5th (London) Field Ambulance (serial number 1825) and later worked on camouflage. (Oakley carved the memorial tablet to his Field Ambulance unit which is sited in St Alfege's Church, Greenwich.) Around 1922 he set up a studio in Parkhill Road, Hampstead. Oakley is said to have worked on London County Hall, as well as carrying out commissions for various architects and private clients. He taught sculpture during the 1930s but it is not known at which art school or school he was employed.
Over the course of his career Oakley showed work in Paris, Brussels, Venice and Buenos Aires. 'Mamua' c.1926 was purchased under the terms of the Chantrey Bequest and gifted to the Tate Gallery. In 1939 the Royal Society of British Sculptors awarded him a silver medal for 'The Gazelle' which was shown at the winter exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. Among his commissions was a decorative panel and group for the liner, Queen Mary.
There are a number of his works in Wycombe Museum, including: 'Grapes' (exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1914); 'Fighting Fauns' (exhibited at the Paris Salon, Venice Biennale, 1928 and Royal Academy, 1929); 'Java' (exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1930, and Glasgow Institute of Fine Art); 'The Spanish Comb' (exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1932, and Glasgow Institute of Fine Art); 'County Life' (exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1934); and 'The Wrestlers' (awarded first prize in the Gilbert Garrett competition, date unknown but probably between 1922-1926).
During the Second World War Oakley's studio was bombed, ending his artistic activities for the time being. He did war work with Daimlers but was invalided out. Oakley then visited Prinknash Abbey, where one of his former pupils was now a Benedictine monk. He was attracted by the life of the monastic community and lived with the order, to whom he was known as 'Jim', for the remaining 18 years of his life. During this time, Oakley continued to make sculpture, some of which was shown at the Royal Academy, and until 1952 retained his connection to the Royal Society of British Sculptors. He also carried out a number of works for the community, other Benedictine houses and ecclesiastical settings. For example Oakley was commissioned to make a number of works for Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin, Morayshire, including a Madonna and Child, a Reredos, and possibly also a crucifix.
Between 1943-5 Oakley was received into the Catholic Church at Bigsweir, the order's overflow house. Then in 1947 he joined St Michael's Abbey at Farnham, which became an offshoot of the Benedictine community at Prinknash. He remained there until ill health resulted in his transfer to Newbury where he was cared for by the Sisters of Nazareth. He died in the District Hospital, Newbury, Berkshire.
This record includes information provided by Zara Luxford, Museum Manager, Wycombe Museum, see www.wycombe.gov.uk/museum; from the Annual Report of the South London Technical School of Art for 1908, p. 9; from Karen Pickett and the 'History of the 5th London Field Ambulance 47th (London) division T.F.', London, 1935;and by Fr. Giles Conacher OSB, including an obituary from 'Pax: the Quarterly Review of the Benedictines of Prinknash', Summer 1959, Vol. XLIX, no. 290, 'Community Notes' (Farnborough) pp. 74 - 76.
Wealth at death: £884 8s. 10d.
Probate date: 10 August 1959
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.
The Spanish Comb
1938
Locations
Address Malvern House Totteridge Avenue High Wycombe | View on map
1911 (Circa)
Living here with his parents and family
Address c/o Messrs E. Enderson and Co. 18 Queen's Terrace London | View on map
1915 (Circa) - 1917 (Circa)
Address 5 The Mall Studios Parkhill Road London | View on map
1922 (Circa) - 1939 (Circa)
Address 8 Warwick Court Warwick Road Beaconsfield | View on map
1944 (Circa)
Address Millechope Hall Craven Arms | View on map
1946 (Circa)
Address St Michael's Abbey Farnborough | View on map
1947 - 1958 (Circa)
Lived at the Abbey as part of the community, which is an offshoot of Prinknash. In the final 18 months of his life, his health failed and he was cared for by the Sisters of Nazareth at Newbury. He died the District Hospital, Newbury, Berkshire.
Studio located at 7 Camden Studios Camden Street London NW | View on map
1911 (Circa) - 1914 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at City of Manchester Art Gallery, Exhibition of the Work of Living British Artists, 1927
'Flemish Head'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1911 - 1951
Exhibited 19 times, thirty works in all (statuettes, busts, figure groups, reliefs known media for early works includes bronze and from the mid-1920s wood carvings)
Exhibited at The Royal Scottish Academy Exhibition, 1826-
1917 - 1939
Exhibited at the annual exhibition 8 times: 1917 (2 works), 1923 (2 works), 1924 (2 works) 1927 (2 works), 1929 (1 work), 1935 (1 work) 1938 (1 work) and 1939 (1 work).
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Annual Exhibition, 1861-1951
1923 - 1951
Exhibited 12 times (an average of 1 -2 works per show)
Exhibited at Palace of Arts Empire Exhibition Scotland, 1938
1938
Won prize Prize for the best work of sculpture exhibited in London
1939 - 2 April 1940
Awarded one of two silver medals for 1939, for his marble work entitled 'The Gazelle' in carved wood, that was exhibited at the Winter Exhibition, Burlington House, 1939-1940.
Institutional and Business Connections
Associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1923 - 1938 (Presumed)
Became fellow in 1938.
Fellow of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1938 - 1952
Retired in 1952.
Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1921 - 1952
Retired in 1952.
Member of council Royal Society of British Sculptors
1929 - 1940
Served as a member of the Council from 1929 to 1932, and from 1940
Personal and Professional Connections
Collaborated with Gilbert William Bayes
1936
They worked together on the 'Unicorns in Battle' decorative panel for the RMS Queen Mary. [Stocker, 2004]
Nominated by William Reid Dick
1921 (Circa)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominated by William Silver Frith
1921 (Circa)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Edgar Silver Frith
1932 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Descriptions of Practice
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Sculptor in Marble' worker
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor' Stone w[or]ks, worker
Sources
Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Work of Living British Artists
1927
Cat. No. 390, pp. 36, 44
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
Class: RG13; Piece: 2675; Folio: 90; Page: 28
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN7873 RG78PN393 RD145 SD1 ED10 SN67
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Alfred James Oakley
Apr-May-Jun 1878
Wycombe, Bucks
Vol. 3a Page 523
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: Alfred James Oakley
Probate Date: 10 Aug 1959
Death Date: 28 Apr 1959
Death Place: Hampshire, England
Registry: Winchester, England
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
Palace of Arts
Empire Exhibition
Scotland
1938
The Fine Art Section of the Empire Exhibition
1938
Tate online: Art and Artists (previously General Collection)
http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?cgroupid=999999961&artistid=1711&page=1&sole=y&collab=y&attr=y&sort=default&tabview=bio (accessed 20 February 2010)
The Art of Carved Sculpture: Central and Northern Europe
1931
pp. 98-99
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
The Times, Monday, May 04, 1959; pg. 15; Issue 54451; col F
Obituary
Category: Obituaries
Citing this record
'Alfred James Oakley', 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_1220276782, accessed 04 Oct 2023]