John Poole (sculptor)
Encyclopedia
A. John Poole, FRBS, Hon. FRBSA, (born Birmingham
, 20 February 1926 - died Bishampton
, Worcestershire
, 2 September 2009). Was a British freelance sculptor, and winner of 2 Otto Beit medals
, Birmingham. At the age of 12 he gained a place at Moseley Road Junior School of Art, and went on to study Industrial Design
at the Birmingham School of Art
. At the age of 17, in the Studio of William Bloye
, he learnt the art of letter carving in the style of Eric Gill
. In December 1944, Poole was called up for service in the Coldstream Guards
and the Parachute Regiment during World War II. As a lieutenant he served in France and in Germany as a liaison officer during the Nuremberg trials. He was subsequently recruited as an officer in the Parachute Regiment 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion
, serving in Egypt and Palestine.
Thirty of his major commissions were in and around Birmingham, his most notable being "The Rotunda Relief" at Lloyds Bank (1963). A 1500 square feet (139.4 m²) ciment fondu mural for the Lloyds Banking Hall in the newly built Rotunda in Birmingham, which has now been Grade II listed by English Heritage
.
In 1969 he won the Otto Beit medal for Sculpture for his "Risen Christ" at St. Dunstan's Church, King's Heath and then again in 1974 for his "Last Supper" carving on the Altar and Ambo in St. Helen's Cathedral in Brentwood, Essex
. He is the only sculptor to have received two Otto Beit medals .
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, 20 February 1926 - died Bishampton
Bishampton
Bishampton is a village and civil parish in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire, England with a population of 678.. It contains a church, a village shop and post office, a hairdresser, a village hall with a park and children's play areas, and a pub. There is a Nature reserve and a cricket pitch...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, 2 September 2009). Was a British freelance sculptor, and winner of 2 Otto Beit medals
Early life
Born in 1926, Anthony John Poole grew up in Hall GreenHall Green
Not to be confused with Hall Green, Wolverhampton or Hall Green, SandwellHall Green is an area and ward in south Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
, Birmingham. At the age of 12 he gained a place at Moseley Road Junior School of Art, and went on to study Industrial Design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
at the Birmingham School of Art
Birmingham School of Art
The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, its Grade I listed building on...
. At the age of 17, in the Studio of William Bloye
William Bloye
William James Bloye was an English sculptor, active in Birmingham either side of World War II.He studied, and later, taught at the Birmingham School of Art , where his pupils included Gordon Herickx, Raymond Mason and Ian Walters...
, he learnt the art of letter carving in the style of Eric Gill
Eric Gill
Arthur Eric Rowton Gill was a British sculptor, typeface designer, stonecutter and printmaker, who was associated with the Arts and Crafts movement...
. In December 1944, Poole was called up for service in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
and the Parachute Regiment during World War II. As a lieutenant he served in France and in Germany as a liaison officer during the Nuremberg trials. He was subsequently recruited as an officer in the Parachute Regiment 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion
7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion
The 7th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, formed by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was raised by the conversion of the 10th Somerset Light Infantry to parachute duties...
, serving in Egypt and Palestine.
Works
His first major commission was "The Sower", an heroic-size figure, carved out of Belgian granite in 1959, for Cannock Library in Staffordshire .Thirty of his major commissions were in and around Birmingham, his most notable being "The Rotunda Relief" at Lloyds Bank (1963). A 1500 square feet (139.4 m²) ciment fondu mural for the Lloyds Banking Hall in the newly built Rotunda in Birmingham, which has now been Grade II listed by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
In 1969 he won the Otto Beit medal for Sculpture for his "Risen Christ" at St. Dunstan's Church, King's Heath and then again in 1974 for his "Last Supper" carving on the Altar and Ambo in St. Helen's Cathedral in Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
. He is the only sculptor to have received two Otto Beit medals .