St Etheldreda's Church, Hatfield
Caernarfon Castle
Northumberland Fusiliers War Memorial, Newcastle upon Tyne
Port Sunlight War Memorial
On 21st February 1860 William Goscombe John was born to Thomas John and Elizabeth Smith in Canton, Cardiff.
In August 1890 William Goscombe John [aged 30] and Marthe Weiss were married.
On 22nd August 1903 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 3rd Marquess Salisbury [aged 73] died. Monument at St Etheldreda's Church, Hatfield [Map] by William Goscombe John [aged 43]. His son James [aged 41] succeeded 4th Marquess Salisbury in Wiltshire, 10th Earl Salisbury. Cicely Anne Gore Marchioness Salisbury [aged 36] by marriage Marchioness Salisbury in Wiltshire. Note the St George Pendant signifying his being a Knight of the Garter.
Cicely Anne Gore Marchioness Salisbury: On 15th July 1867 she was born to Arthur Saunders Gore 5th Earl Arran and Edith Jocelyn. On 17th May 1887 James Gascoyne-Cecil 4th Marquess Salisbury and she were married. She the daughter of Arthur Saunders Gore 5th Earl Arran and Edith Jocelyn. He the son of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil 3rd Marquess Salisbury and Georgina Alderson Marchioness of Salisbury. On 5th February 1955 Cicely Anne Gore Marchioness Salisbury died.
Academy Architecture 1905. 1905. A Drummer Boy, Dettingen, 1743, Part of the Memorial to the King's Liverpool Regiment. W. Goscombe John [aged 44], A. R. A., Sculptor.
In 1911 William Goscombe John [aged 50] was knighted during the investiture of Edward, Prince of Wales [aged 16] at Caernarfon Castle [Map].
In 1915 [his son-in-law] Frederick Luke Val Fildes and Muriel John were married. She the daughter of William Goscombe John [aged 54] and Marthe Weiss. He the son of Luke Fildes [aged 71].
In 1923 [his wife] Marthe Weiss died. She was buried at Hampstead Cemetery.
"The Response" aka Northumberland Fusiliers War Memorial, Newcastle upon Tyne [Map] Sculpted by William Goscombe John [aged 63]. The memorial was inauguratred on the 5th of July, 1923, by the Prince of Wales [aged 29].
A portrayal of the spirit of 1914 with which Great Britain entered WWI. The memorial was given by ship-owner and MP Sir George Renwick to commemorate the raising of the B. Coy. 9th Battalion and the 16th, 18th and 19th Service Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers.
The Times. 24th October 1928. The King was represented by Sir Harry Verney, and the Prince of Wales by the Hon Bruce Ogilvy, and Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll by Col B. W. L. MacMahon at the service for Sir Frank Dicksee which took place yesterday in Westminster Abbey. The Dean of Westminster officiated, assisted by Canon Storr, and the Reverend H. L. Nixon. A procession was formed at the West Door, and proceeded through the nave headed by the full choir and clergy.
The Pall Bearers were all titled with the exception of J. W. MacKail the distinguished academic and son-in-law of Sir Edward Burne-Jones. Amongst the mourners were many members of the Dicksee family, including Miss Mary Dicksee (sister), and Mr Herbert Thomas Dicksee. Official representatives included The French Ambassador, the Belgian Ambassador. The Brazilian Ambassador, the Swedish Minister, the High Commissioners for Australia and New Zealand, and (the 2nd) Lord Leverhume. Also present were many Academicians including W. Ouless, Sir John Lavery [aged 72], W. Goscombe-John [aged 68]. Mrs Blair Leighton, widow of Edmund, and Lady East [aged 83], widow of Sir Alfred were also among the mourners. The list of mourners in The Times includes many of the most distinguished people of the day.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 15th December 1952 William Goscombe John [aged 92] died. He was buried at Hampstead Cemetery.
[his daughter] Muriel John was born to William Goscombe John and Marthe Weiss. She married 1915 Frederick Luke Val Fildes, son of Luke Fildes.
The Port Sunlight War Memorial [Map] was unveiled in 1921. On the memorial are the names of all of the company's employees who died as a result of both World Wars. Sculpted by William Goscombe John. The memorial cost £10,000; it was paid for by Lever Brothers Ltd and through public subscription. The bronzes were cast by A. B. Burton. The stone is Devon granite.
