New Church Art Trail (4)

The 'Woman of Samaria' by Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones

The organ at St Peter's Aldborough Hatch

Altar frontal made by Revd. Eric Pickles

'Et Alias Oves Hab Eo' by Anthony Foster

'Crucifixion' by A. Wyatt

Walk participants at St Peter's Aldborough Hatch

Today we held a first guided walk along the new Church Art Trail. Here is how one participant described the event:

"The Art Trail Walk, widely advertised in the local press and the August BROADSHEET, took place last Wednesday afternoon. Starting at St. Peter's and moving on to St. John's, St. Paul's and All Saints, those undertaking the trail saw some superb examples of stained and etched glass, sculptures and paintings in both traditional and contemporary styles.

A lively and helpful commentary was provided at each church, co-ordinated by the Rev Jonathan Evens, Vicar of St. John's.

At one stage some ten people were taking part – a disappointing number in many ways, but it was a hot afternoon and whilst walking is a problem for some, buses could be taken for part of the route (one old fellow rode on four buses in all!)."

As part of the walk, we were able to inspect the churchyard sculpture at St Peter's Aldborough Hatch and discovered the sculptor's name. Online research revealed the following information which was new to those at the church:

The sculpture of the Woman of Samaria was installed at the West End of the Churchyard in the early 1960s. It bears the inscription ‘Springing up into eternal life (John IV – XIV)’ and the name Rose Jacobs (1882 – 1961). The sculpture is the work of Aberdeen-born artist Thomas Bayliss Huxley-Jones FRBS, ARCA (1908-1969).

Huxley-Jones was a sculptor in a variety of materials who studied at Wolverhampton School of Art under Robert Emerson, 1924-9, and at the Royal College of Art, 1929-33, under Richard Garbe and Gilbert Ledward. He was married to the sculptor Gwyneth Holt. He exhibited RA, NEAC, RSA, SSA and RBSA. Huxley-Jones' sculpture is generally smooth and simple in profile, as depicted in Arthur T Broadbent's monograph Sculpture Today in Great Britain 1940-43, and in Eric Newton's companion volume British Sculpture 1944-46. Huxley-Jones completed a large volume of public work, at the BBC Television Centre, London, in Chelmsford Cathedral, outside Hornsey Library and in London's Hyde Park. Aberdeen and Wolverhampton Art Galleries hold his work.

Other works by Huxley - Jones include the fountain and gilded figure of Helios, the sun god of Greek mythology, located in the central courtyard of BBC Television Centre in London. Sea Fantasy in Aberdeen is a bronze sculpture of two dancing figures at the centre of a water pool. He also cast a bronze sculpture of David Livingston, the African explorer, which stands in a niche on the Royal Geographical Society building, London. In 1953 Huxley-Jones won the Jean Masson Davidson Medal; the Society of Portrait Sculptors’ highest award for distinguished services and outstanding achievement.

The Christ figure above the South Porch of St. Martin Le Tours church, Basildon, is a fibreglass figure of our Lord pierced by shafts of light his hands outstretched towards the town in service of the people. It is an invitation of welcome to all to enter designed and constructed by Huxley-Jones and erected in 1968. Just a few months after the statue had been officially dedicated, Huxley-Jones was admitted to St. Johns Hospital, Chelmsford with a heart condition. He died there four days later on Dec 10th 1968, making this figure the last work he did.

This information reinforces the sense that the Revd. Eric Pickles, a former Vicar, had a good eye for selecting work for the church, as each of the works we have highlighted at the church in the Trail were purchased by him.

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PJ Harvey - Shot of Love.