Newbury Abbot Trent


Newbury Abbot Trent was an English sculptor and medallist. Trent studied at the Royal College of Art and Royal Academy Schools, where he became an associate. His works include reliefs, statues and other forms of sculpture. Many of his most notable works are war memorials in England, Scotland and Wales.

Background

Abbot Trent was born in Forest Gate in Essex on 14 October 1885. He was the son of Walter F. Trent who was a builder and ship fitter by trade. His cousin was the cinema architect William Edward Trent. At an early age he was adopted by Thomas Armstrong the painter. He studied at the Royal College of Art and the Royal Academy Schools. He married Hilda Ledward who was the daughter of the sculptor Richard Arthur Ledward and sister to Gilbert Ledward. They had two daughters: Margaret and Jennifer 1917–2002, who both trained as architects. Trent became an Associate of the Royal Academy and worked throughout his life from a studio on Beaufort Street, London. He died on 2 August 1953. His cremation took place at Putney Vale Crematorium.

Works

List of works

The following is a partial list of Trent's work, other than war memorials.
WorkLocationTypeNotes and References
3 St James' Square ReliefsWestminster LondonReliefTrent created several stone relief panels depicting London street scenes- A knife grinder, a woman selling lavender, some people buying fruit from a street vendor and a town crier. See photographs in gallery below.
A SowerUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1918 Seventy third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Adelphi BuildingThe Strand LondonSculptureThis building in John Adam Street just of The Strand has external sculpture by Bainbridge Copnall, Arthur J Ayres, Gilbert Ledward and Donald Gilbert. The building also has carved relief panels to the entrance doors by Newbury Abbot Trent depicting industrial scenes.
Boy with fruitUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1920 Seventy Fifth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Bristol CathedralBristolSculptureTrent executed an effigy to Dean Francis Pigou which is located in the nave of Bristol Cathedral.
Bronze paper weightUnknownSculptureThis paper weight was exhibited at the 11th Arts & Crafts Society Exhibition in 1916.
ColtUnknownWood carvingWood Carving exhibited in 1943 in The Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Art. Second Annual Exhibition.
Dans le RêveUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1924 Seventy Ninth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
David, Son of Michael Waterhouse, Esq.UnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1929 Eighty-Fourth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
EveUnknownSculptureThe statuette was exhibited in 1943 in The Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Art. Second Annual Exhibition.
ErosUnknownSculptureBronze sculpture was exhibited in 1943 in The Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Art. Second Annual Exhibition.
Flight Sub-Lieut Leslie E. Adlam, RNUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1918 Seventy third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Gaumont CinemaNorth FinchleySculptureTrent created figures for the cinema, which was demolished several years ago and it is not known whether his was saved. He also created 15 Figures for the exterior the old Odeon Cinema in Cheltenham. See image below.
Gaumont CinemaKing's Road Chelsea LondonPanelsFor the Gaumont Cinema on the King's Road in Chelsea Trent produced two Art Deco style panels which depict "The Awakening of Science to the Force of the Elements" and "The Harvesting of the Elements in the Film". Also on the facade of the building there is a bas-relief head of William Friese-Greene with masks of comedy and tragedy on either side. See Images in gallery below.
Gaumont Palace cinema, now the Hammersmith ApolloHammersmith LondonMuralsTrent carried out some murals for this cinema/theatre.
Gerald du Maurier EsqUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1917 Seventy Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Hugh CraigUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1918 Seventy third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
JackieUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1924 Seventy Ninth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
JenniferUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at The Seventy Seventh and Seventy Eighth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
Joan, daughter of Miss Gladys Cooper UnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1918 Seventy third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Lieut-Col Guy du Maurier, DSOUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1917 Seventy Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
"Margaret"UnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1917 Seventy Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Mdlle Pavlova in the Swan DanceUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1917 Seventy Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
MeditationUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1919 Seventy Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
MermaidUnknownSculptureThe bronze statuette was exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Eighty-Second Annual Exhibition, 1943.
MorningUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1918 Seventy third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
New Victoria Apollo CinemaVictoria LondonRelief panelsTrent executed relief panels for this London cinema. See Images below.
NightUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1920 Seventy Fifth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
One of the Nausicäas MaidensUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1918 Seventy third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Paper weightUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1917 Seventy Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
"The Peace Statue"Brighton SussexSculptureTrent created the bronze angel known as the "Peace Statue" as a monument to Edward VII. This monument, built by William Kirkpatrick Limited and the founders A.B. Burton of Thames Ditton, was unveiled on 12 October 1912 by the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Lieutenant of Sussex. It is located on the boundary between Brighton and Hove in Sussex.
"Peace" StatueBath SomersetSculptureThe statue is very similar to the work in Brighton.
PeggyUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1917 Seventy Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.
Peter PanUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1923 Seventy Eighth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
Stanley Baldwin, Esq., MPUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at 1929 Eighty-Fourth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
ThalíaUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1927 Eighty-Second Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
The CloudUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1929 Eighty-Fourth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
The TemptationUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1926 Eighty-First Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy. The statue was shown on BBC Antiques Roadshow broadcast on 14 July 2013. Inherited by great niece of sculptor.
The Water CarrierUnknownSculptureThis bronze sculpture was exhibited at the 11th Arts & Crafts Society Exhibition in 1916.
The Young BatherUnknownSculptureThis work was exhibited at the 1923 Seventy Eighth Annual Exhibitions of the Royal West of England Academy.
ThirteenUnknownUnknownThis work was exhibited at the 1920 Seventy Fifth Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy.

War memorials