Frederick Brook Hitch | |
|---|---|
 The central relief on theNational Submarine War Memorial | |
| Born | 1877 (1877) London, England |
| Died | 1957 (aged 79–80) |
| Education | Royal Academy |
| Known for | Sculpture |
| Notable work | War memorials/public monuments |
Frederick Brook Hitch (1897–1957) was a British sculptor, the son of the architectural sculptorNathaniel Hitch. He attended theRoyal Academy Schools and was a Fellow of theRoyal Society of British Sculptors. He lived inHertford, Hertfordshire, England.
| Place | Location | Notes and References |
|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's Church | Bramfield,Suffolk | For St Andrew's Church Brook Hitch carved areredos. This was funded by Harriet Helen Tatlock of Bramfield Hall in memory of her parents and grandparents; her maternal grandfather was the painterPeter De Wint.[1] |
| St David's Cathedral | Pembrokeshire | In around 1931 Brook Hitch carved ahanging rood for the cathedral withMary,John and the symbols of theFour Evangelists on the arms of the cross and with halos and symbols highlighted in gold. The designer wasWilliam Douglas Caröe.[2] For the same cathedral Brooke Hitch createdBishop John Owen'seffigy in about 1926.[3] and the carving of the tomb and effigy of the Countess of Maidstone executed in about 1932.[4] |
| University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire | Cardiff | Brook Hitch carved severalreliefs for the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire (now the Main Building ofCardiff University) inCathays Park,Cardiff. He also carved two female figures representingScience andLabour in the centralfrieze above the building's main entrance.[5] |
| Place | Location | Notes and References |
|---|---|---|
| St Michael and All Angels Church | Pirbright, Surrey | Brook Hitch carved acalvary war memorial that stands in the churchyard. It was unveiled on 13 August 1920 byJohn Randolph, theBishop of Guildford.[6] |
| St Mary the Virgin Church | ShotleySuffolk | Hitch collaborated on creating a free standing memorial for the church of St Mary the Virgin inShotley, Suffolk, working with the architect A. H. Ryan-Tenison. The memorial, centered in an area that is entered through alychgate, is formed of a two-stepped base surmounted by aplinth and capped column. At the four corners of the base are cast bronze dolphins. A bronze figure of theMadonna is placed against one side of the column. A bronze lion head is placed on each of the posts that have been placed around the edge of the paved area. Bronze panels are on each face of the column. Two of the panels depict an anchor within a wreath, another depicts a Viking ship and the fourth a medieval ship.[7] The plaque on the Lychgate is inscribed:On the top step of the plinth are inscribed the names of submarines: E30, E16, E34, E4/C16, E36, E50, E47 and L10. The names of the 52 men who perished in action are written on a column and on the plinth. The memorial was unveiled on 26 June 1919; Bishop Hornby gave the dedication. The architect was a cousin of one of the dead. Some of the castings were executed by men ofHMSMaidstone which is mentioned on the memorial.[7] |
| National Submarine War Memorial | Victoria Embankment, London | TheNational Submarine War Memorial is set against the wall on the Victoria Embankment in London. In the centre of the memorial is a bas-relief by Brook Hitch showing the interior of a submarine, and another hasnereids swimming on either side. On the right and left are statues representing Truth and Justice. On either side of the central bronze plaques are 40 bronze wreath hooks in the form of anchors. In 1992 an additional plaque was added to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the unveiling of the original memorial. At the top of the memorial is the inscription "Erected to the memory of the officers and men of the British Navy who lost their lives serving in submarines 1914–1918 and 1939–1945". On the left-hand side is a list of the submarines lost in the 1914–1918 conflict and on the right a list of submarines lost from 1939 to 1945. The 70th Anniversary plaque reads: "National Submarine War Memorial (1922) This plaque commemorates the memorial's seventieth anniversary and the contribution by the members of the submariners old comrades, London, in their devotion to the upkeep of this memorial, unveiled by Peter P. Rigby C.B.E.J.P." The architect of the memorial was A. H. Ryan-Tenison, and theParlanti Foundry carried out the casting. The memorial was unveiled on 15 December 1922.[8] |
| Place | Location | Notes and References |
|---|---|---|
| The RSPCA Animals Memorial Dispensary | Kilburn,North West London | Brook Hitch executed a relief for theRoyal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Animals Memorial Dispensary inKilburn,North West London. The clinic was opened on 10 November 1932, although it had been treating animals for 13 months prior to that date. Brook Hitch had won a competition for the best design, this competition having been run by the RSPCA and theRoyal British Society of Sculptors. The bronze relief covers every type of animal which saw action and gave service; horses, mules, oxen, dogs, elephants, camels and pigeons.[9] The plaques record that 484,143 horses, mules, camels and bullocks were killed by enemy action, disease or accident, and that 725,216 animals were treated by the RSPCA during theFirst World War.[10] |
| Place | Location | Notes and References |
|---|---|---|
| Harwich Royal Navy Reserve Auxiliary Patrol and Minesweepers Memorial | Harwich,Essex | Brook Hitch worked on the memorial to the men of the HarwichRoyal Navy Reserve Auxiliary Patrol and Minesweepers who served in the First World War. The memorial stands on Marine Parade, Upper Dovercourt.[11] The inscription reads
185 men are remembered and the memorial was unveiled on 16 December 1919 by Admiral Cecil Hickey with a dedication by theBishop of London.[11] |
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Brook Hitch exhibited at theRoyal Academy from 1906 to 1947. Until 1914, his exhibits were mostly classical subjects. In 1917 he showed a medal commemorating theVictory of Jutland Bank. Thereafter he exhibited portraits, with the exception of a work entitledGrief, shown in 1924. In 1926 Hitch submittedmaquettes in the competition for the award of theCanadian National War Memorial in Ottawa. Although he was not awarded the commission, his design was shown at the Royal Academy in 1926.[18]
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