Richard Reginald Goulden (1876–1932) was a British sculptor operational in the early 20th century.
Background
Richard Reginald Goulden was born in Dover on 30 August 1876 and christened at St. Mary's, Dover, on 1 October 1876. He was one of the four children of John James Goulden, born in Canterbury in 1841, and his wife Charlotte, née Wright, who was born at Witney, Oxfordshire. The couple were married at Ducklington in 1871.
His father, although trained as a journeyman cabinet-maker, set up a bookselling, stationery, and printing business in Dover in 1865, followed by a branch in Folkestone. He died when Richard was only three and his wife carried on the business until 1902.
Richard was educated at Dover College and at the Dover School of Art from where he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London. There he firstly studied architecture and then sculpture. He was awarded prizes for both and a travelling scholarship for sculpture. When he returned from his travels he produced two panels for the Carnegie Trustees in Dunfermline and was invited to become their Art Advisor. Living in Dunfermline for two years, he executed several commissions, amongst them the fountain "Let Noble Ambition" and the statue of Carnegie himself. He also designed the Carnegie Hero medal.
During the Great War, Richard served with the Royal Engineers in France. He was "mentioned in despatches" on 30 April 1916 and given the rank of temporary captain. He was injured sufficiently to be sent back to England. There he spent some time at Brightlingsea in Essex where he was appointed adjutant to the Australian Engineers. He then moved to London where he was attached to the Chief Engineer of the Royal Engineers and put in command of a special emergency Corps.
Richard Goulden died on 6 August 1932, leaving a widow, Muriel Olive Cecile, née Gant, and their children Wilma Ruth and Michael. He was buried at Newhaven and as a tribute to him, a replica of the bronze figure on the Dover War Memorial was erected at Newhaven cemetery's entrance. Newhaven Tribute Newhaven Town Council. Retrieved 16 October 2012
Goulden's last work was the memorial in Kensal Green cemetery to Thomas Power O'Connor, journalist and politician, completed just before Goulden died. In 1997 a one-and-a-half life-size statue of a Gurkha Soldier was unveiled at Whitehall. This was the work of Philip Jackson but it was Goulden who created a smaller and much earlier version of the work and this stands at the head of the Foreign Office main staircase in Whitehall.Gurkha Archives. Retrieved 16 October 2012 Philip Jackson had based his statue on Goulden's 1924 work.
Further details of Goulden's War Service
Goulden's service record is available at The National Archives under reference WO 374/28313. His service record contains a note of his promotion to temporary captain from 5 January 1916 to 19 June 1916 with 1/2 London Divisional Engineers and his record of service from 13 September 1914 to 24 June 1916 with 2/3 Field Company 2nd London Division. Royal Engineers- this lists various dates and activities/events, including the fact that he was awarded a "mention in despatches" on 30 April 1916. The file contains Army Form Z.3 covering his discharge on 25 July 1919. This describes his occupation in civil life as "Designer & Sculptor".
Exhibitions and Memberships of Societies
Goulden exhibited at the Jubilee Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists organised by The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts in 1911 Goulden exhibited sixteen times at the Summer Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts between 1903 and 1932, this involving twenty-six works (portraits, medallions, statuettes, models for memorials and decorative schemes) He was an associate member of Royal Society of British Sculptors from 1923 to 1932. He was a member of Royal Society of British Sculptors from 1906 to 1932 He was a member of Art Workers Guild from 1912 to 1932 and a committee member from 1928 to 1930. He was a member of the council of the Royal Society of British Sculptors from 1919 to 1926.
Works
Various
PlaceLocationNotes Jacob's FountainMalvernGoulden executed the bronze sculptures for this Malvern water fountain. The fountain which featured a bronze composition depicting four water babies, was paid for by public donations in 1929 as a permanent memorial to Dr Henry Jacob, a much loved local G.P. It was originally supplied with pure spring water piped from the Rushey Valley on the hills above Great Malvern.Jacob's Fountain www.malvern-hills.co.uk/malvernspa/well-info/jacobs.html Retrieved 16 October 2012The Victoria and Albert MuseumGoulden carved a high-relief portrait of George Frederic Watts for Aston Webb's façade of the Victoria and Albert Museum.Richard Reginald Goulden: The Sculptor of Dover War Memorial. The Dover War Memorial Project. Retrieved 17 August 2012.V&A Public Monument and Sculpture Association. Retrieved 16 October 2012Statue of Andrew CarnegieDunfermlineGoulden worked with the Carnegie Trust in Dunfermline, Scotland, and produced bronze reliefs for the Carnegie Centre, and a fountain with a statue of entitled "Ambition" for the town's Pittencrieff Park, where Goulden's statue of Andrew Carnegie himself is located.Statue of Andrew Carnegie British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 16 October 2012 See photograph in gallery below.The Dolly Burton MemorialGoulden created the bronze sculpture for the Dorothy Frances Victoria Burton Memorial in Kingston upon Thames Cemetery. Apart from the depiction of an angel, there is a bronze plaque which reads "In Sweetest Memory of Dorothy Frances Victoria /(Our darling Dolly)/younger daughter of/Arthur B and Florence L. Burton of Thames Ditton/Who, after a long and painful illness borne with patience and cheerfulness, passed peacefully away on/28th April 1908 in her 15th Year"Arthur Burton ran A. B. Burton, the founders who were responsible for casting so many of the notable bronzes of the early 20th century.The Dolly Burton Memorial The Victorian Web. Retrieved 16 October 2012The Commemorative plaque to Eadweard MuybridgeKingston-upon-ThamesThis bronze wall plaque is held in store by the Kingston Museum and Heritage Service. It was originally located in the Kingston Upon Thames Library. The plaque was unveiled on 11 July 1931, to celebrate the centenary (1830–1930) of Muybridge's birth. The Compleat Eadweard Muybridge. Retrieved 16 October 2012Memorial to Margaret Ramsay MacDonaldLincoln's Inn FieldsGoulden created a bronze for this memorial to commemorate Ramsay MacDonald's wife Margaret MacDonald who was a social reformer and suffragette. She was well known for her charity work with the young. In Goulden's composition an angelic figure is surrounded by nine cherubic children. Margaret died before her husband became Prime Minister, and their daughter Isabel served as hostess for her father at No. 10. Memorial to Margaret Ramsay MacDonald The website of Bob Speel. Retrieved 16 October 2012Margaret Ramsay MacDonald London Remembers. Retrieved 16 October 2012 See photographs in gallery below.
War memorials
WorkLocationNotes Middlesex County and Middlesex Regiment MemorialLittle George Street, Greater LondonGoulden's Middlesex County and Middlesex Regiment Memorial is located in what is now the United Kingdom Supreme Court. It depicts a bronze figure standing at the entrance to a trench, with bronze panels behind forming a cross that shows a ruined cathedral, an airman with a plane, and a sailor with a ship. At the top of the cross are the arms of both the regiment and the county, while below is a wreath and a soldier. The inscription reads:"1914 1919/ To the glorious memory of men/of Middlesex and the Middlesex/Regiment who by service on Land/Sea and in the Air gave their/Lives for their Country"The memorial was unveiled on 20 November 1924 by Lieut General Sir Ivor Maxse.Middlesex County and Middlesex Regiment Memorial UKNIWM. Retrieved 16 October 2012Crompton War MemorialShaw and Crompton, Greater ManchesterThis war memorial is located within a memorial garden on High Street, Shaw. The war memorial is situated within a memorial garden on High Street, Shaw. Goulden's composition depicts a male figure with a sword defending a group of young children while slaying a threatening beast. The inscription reads: "In memory of the men of Crompton/who fought and gave their/lives to free mankind from/The oppression and brutal/tyranny of war/1914 1919/(Names)"A total of 346 local men were killed in the Great War and 76 in the Second World War. The memorial was unveiled on 29 April 1923 by General Sir Ian Hamilton.Crompton UKNIWM. Retrieved 16 October 2012