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Albert Toft (3 June 1862, Handsworth, Birmingham, the son of Charles Toft (1832–1909) and Rosanna Reeves - 18 December 1949 Worthing, Sussex) was an English sculptor. His brother was the landscape artist Joseph Alfonso Toft.

Toft trained in Wedgwood's pottery and in 1881 won a scholarship to study sculpture at the South Kensington Schools under Professor Edouard Lanteri. He received silver medals in his second and third years. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography describes Toft as one of the major figures of "New Sculpture" 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."

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), 'The Sere and Yellow Leaf' (1892), 'Spring' (1897), 'The Spirit of Contemplation' (1901) and 'The Metal Pourer' (1915). In 1915 his sculpture 'The Bather' was purchased using the Royal Academy's Chantrey Fund. In 1900 Toft received a bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris.

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.

War Memorials

Name	Location	Comments	Image
Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial	Thornton Cleveleys Lancashire	A granite pedestal is surmounted by a bronze depiction of a soldier by Toft, this Thornton Cleveleys' monument to remember the dead of two World Wars. Unveiling took place on the 11th November 1923, this performed by Colonel Sir Hugh Jeudwine.
Chadderton War Memorial	Chadderton Greater Manchester	Another Toft depiction of a soldier cast in bronze stands on a pedestal outside the Chadderton Town Hall. The inscription reads "IN HONOUR OF THE MEN OF CHADDERTON WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE AND IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF ALL WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR FOR FREEDOM 1914-1919" Here the soldier is helmeted and standing at ease.
City and Midland Bank War Memorial	Canary Wharf Greater London	This memorial is located in a protected walkway near the east entrance at Upper Bank St. It had previously been located in Leadenhall Street in the City of London. Inscription reads "IN/ MEMORIAM/ 1914-1919/ A RECORD OF THOSE MEMBERS/ OF THE STAFF OF THE/LONDON JOINT CITY & MIDLAND BANK/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ (NAMES)" inscription This is a marble memorial with a triangular pediment with lists of names on a total fourteen panels below it. Bronze figures of St George are on the left and the Recording Angel on the right, these by Toft. 717 names are listed of men who perished in the First World War.
Midland Bank Staff Memorial World War 2	Canary Wharf Greater London	Originally located in Poultry in the City of London this memorial tablet is inscribed "1939 - 1945 / OUT OF THE DEPTHS OF SORROW AND SACRIFICE / WILL BE BORN AGAIN THE GLORY OF MANKIND / (NAMES)" inscription It is dedicated to the 478 employees of the Midland Bank who lost their lives in the Second World War. Toft carved the wreaths in relief which feature on the memorial.<ref<Midland Bank Staff Memorial World War 2 UKNIWM. Retrieved 13 November 2012</ref>
Benenden War Memorial	Benenden Kent	A variation of his usual theme of a standing soldier, here Toft has sculpted an allegory of Victory with the inscription " TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN OF BENENDEN/ WHO FOUGHT AND DIED FOR JUSTICE/ AND LIBERTY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919/ "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE" inscription Toft's bronze composition stands on a stone pedestal. The unveiling took place on the 27th February 1923. Photograph shown courtesy John Brown
"SUFFOLK SOLDIERS" Memorial	Ipswich Suffolk	This Boer War memorial is located in Christchurch Park in Ipswich. The memorial is inscribed "SUFFOLK SOLDIERS MEMORIAL/ ERECTED BY/ SUFFOLK PEOPLE AS A MONUMENT/ TO SUFFOLK SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR/ LIVES IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR/ 1899-1902" inscription on memorial The memorial comprises a stone base which supports a pedestal on which Toft has sculpted a bronze depiction of a bare-headed soldier. There are plaques on each side of the base these listing the names of the 281 Suffolk men remembered.
Cannon Hill Park Boer War Memorial	Cannon Hill Park Birmingham West Midlands	This memorial is inscribed "TO / THE GLORIOUS MEMORY / OF THE / SONS OF BIRMINGHAM / WHO FELL IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 1899 - 1902 / AND TO PERPETUATE / THE EXAMPLE OF ALL WHO / SERVED IN THE WAR / THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED / BY THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS" inscription on memorial It comprises a red granite base surmounted by a tapering pedestal on which are sited Toft's sculptures of a woman, a gun carriage and two soldiers. On the front face is a panel bearing a bronze relief and the other three faces have the names of those remembered listed on plaques. The woman represents "Peace" and her left arm supports a shield bearing the City Arms and an olive branch. There was a wreath in her right hand but this is missing. The relief panel shows two classical female figures which represent "Grief" and "Sympathy". They both hold wreaths. The names of 521 Birmingham men who die in the Second Boer War are listed. The unveiling ceremony took place on the 23rd June 1906 and the unveiling was performed by Gen Sir Ian Hamilton. Image shown courtesy Darius Kahn.
Leamington Spa War Memorial	Leamington Warwickshire	The Leamington Spa War Memorial is located in gardens in Euston Place. It features a Toft sculpture of a soldier standing bare-headed with his rifle reversed. On the ground behind him is a steel helmet and gas mask. The memorial remembers the dead of the First and Second World War as well as those lost in the Malayan, Korean, and Northern Ireland conflicts. Toft's bronze stands on a Cornish granite pedestal. The names of the dead are inscribed on all four sides of the pedestal. 570 Leamington Spa men were lost in the First World War and 188 in the Second. The unveiling ceremony took place on the 27th May 1922 and was performed by Lt.Gen Sir A Hunter Weston. A ceremony to unveil the additional names lost in the Second World War was held in November 1951. See image right shown courtesy Elliot Brown.
Welsh National South African War Memorial	Cardiff Glamorgan	This memorial stands in Cathay's Park on King Edward VII Avenue in Cardiff, described as "undoubtedly the finest and most original work of sculpture" there. It is inscribed "TO THE MEMORY/ OF THE WELSHMEN WHO FELL IN SOUTH AFRICA/ 1899 - 1902/ ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/ (NAMES)" inscription on war memorial The memorial consists of a Portland stone pedestal on a granite base and on one side of the pedestal is a bronze by Toft which features a seated male figure representing "War and Courage". The figure holds a sword and leans against a shield. A seated female figure on the other side represents "Grief" and she holds a wreath and also leans on a shield. These two figures are surmounted by a winged figure representing "Peace". This figure holds an olive branch and stands on an orb. The 817 men remembered died in the Second Boer War of 1899 to 1902. The unveiling took place on the 20th November 1909 and the unveiling was performed by General Sir J D P French who was to become the Earl of Ypres. See image on right shown courtesy Barrie Jenkins. This shows the figure representing "Peace" and the study "War and Courage". See photo of "War and Courage" in Gallery below.
Memorial to the Royal Fusiliers City of London Regiment	Holborn Greater London	This memorial carries the inscription "THE ROYAL FUSILIERS/ (CITY OF LONDON REGIMENT)/ TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY/ OF THE/ 22,000 ROYAL FUSILIERS/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919/ AND TO THE ROYAL FUSILIERS/WHO FELL IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939-1945/ AND THOSE FUSILIERS/ KILLED IN SUBSEQUENT CAMPAIGNS" inscription on memorial A bronze study of a soldier by Toft stands atop a Portland stone pedestal. The soldier wears a helmet and holds his rifle. The unveiling ceremony took place on the 4th November 1922 and was performed by the then Lord Mayor of London. Toft's figure here is identical to that on the 41st Division memorial at Flers in France. See photograph on right courtesy TB Murray
Oldham War Memorial	Oldham Lancashire	The Oldham memorial stands in the grounds of St Mary's Church in Church Street which is opposite Oldham Town Hall. The inscription reads "DEATH IS THE GATE OF LIFE/ 1914-1918/ TO GOD BE THE PRAISE/ 1939-1945/ THESE TABLETS WERE ERECTED BY THE CITIZENS OF OLDHAM AS A LASTING MEMORIAL TO THEIR FELLOW TOWNSMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR ANNO DOMINI 1914-1918"inscription on memorial Toft has sculpted a group of soldiers in the trenches, this cast in bronze. They stand on a square pedestal on a polished granite base and the names of the dead are on plaques on the churchwall. The total of men remembered is 2,688 from the First World War and a further 200 from the Second World War. The unveiling took place on 28 April 1923 and was performed by Gen Sir Ian Hamilton. A photograph is shown below courtesy Narniauk.
Birmingham Hall of Memory	Birmingham West Midlands	This elaborate memorial stands in Centenary Square in the centre of Birmingham. The memorial consists of a central octagonal building with a domed roof. It is built of Portland stone and is on a plinth of Cornish granite. On the outside are four bronze figures by Toft each mounted on pedestals and representing the Services. Inside the central building or hall are three relief panels by William Bloye these showing war scenes and several books of remembrance contained within a glass dome. One of the four figures by Toft represents the Navy and Toft has sculpted a bare-chested sailor in a crouching position and holding a coil of rope in one hand and a ship's wheel in the other. Another bare-chested figure is of a soldier, representing the Army. He is also in a crouching position and rests his tin helmet on his left leg and his right hand rests of the barrel of a machine gun. The Air Force figure, again bare-chested and crouching, holds a blade and aerlions of an aircraft in his left hand. The fourth and final figure represents the Nursing Service and here a woman crouches down whilst holding a wreath in her left hand. In the interior, panel one depicts a wife saying goodbye to her husband as he joins others marching off to war. Another shows soldiers fighting in the trenches as wounded comrades slump out of the line of fire. In the third panel we see wounded soldiers returning home; the aftermath of war. The inscriptions on the interior panels read- Panel 1- "OF THE 150,000 WHO ANSWERED THE CALL TO ARMS / 12,320 FELL: 35,000 CAME HOME DISABLED" inscription on panel 1 Panel 2- "AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN / THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM" inscription on panel 2 Panel 3- "SEE TO IT THAT THEY SHALL NOT HAVE / SUFFERED AND DIED IN VAIN" inscription on panel 3 The memorial was opened by HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught KG on the 12th June 1923. Photograph on right shown courtesy Oosoom. Further images are shown in the gallery these of Toft's four figures.
Streatham War Memorial	Streatham Greater London	This war memorial is located in a garden by Streatham Common on Streatham High Road and features a Toft sculpture of a standing soldier with rifle reversed. It remembers those men of Streatham who perished in the First and Second World Wars. Toft's bronze sculpture stands on a stone pedestal. The unveiling took place on the 14th October 1922.
Stone War Memorial	Stone Staffordshire	Memorial stands in Granville Square in Stone. It comprises a pedestal surmounted with Toft's bronze sculpture of a soldier. It remembers those Stone men who died in both World Wars. The soldier is bare-headed and holds a reversed Lee Enfield rifle along with belt, haversack and water bottle. His steel helmet lies at his feet. Bronze plaques are sited on each side of the pedestal. Those plaques remembering the losses of the Second World War have Staffordshire Knots at the base. The unveiling ceremony took place on the 10th January 1921 and the unveiling was carried out by the Earl of Dartmouth.
Sandon Estate War Memorial	Sandon Staffordshire	This memorial dedicated to the men of the Sandon Estate killed in the 1914-18 war is unusual in that it records where the 23 men involved died. We see therefore how the men of Sandon served in various theatres of the war- The High Seas/France/Flanders/Gallipoli, Salonica, Mesopotamia, South Russia/ Egypt/Palestine/Italy/East Africa and India. In the gallery below is a photograph of the plaque which gives this information. The memorial comprises a stone pedestal on which stands Toft's bronze sculpture of a soldier. The memorial was unveiled in May 1921, the ceremony being carried out by Colonel John Ward.

Other works

Gallery of Sculptures by Albert Toft

• Bust Frank Brangwyn
• Toft sculpture in Holborn
• Stone War Memorial.
• Chadderton War Memorial
• Plaque showing where men of Sandon Estate died.
• Soldier on Sandon Estate War Memorial.
• Birmingham Hall of Memory.
• Birmingham Hall of Memory.
• The Nursing Service represented on the Birmingham Hall of Memory. Courtesy Christophe.Finot.
• The Air Force represented on the Birmingham Hall of Memory. Courtesy Christophe.Finot.
• The Navy represented on the Birmingham Hall of Memory.Courtesy Christophe.Finot.
• The Army represented on the Birmingham Hall of Memory. Courtesy Christophe.Finot.
• War and Courage by Toft. Cardiff.
• Part Cardiff Boer War Memorial.
• The Spirit of Contemplation
• Henry Richard statue in Tregaron

References

1. "Albert Toft". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
2. Albert Toft
3. Remembrance and British war memorials. Sourced 1 September 2007
4. Toft's biography at the Henry Moore Institute website
5. Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 13 November 2012
6. Chadderton War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 13 November 2012
7. HSBC Headquarters War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 13 November 2012
8. Benenden War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 13 November 2012
9. "SUFFOLK SOLDIERS" Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
10. Cannon Hill Park Boer War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
11. Leamington Spa War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
12. Newman, John (1995). The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan. Penguin Group. p. 107. ISBN 0-14-071056-6.
13. "For Remembrance and in Honour of Those Who Lost Their Lives in the South African War 1899-1902" by James Gildea. Published 1911. See page 251.
14. Welsh National South African War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
15. to the Royal Fusiliers City of London Regiment UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
16. "London's Open Air Statuary" by Gleichen published in 1928. See Pages 134/5.
17. Oldham War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
18. BIRMINGHAM HALL OF MEMORY UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
19. "At the going down of the sun: British First World War Memorials" by Derek Boorman. Published in 1988. See Pages 131/2,
20. Streatham War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
21. Stone War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 12 November 2012
22. Sandon Estate War Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 13 November 2012
23. ^ Nottingham Castle English Hertitage. Retrieved 13 November 2012
24. The Bather Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012
25. Ellaline Terriss Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012
26. The Spirit of Contemplation Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012
27. Children of the Sculptor Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012
28. Frank Brangwyn Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012
29. Maternity Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012
30. The King Edward VII Memorial The Victorian Society. Retrieved 13 November 2012
31. Statue of Queen Victoria British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 13 November 2012
32. Fate-led Victorian Web. Retrieved 13 November 2012

• 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

External links

• Toft on The Victorian Web
• National Archives file

Template:Persondata

• 1862 births
• 1949 deaths
• English sculptors
• People from Birmingham, West Midlands