From Your Archives

One of the most prolific of sculptors of war memorials, L F Roslyn saw service in the Royal Flying Corps and his service record can be seen at The National Archives in WO 339/108338.

We learn much from reading this record and most importantly that Roslyn changed his name to Roslyn from Roselieb during the course of the 1914-1918 war. In listing Roslyn’s work we can therefore include those works executed under the name of Roselieb- an example would be the statue of Edward VII at Tooting Broadway.Some photographs of this statue are shown in the gallery below. These photographs were taken in April 2009 and include one where the Roselieb signature can be seen just below the figure of Edward VII himself. Edward VII stands on a plinth and there are two reliefs on either side of the plinth. One is called "Charity" and the other "Peace". Photographs of these two reliefs are included in the galleryy.

The statue of Edward VII at Tooting Broadway

Edward VII

Relief featuring “Charity”

Relief featuring “Peace”

Evidence of Roselieb’s signature

In fact Roslyn’s father George Louis Roselieb, born on 20th March 1851 in Hanover, was a sculptor who came over from Germany and was eventually naturalised in March 1897. There is a file at The National Archives covering this naturalisation process. At the time of his naturalisation, Roselieb had lived in England for 23 years. The forms describe him as an architectural sculptor and carver. At the time of naturalisation the forms identify two sons, Louis Fitz (sic) Vai Roselieb (18 years of age) and Gustav Karl Roselieb (16 years of age). We learn that Roselieb worked at Clayton Works, Little East Place, Lollard Street, Kennington. At the time of naturalisation (HO 144/407/B23762) Roselieb’s address was 9 Grafton Square, Clapham.

The service record shows that Roselieb enlisted on the 12th December 1915. He describes himself as a sculptor and as living at 99 Park Hill, Clapham. He enlisted under the name of Louis Fritz Roselieb and Roselieb is crossed through and Roslyn overwritten in pencil. It is not clear when this pencil notation was made. Roselieb gives his age as 38 years and 5 months and height 5 feet 6.1/2 inches. His wife is given as Ethel Roselieb and they list three children, Claude Frederick (12 years), Edward George (9 years) and John Bleckly (3.1/2 years).

Having enlisted , Roselieb was put on the reserve, and in June 1917 was called to the School of Military Aeronautics, Royal Flying Corps, Reading, as an Equipment Officer, 3rd Class on probation. As a result of this appointment Roselieb was gazetted as a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant. We now see the name Louis Frederick Roslyn being used. Subsequently he was promoted to Lieutenant.

There is incidentally a note on file to say that Lord Derby did not want Roslyn called up before 1st June 1917. There is no explanation of this.

In his application for a commission, Roslyn gives his date of birth as 13th July 1878 and states that he was educated at Westminster City & Guilds of London Technical College and Royal Academy Schools. He also states that he held Diplomas from City & Guilds College, a Travelling Scholarship and Medal from the Schools of the Royal Academy, and that he was a member of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and a member of the Artists Benevolent Fund and Annuity Fund. He also states that he was a member of the United Arts Volunteer Corps.

Finally on the file there is a pencil note stating that Roselieb changed his name to Roslyn on 12th September 1916.

We can also see Roslyn’s Royal Air Force service record at The National Archives as part of the AIR 76 series. These can be viewed in microform and Roslyn’s record is part of Reel 436.

Under “Occupation in civil life” is written-“Sculptor and Electra Metallurgist”. It is also recorded that from 1906 to 1916 Roslyn worked at The Standard Plating Works in Rosebury Avenue.

Under “special qualifications” Roslyn’s record states “Electro deposition of various metals for use in connection with Aero Engines”. In the medical section of the record, Roslyn was deemed “fit for service anywhere but not combatant service”.

Amongst Roslyn’s works are:-

1. Memorial to Brigadier General F.W. Lumsden V.C.,C.B.,D.S.O. at the Royal Marines Museum, Portsmouth.
2. Original sculptural contribution of classical water carrier to the Ashby-Fenwick Memorial Fountain in Colliers Wood.
3. Design of the Wilfred Lawson monument in Cockermouth, Cumbria.
4. The bronze statue of Edward VII in front of Tooting Broadway Underground Station. This was unveiled in 1911.
5. Two pairs of figures above the entrances to Imperial Buildings in Kingsway. These were signed L.F.Roslyn and dated 1914 and 1915. A photograph of one of these two pairs, taken in July 2008,is shown below.The ground floor of Imperial Buildings is currently occupied by "All Bar One".

The sculpture above one of the entrances to Imperial Buildings

The next photograph shows the second of the two compositions. The composition of the second group moves from the classicism of the first to a pair symbolising work and commerce; a man with a hammer and a woman cradling an ocean liner.

The sculpture symbolising Work and Commerce.

As we see from Roslyn's signature, the more modren composition was that executed in 1914 with the classical group having been finished in 1915.

The sculpture symbolising Work and Commerce.

Some further works by Roslyn are:-

The Holyhead War Memorial which was unveiled on the 15th September 1923. On either side of the central pylon are bronze reliefs of a soldier and sailor signed by Roslyn and dated 1920.

The War Memorial at Haslingden in Lancashire. This features a bronze sculpture of a serviceman standing over a wounded comrade. It was unveiled on 25th October 1924 by the Earl of Derby.The bronze seems to be a second cast from the central figure in the Oswaldtwistle War Memorial (see below). In the gallery below are several photographs taken in July 2008.

The War Memorial.

The soldier.

The wounded soldier.

A notice by the memorial. We read that it was called “Courage”

The War Memorial at Tottenham near the crossroads of Tottenham High Road and Town Hall Approach Road. This features a bronze winged Victory figure holding a wreath and was unveiled on the 17th June 1923 by HRH Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll with dedication by the Bishop of Willesden.

The Darwen War Memorial stands in Bold Venture Park, Darwen and features a tall square pedestal with bronze reliefs on three of its sides and at the top of the pedestal a winged figure representing Victory. The panels represent a soldier, a sailor, and a nurse. The Darwen War Memorial was unveiled on the 27th September 1921 by a Mrs.Chadwick who had lost three sons in the war with a fourth disabled.

Below is a photograph taken in July 2008 of the memorial and in the gallery below that photograph some further images show the bronze reliefs, the fourth side of the pedestal with its inscription, the winged figure of Victory, part of the inscription, and Roslyn’s signature to the piece. Below the gallery is a close-up of the nurse, which is a splendid work.

The Darwen War Memorial

The gallery-

View of bronze relief.	Further view of bronze reliefs	The winged figure of Victory.	The inscription of the fourth side of the pedestal.
Roslyn’s signature.	Part of the inscription

The Nurse

Other works by Roslyn include:-

The Clitheroe War Memorial at Clitheroe in Lancashire. Features a bronze figure of a soldier standing with head bowed and arms reversed. The memorial is in the castle park near Clitheroe Museum.

The Rawtenstall War Memorial in Rawtenstall, Lancashire. Stands in St Marys Church Memorial Gardens, St Marys Way. Features a tapered granite obelisk with bronze reliefs beneath. These show various figures including soldiers, sailors, airmen, a farmer, a miner, a nurse, a fisherman, a medical orderly, a railwayman, a labourer and a mother with child. This memorial was unveiled on the 29th June 1929 by a Miss Carrie Whitehead.The Rawtenstall War Memorial is an obelisk with surrounding figurative high relief panels. There are four groups of figures, all brilliantly executed by Roslyn. One, positioned above the inscription, shows a soldier (a corner figure), a farm labourer, and woman and child, a sailor and a wren. Another, positioned over the carved wreath, features a corner figure of an airman, two nurses, a labourer, servicewoman, and soldier. A third features a miner, fisherman,and officer, , and the fourth coal miners,railwaymen, and a medical orderly.Below is a photograph of the obelisk taken in July 2008 and below that a gallery of photographs of the bronze reliefs.

The Rawtenstall Oberlisk

The gallery-

The bronze reliefs.	The bronze reliefs.	The bronze reliefs	The bronze reliefs
The bronze reliefs

The Oswaldtwistle War Memorial on Rhyyddings Street, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. The Oswaldtwistle War Memorial features a bronze sculpture of a soldier standing over a wounded colleague and this is identical to the figure in the Haslingden War Memorial. (see above) The Oswaldtwistle War Memorial is however a more elaborate work and includes side carvings representing the prows of ships. Angels sit in both, one carrying the emblem of the Royal Navy and the second that of the Royal Air Force, and on the top of the memorial is a bronze angel of peace.. In the gallery below are several photographs taken in July 2008.This memorial was unveiled on the 14th January, 1922 by Major General H.Shoubridge.

The wounded soldier.	The angel on the top of the memorial..	The full central bronze.	The inscription
One on the angels.	Another view.	The second angel

The Bexhill War Memorial at Bexhill in East Sussex. A central bronze figure of Victory holding a wreath in one hand and a lowered sword in the other stands in front of the obelisk. This memorial was unveiled on 12th December 1920 by Brigadier General H..O’Donnell.

The Basingstoke War Memorial on the London Road, Basingstoke. Another bronze figure of Victory with olive branch in one hand and laurel wreath in the other. This memorial was unveiled on 24th May 1923 by Major General J.E.B. Seely.

The Wetherby War Memorial on the Boston Road, Wetherby, West Yorkshire. Features another winged figure representing Victory with two bronze lions at two faces of the plinth. Unveiled 22nd April, 1922 by the Right Honourable Earl of Harewood.

The Swanley War Memorial by St Mary The Virgin Church, Swanley, Kent. Another bronze figure of Victory holding wreath and sword. The memorial was unveiled on 1st December 1920 by local clergy and dignatories.

Two further War Memorials by Roslyn are that at Victoria Park, Calverley in West Yorkshire. A bronze figure said to represent patriotism stands on a Portland Stone base. This memorial was unveiled on the 28th May 1922.The second is that in the Garden of Remembrance on the Harrogate Road at Greengates also in West Yorkshire. This features a winged bronze figure. Unveiled on the 5th November 1921.

Two further works by Roslyn and completed about the same time as the works in Kingsway, mentioned above, are to be found over 70-71 New Bond Street in London. Of the three figures involved, Roslyn carved the central figure representing "Commerce" and the figure representing "Art" holding brush and palette. The third figure representing "Science" was carved by Thomas Rudge.