Albert Toft
Albert Toft by George Clausen
Born(1862-06-03)3 June 1862
Died18 December 1949(1949-12-18) (aged 87)
Worthing, Sussex, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materSouth Kensington Schools
Occupationsculptor

Albert Toft (3 June 1862 18 December 1949)[1] was a British sculptor.[2]

Toft's career was dominated by public commemorative commissions in bronze, mostly single statues of military or royal figures. The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, Boer War to 1902, and then World War I to 1918, provided plentiful commissions. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography describes Toft as one of the major figures of the "New Sculpture" movement following on from William Hamo Thornycroft and George Frampton. Toft described his work as 'Idealist' but he also said of himself that "to become an idealist you must necessarily first be a realist."

His father was a notable modeller in ceramics, and his brother was the landscape artist Joseph Alfonso Toft.

Biography

Toft was born in Handsworth, then in Staffordshire, and now a suburb of Birmingham. His parents were Charles Toft (18321909) and Rosanna Reeves. His father was a senior modeller at Mintons, and then the chief modeller at Wedgwood pottery. He had also taught modelling at Birmingham School of Art for some years to 1873.[3]

Toft trained at Wedgwood, and attended art schools in Hanley, Staffordshire and Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1881 he won a scholarship to study sculpture at the South Kensington Schools under Professor Édouard Lantéri.[4] He received silver medals in his second and third years.

From 1885 onwards Toft exhibited at the Royal Academy and some of his most notable works exhibited at the Royal Academy included Fate-Led (1890, now at Walker Art Gallery), The Sere and Yellow Leaf (1892), Spring (1897, now at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), The Spirit of Contemplation (1901; Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle) and The Metal Pourer (1915). In 1915 his sculpture The Bather was purchased using the Royal Academy's Chantrey Fund. His 1888 bust of William Ewart Gladstone for the National Liberal Club was modelled from life and acclaimed as one of the best. In 1900 Toft received a bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.

He created monuments to Queen Victoria for Leamington Spa, Nottingham, and South Shields, and to Edward VII in Birmingham and Warwick. He designed the coronation medal of George V and Queen Mary (1911) and a statuette of W. S. Penley playing Charley's Aunt for Royal Doulton (1913). He also published a book, Modelling and Sculpture in 1911, which was reprinted in 1949.

He made a series of war memorials, starting with the South African War Memorial in Cardiff (1910), and then many after the First World War, including the Royal Fusiliers War Memorial in London (1922), and four statues for the Birmingham Hall of Memory (1923–24).

In 1891 Toft was elected to the Art Workers Guild and in 1938 he was elected a fellow to the Royal Society of British Sculptors.[5]

He died in Worthing.

Public monuments and memorials

Image Title / subject Location and
coordinates
Date TypeMaterialDimensions DesignationWikidata Notes
Major Jonathen White Nottingham Castle 1891 Bust on pedestalBronze and granite Major White (1804–1889) served in the Robin Hood Rifles.[6][7][8]

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Henry Richard Tregaron, Ceredigion 1893 Statue on pedestalBronze and granite5.5m high Grade IIQ29495968 [8][9]

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Philip James Bailey Nottingham Castle 1901 Bust and panelBronze [6][7][8]

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Queen Victoria Town Hall, Royal Leamington Spa 1901 Statue on pedestalSicilian marble and Aberdeen granite3 metres high statue on a 4 metres high pedestal Grade IIQ26661547 [10]

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Charles Mark Palmer Jarrow, Tyneside 1903 Statue on pedestal with panelsBronze and Portland stone Grade IIQ26637979 [11]

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Queen Victoria Memorial Park, Nottingham 1905 Statue on pedestalMarble and granite Grade IIQ26560473 [8][12][13][14]

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Boer War memorial Christchurch Park, Ipswich 1906 Statue on pedestal with plaquesBronze and stone Grade IIQ26530640 [15][16]

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Boer War memorial Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham 1906 Sculpture group on tapered pedestal with reliefs and plaquesBronze and granite6M tall Grade II*Q26162445 [17][18]

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South African War Memorial Cathays Park, Cardiff 1909 Sculptures on pedestal & baseBronze and Portland stone Grade II*Q17741148 [19][20][21]
Memorial to Alistair Mackenzie St James's Church, Abinger Common, Abinger 1910 Wall tablet Grade II* [22]

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King Edward VII Memorial Centenary Square, Birmingham 1913 Statue on pedestalStone Grade IIQ6411498 [23]

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Queen Victoria South Shields c. 1913 Statue on pedestalBronze and granite Grade IIQ26525766 Originally erected with four supporting figures, now located elsewhere in South Shields[8][24]

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City and Midland Bank War Memorial Upper Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London 1921 2 sculptures, 14 inscribed panels and pedimentBronze and marble Sculptures represent St George and the Recording Angel.[25]

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War memorial Granville Square, Stone, Staffordshire 1921 Statue on pedestal with plaquesBronze and stone Grade IIQ26513651 [26][27]

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War memorial Sandon Estate, Sandon, Staffordshire 1921 Statue on pedestal with plaquesBronze and stone Q104245206 [28]

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War memorial Chadderton Town Hall, Greater Manchester 1921 Statue on obelisk and baseBronze and granite Grade IIQ26320858 [29][30]

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Royal Fusiliers War Memorial Holborn, London 1922 Statue on pedestalBronze and Portland stone Grade II*Q7374415 [31][32][33]

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War memorial Euston Place, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire 1922 Statue on inscribed pedestalBronze and Cornish granite Grade IIQ26661550 [34][35]

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Streatham War Memorial Streatham, London 1922 Statue on pedestalBronze and stone Grade IIQ32946115 [36][37][38]
Savage Club war memorial National Liberal Club, London 1922 PlaqueStone [39]

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War memorial Benenden, Kent 1923 Sculpture on pedestalBronze and stone Grade IIQ26371278 [40][41]

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Thornton-Cleveleys War Memorial Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire 1923 Statue on pedestalBronze and granite Grade IIQ108695758 [42][43]

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Oldham War Memorial Grounds of St Mary's Church, Oldham, Lancashire 1923 Sculpture group on pedestal and baseBronze and granite Grade II*Q22115519 Architect, Thomas Taylor[44][45][46]
GKN War memorial Thimblemill Recreation Ground, Smethwick 1924 Statue on pedestal and stepsBronze and stone Grade II [47][48]

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The Armed Forces and Nursing Services Hall of Memory, Birmingham 1923 4 SculpturesBronze Grade IQ5642705 [49][50]

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41st Division, Royal Fusiliers War Memorial Flers, Somme, France 1932 Statue on pedestalBronze and stone Figure is a version of the Holborn memorial statue.[32]

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Frank Brangwyn National Museum Cardiff 1937 BustBronze59.0cm [51]

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World War II Midland Bank Staff Memorial Canary Wharf, London Unveiled 1950 Reliefs and panelsStone and marble Originally located in Poultry in the City of London[52]

Other works

Saint George statue for London Joint City and Midland Bank war memorial

References

  1. "Albert Toft". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  2. Albert Toft Archived 15 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  3. 'Charles Toft', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 accessed 10 Nov 2018
  4. Remembrance and British war memorials Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Sourced 1 September 2007
  5. Toft's biography at the Henry Moore Institute website
  6. 1 2 A User's Guide to Public Sculpture. English Heritage / PMSA. 2000. ISBN 185074776-8.
  7. 1 2 "Nottingham Castle" (PDF). English Heritage. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Jo Darke (1991). The Monument Guide to England and Wales. Macdonald Illustrated. ISBN 0-356-17609-6.
  9. Cadw. "Henry Richard Memorial (18476)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  10. Historic England. "Statue of Queen Victoria (Grade II) (1381440)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  11. Historic England. "Statue to Sir Charles Mark Palmer (1355095)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  12. "Panels from a Memorial to the Late Queen in Nottingham, by Albert Toft". Victorianweb.org. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  13. Historic England. "Statue of Queen Victoria in Memorial Gardens (1270415)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  14. "Statue of Queen Victoria". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  15. "War Memorials Register: Suffolk Soldiers". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  16. Historic England. "Boer War Memorial Christchurch Park (1237499)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  17. "War Memorials Register: Cannon Hill Park Boer War Composite". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  18. Historic England. "Boer War Memorial, Cannon Hill Park (1392586)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  19. John Newman (1995). The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan. Penguin Group. p. 107. ISBN 0-14-071056-6.
  20. James Gildea (1911). For Remembrance and in Honour of Those Who Lost Their Lives in the South African War 1899-1902. p. 251.
  21. "War Memorials Register: Welsh National South African War". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  22. Historic England. "Church of St James (1378082)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  23. Historic England. "Edward VII Memorial Statue (Grade II) (1289623)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  24. Historic England. "Statue of Queen Victoria (Grade II) (1232222)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  25. "War Memorials Register: Joint City and Midland Bank – WW1". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  26. "War Memorials Register: Stone Serviceman". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  27. Historic England. "War Memorial (1219085)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  28. "War Memorials Register: Sandon Estate". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  29. "War Memorials Register: Chadderton". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  30. Historic England. "Chadderton War Memorial (1068095)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  31. "War Memorials Register: Royal Fusiliers City of London Regiment". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  32. 1 2 Historic England. "Royal Fusiliers War Memorial (1064638)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  33. "Royal London Fusiliers' War Memorial 1914-1918". The Courtauld Institute of Art. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  34. "War Memorials Register: Leamington Spa". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  35. Historic England. "War Memorial (1381443)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  36. Derek Boorman (1988). At the Going Down of the Sun: British First World War Memorials. William Sessions Limited. ISBN 1 85072 041 X.
  37. "War Memorials Register: Streatham". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  38. Historic England. "Streatham War Memorial (Grade II) (1440589)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  39. "War Memorials Register: Savage Club". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  40. "War Memorials Register: Men of Benenden - WW1 and WW2". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  41. Historic England. "War Memorial (1085201)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  42. "War Memorials Register: Thornton Cleveleys". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  43. Historic England. "Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial (1477225)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  44. "War Memorials Register: Oldham". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  45. Historic England. "Oldham War Memorial, including memorial wall, piers, gates and steps to St Mary's churchyard and forecourt walls, steps and bulstrade (south side) and railings to St Mary's Churchyard (west side) (1210137)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  46. Anthony McIntosh (7 November 2018). "Remembrance in bronze and stone: memorials of the First World War". Art UK. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  47. "War Memorials Register: Guest, Keen and Nettlefords Works Serviceman". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  48. Historic England. "Guest, Keen and Nettlefords (GKN) War Memorial (1461776)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  49. "War Memorials Register: Birmingham Hall of Memory". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  50. Historic England. "Birmingham Hall of Memory (1244943)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  51. "Art Collection Online: Sir Frank Brangwyn". Amgueddfa Cymru. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  52. "War Memorials Register: Midland Bank Staff WW2". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  53. "Union Assurance War Memorial". The Courtauld Institute of Art. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  54. "Union Assurance War Memorial models". The Courtauld Institute of Art. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  55. "Village Memorial Restored to Original". Black County Bugle. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  56. "Ellaline Terriss". Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  57. "Children of the Sculptor". Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  58. "The Spirit of Contemplation". Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  59. "The Bather". Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  60. Historic England, "Church of St Anne, Worksop (1045754)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 28 January 2022
  61. "Maternity". Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  62. "Fate-led". Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  63. Diane Bilbey with Marjorie Trusted (2002). British Sculpture 1470 to 2000 A Concise Catalogue of the Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum. V&A Publications. ISBN 1851773959.
  64. Encyclopædia Britannica, ed. 1911, vol. 24, pg. 505, Plate IV.
  • Modelling And Sculpture by Albert Toft, Seeley, Service & Co. Limited London, 1949—A Full Account of the Various Methods and Processes Employed in These Arts
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