Quick Facts
Biography
Frederick Brook Hitch (1897–1957), the son of architectural sculptor Nathaniel Hitch, was a British sculptor.He attended the Royal Academy and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and lived in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England.
Works
Church and other architectural sculpture
| Place | Location | Notes and References |
|---|---|---|
| St Andrew's Church | Bramfield Suffolk | For St Andrew's Church Brook Hitch carved a reredos. This was funded by Miss Tatlock of Bramfield House in memory of her parents and grandparents; Her grandfather was the painter Peter De Wint. |
| St David's Cathedral | Pembrokeshire | In around 1931 Brook Hitch carved a hanging rood for the Cathedral with Mary, John and the symbols of the Four Evangelists on the arms of the cross and with halos and symbols highlighted in gold. The designer was William Douglas Caröe. In the same Cathedral Brooke Hitch created John Owen's effigy in about 1926. and the carving of the tomb and effigy of the Countess of Maidstone executed in about 1932. |
| University of South Wales | Cardiff | Brook Hitch carved several reliefs for the University of South Wales (now called Cardiff University) building in Cathays Park, Cardiff. Brook Hitch also carved two female figures representing "Science" and "Labour" that are in the central frieze above the building's main entrance. |
Church and other architectural sculpture
Hanging Rood in St David's Cathedral. Photograph shown courtesy Martin Crampin.
The Countess of Maidstone's Tomb.Photograph shown courtesy Martin Crampin.
"The Labours"- relief by Brook Hitch on exterior main building of the University of South Wales. Photograph shown courtesy Jessica Kelly.
Frieze by the Grand Staircase in University of South Wales' main building. Photograph shown courtesy Jessica Kelly.
Frieze by the Grand Staircase in University of South Wales' main building. Photograph shown courtesy Jessica Kelly.
War memorials
| Place | Location | Notes and References |
|---|---|---|
| St Michael & All Angels Church | Pirbright, Surrey | Brook Hitch carved a calvary war memorial that stands in the churchyard. It was unveiled on 13 August 1920 by John Randolph, the Bishop of Guildford. |
| St Mary the Virgin Church | Shotley Suffolk | Hitch collaborated on creating a free standing memorial for the St Mary the Virgin Church in Shotley, Suffolk working with the architect A.H. Ryan Tenison. The memorial, centered in an area that is entered through a lychgate, is formed of a two stepped base surmounted by a plinth and capped column. At the four corners of the base are cast bronze dolphins. A bronze figure of the Madonna 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. 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 of HMS Maidstone which is mentioned on the memorial. |
| The National Submarine War Memorial | Victoria Embankment London | The National Submarine War Memorial is set against the wall on the Victoria Embankment, near Charing Cross, London. In the centre of the memorial is a bas-relief by Brook Hitch showing the interior of a submarine and another has nereids 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 the foundry, Parlanti's Ltd, carried out the casting. The memorial was unveiled on 15 December 1922. |
Images of the National Submarine War Memorial
The central relief on the National Submarine War Memorial.The interior of the submarine.
Second relief on the National Submarine War Memorial- Swimming nereids
| Place | Location | Notes and References |
|---|---|---|
| The RSPCA Animals Memorial Dispensary | Kilburn North West London | Brook Hitch executed a relief for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Animals Memorial Dispensary in Kilburn, 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 run by the RSPCA and The Royal Society of British Sculptors. The bronze relief covers every type of animal who saw action and gave service; horses, mules, oxen, dogs, elephants, camels and pigeons. The plaques record that 484,143 animals were killed by enemy action, disease or accident and that 725,216 animals were treated by the RSPCA during the Great War. |
Images of the RSPCA Animals Memorial Dispensary
Brook Hitch's relief
One of two plaques by the entrance to the RSPCA Animals Memorial Dispensary
Second plaque by the Dispensary entrance
Central Part of Brook Hitch relief
Detail from Brook Hitch relief
Horses in Brook Hitch relief
Left hand side of relief
Right hand side of relief
Harwich Royal Navy Reserve Auxiliary Patrol and Minesweepers Memorial
| 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 Harwich Royal Navy Reserve Auxiliary Patrol and Minesweepers who served in the Great War.The memorial stands on Marine Parade, Upper Dovercourt. The inscription reads
185 men are remembered and the memorial was unveiled on 16 December 1919 by Admiral Cecil Hickey with a dedication by the Bishop of London. |
Other works: public statues
- A statue of Captain Matthew Flinders on North Terrace, Adelaide.
- Statue of Sir Ross Smith in the Creswell Gardens, near Adelaide Oval.
- The bronze statue of the hymn-writer Charles Wesley at the Methodist chapel in Bristol. Charles Wesley (1707–1788) was the younger brother of John Wesley. He composed about 9,000 hymns during his lifetime, such as "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" and "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing". The Brook Hitch bronze statue stands in the back courtyard of the Methodist chapel and has the motif "O let me commend my Saviour to you".
- Statue of Nelson in Pembroke Gardens, Portsmouth. This was erected in 1951.
- A statue of Sir Robert de Mantell in the grounds of Beeleigh Abbey in Essex. Sir Robert de Mantell was the founder of Beeleigh Abbey.
- A statue of Saint Giles for St Giles Church in Haughton, Staffordshire.
Other works: public statues
Statue of Captain Matthew Flinders in Adelaide
Statue of Sir Ross Smith in Adelaide
Statue of Charles Wesley in Bristol
Exhibitions
Brook Hitch exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1906 to 1947. Until 1914, his exhibits were mostly classical subjects. In 1917 he showed a medal commemorating the Victory of Jutland Bank. Thereafter he exhibited portraits, with the exception of a work entitled Grief, shown in 1924. In 1926 Hitch submitted maquettes in the competition for the award of the Canadian National War Memorial in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Although he was not awarded the commission, his design was shown at the Royal Academy in 1926.
