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W.G. Storr Barber

 
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jamiemcginlay



Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 930
Location: Glasgow

PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:49 pm    Post subject: W.G. Storr Barber Reply with quote

Some years ago I received this newspaper clipping (sorry about the quality) from a lady in Cardiff which shows the Hereford based monumental sculptor W.G. Storr-Barber working on a statue which the newspaper stated was for a war memorial in Aberdeen. Her interest was that her uncle worked as an apprentice for the sculptor and the photograph is of him standing as model for the sculpture (she was trying to locate the sculpture). I had wondered if the photograph is Barber working on the Rhynie memorial. The model is wearing a tunic instead of a greatcoat and the pose is slightly different, but the photograph is of Barber's model being posed for a local newspaper photographer and it is possible that changes were made after that before Barber actually began to model the sculpture.



In Geoff Archer's book 'The Glorious Dead - Figurative Sculpture of British First World War Memorials' the author states that the Kirkwall memorial was by Storr-Barber and according to Louise Boreham's research at the Orkney Library and Archives the Kirkwall memorial contractor was 'Messrs. Garden & Co., Aberdeen. Designer was Mr James Stewart of that firm.

I take it from this that Storr-Barber may have been known to the bigger Aberdeen Monumental granite firms who may have been comissioning him to model full scale figures for their memorials which their own granite masons then copied, perhaps several times. The Aberdeen firms would have owned the copyright and perhaps for this reason prefered the artist to remain anonymous (stone statues are normally left unsigned). If this is the case then Storr-Barber may be the original sculptor responsible for the modelling of many of the granite memorials around the North East.

Another candidate for his work may be Tillicoultry and Stromness. I don't have any confirmation of the firm responsible for the Stromness memorial but Louise Boreham found that local belief is that it was by an English sculptor and it is identical (including the pedestal) to the Tillicoultry memorial which Dalblair states was by Henry Hutcheson Limited of Aberdeen. The only difference is that Tillioultry is in a grey Aberdeen granite while Stromness is red Peterhead granite (probably more in hamony with the local Orcadian red sandstone).


Last edited by jamiemcginlay on Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:01 pm; edited 1 time in total
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kinnethmont



Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1649
Location: Aberdeenshire

PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 6:17 pm    Post subject: W.G. Storr Barber Reply with quote

Quote:
I had wondered if the photograph is Barber working on the Rhynie memorial.

The Rhynie and Kearn war memorial is well documented as being carved by Robert Morrison of Morren & Co., Aberdeen.
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Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk
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jamiemcginlay



Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 930
Location: Glasgow

PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello Jim,

Always a great pleasure to hear from you. As you may have noticed I posted on the Rhynie entry some years ago that the work was apparently carved by Robert Warrack Morrison. I met his grandson who was certain that Morrison was the carver. However as far as I am aware Morrison was a granite mason and not a sculptor, he would not have been responsible for modellimng the original sketch model in clay. You say this is well documented it would be great if you could perhaps share your sources with us.

Also the reason I suggested Rhynie as a possible candidate for the Storr-Barber work in the newspaper photograph is that it is the only soldier in the north east I can think of which is not wearing kilt and bonnet. If you can suggest an alternative it would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jim
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kinnethmont



Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1649
Location: Aberdeenshire

PostPosted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 8:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jim

I have seen articles which related this was one of Morrison's creations and supposed to be the first job he did in returning from US. From memory they related to info which Douglas had gathered. I had a particular interest in Rhynie and Kearn some years ago but do not remember whether local records examined confirmed it was the work of Bob Morrison. As you are sure to know, there are other works of similar quality in the North East by Morrison, including his wife's headstone.
Are you aware of the Morren link to Kearn?

Another in the North East I can think of which is not a Highland infantryman is at Udny, there may be others. It is also by Morren & Co. but I believe was the work of another granite carver with the firm, Frank Coutts.
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Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk
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