Richard Bennett, Chairman of the Trooper Potts VC Memorial Trust, has kindly sent us the latest Press Release from the Trust. This gives details of work on the sculpture, which is progressing apace, casting foundry plans and a supporting film project. Richard has also provided us with a selection of images which give a good indication of progress to date.
PRESS RELEASE
THE TROOPER POTTS VC MEMORIAL TRUST:
PROGRESS WITH THE SCULPTURE, SELECTION OF FOUNDRIES AND A FILM
In November 2014 the Trooper Potts VC Trust announced that it had, with the help of Chris Tarrant OBC, its Major Sponsor, Haslams Estate Agents, businesses and members of the public from around Reading, raised the funds to enable the memorial in place for 4th October 2015. Planning permission was granted on 11 February and Scheduled Monument consent on 30 January 2015.
This press release provides an update on; the making of the life size sculpture, the selection of the Foundry and other contractors and a film of the sculptor at work.
THE SCULPTURE
The sculptor, Tom Murphy, was commissioned on the night of the Charity Ball held in November 2014.
On March 10th members of the Potts Trust (Anne Ames, Chris Andrews, Brig Tony Verey, Capt Andrew French, Fred Pugh and Richard Bennett (Chairman) visited Tom, in his studio in Liverpool, to see the progress that had been made in constructing the full size sculpture in clay. BBC South, who have followed our progress since 2009, were with us on this visit and a film of the visit was shown on BBC South Today on 10th March.
The sculpture, which is in clay at the moment, is just over 9ft long by 5ft high by 2ft 6ins wide set on a 2 ft high base.
Richard Bennett said “Members of the Trust are delighted by the work Tom has done which we feel brings to story to life in an accessible way for all generations. A small number of refinements were agreed, which Tom will complete in the next week, we will then sign off the sculpture. The next step is for the mould of the clay sculpture to be undertaken by the Foundry ”
MORRIS SINGER FINE ART FOUNDRY
The Trooper Potts VC Trust is delighted to announce that Morris Singer Art Foundry, of Lasham, have been selected to produce the bronze sculpture of Trooper Potts VC rescuing Trooper Andrews at Gallipoli in August 1915.
The origins of Morris Singer date back to 1848, and its clients have been such famous names as Epstein, Moore, Wynn, and Palozzi.
Other memorable sculptures which the foundry has cast include The Statue of Justice, Eros, the Lions in Trafalgar square, Churchill, The Battle of Britain Monument, but more recently they produced the Help for Heroes sculpture outside the Tedworth House Recovery Centre and The Korean War Memorial by Philip Jackson outside the Ministry of Defence in Westminster. They also cast the sculpture of Gandhi which is to be unveiled in Parliament Square on 14 March.
Chairman of the Trooper Potts VC Trust, Richard Bennett said:
“The process of selecting a foundry to produce the sculptural part of the memorial commenced in July / August 2014. A competitive process was run by the Trust, quotations were provided by foundries in Wales, London and Hampshire. We wished to work with a local foundry if possible and visited three great foundries in Hampshire”.
“We were particularly drawn to the Morris Singer Foundry, the work they have produced and the team we met there. They have now been formally commissioned and we very much look forward to working with John Berelowitz (the MD) and his team”.
“The sculptor Tom Murphy will complete his work on the sculpture by mid March, at this point Morris Singer will take over, make moulds of the sculpture and then, using the lost wax technique, cast the sculpture in bronze. The sculpture will be installed on its plinth a few days before the official unveiling on 4 October 2015.”
The Managing Director of Morris Singer is John Berelowitz, tel: 01256 381 513 email: info@morrissinger.co.uk
Their website address is; http://www.morrissinger.co.uk. Address; Morris Singer Art Foundry Ltd, Unit 10, Highfield Industrial Estate, Church Lane, Lasham, GU34 5SQ
SELECTION OF OTHER COMPANIES
Francis Construction of Thatcham have been selected to undertake the groundworks and the cores for the plinths. Their MD is Mark Barrett; tel.01635 862222. Info@francisconstruction.co.uk. They will start work in May / June 2015.
A F Jones Stonemasons Ltd have been selected to provide the Portland stone. Contact Roy Campion; tel 0118 957 3537, info@afjones.co.uk. They will start work in August / September.
The company that will produce the Roll of Honour will be announced at a later date.
FILM OF PROJECT PROGRESS
In January the trust commissioned “Third Lens Films” to film Tom Murphy working on the sculpture, explaining his influences and his approach to this sculpture. The film starts with a sequence of images of Reading at the start of the war and Trooper Potts.
The film will be used in the presentations the Trust undertakes to groups and its Potts VC events at Schools. Completed on 15 February 2015 the film was used for the first time at a History of Reading Society meeting and on 19th February at the Charter Dinner of the “Inner Wheel Club of Reading Maiden Erlegh”.
Third Lens Films is a production company which specialises in creating highly bespoke visual media for Charities, groups and small businesses. It’s portfolio includes interviews, short form documentaries, music videos, travelogues, advocacy films and tech conferences.” http://thirdlensfilms.com
CONTACT DETAILS
Richard Bennett: Bennettbaker@msn.com Mobile 0782 763289
Further information
Website: http://pottsvctrust.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TrooperPottsMemorialTrust
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrooperPottsVC
