William McMillan (sculptor)

William McMillan RA (31 August 1887 – 25 September 1977) was a Scottish sculptor, notable for a number of public statues in the United Kingdom.[1]

William McMillan
Born31 August 1887
Aberdeen, Scotland
Died25 September 1977(1977-09-25) (aged 90)
Richmond, London, England
Alma mater
Known forSculpture

Biography
Syrinx, 1925

McMillan was born at 37 Powis Place, Aberdeen, Scotland, the son of William McMillan, a master engraver, and Jane Knight.[2][1] He studied at Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen and then at the Royal College of Art in London from 1908 to 1912, under Édouard Lantéri.[2][3] McMillan joined The Artists Rifles in World War I, and served as an officer in the 5th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry during the conflict.[2] In 1916, he married Dorothy, daughter of the Carlisle architect Maurice Charles Williams. They had no children.

In 1919 McMillan was awarded a commission by the British Government to design the artwork for the British Armed Forces World War I campaign medals, to be issued to all personnel who had seen active service in theatres of war during the conflict. For the Victory campaign medal he created a design utilizing a relief engraving of the classical Greek goddess Nike, with the text THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION 1914–1919; and for the British War Medal he sculpted a relief in Greek Classical style of Saint George upon a horse trampling the emblems of the defeated German Empire. This would be the most prolific artwork of his career, with almost twelve million of these medals being issued in combination within the United Kingdom and across the globe throughout the British Empire.[4]

McMillan exhibited at the Royal Academy in London from 1917 until 1971.[5] He was elected an associate of the Academy in 1925, a full member in 1933 and a Senior RA in 1962.[5] From 1929 to 1941 he was Master of the Royal Academy Sculpture School.[5][6]

From 1940 to 1966 McMillan became involved in a number of important and prestigious public commissions, and became more widely recognised at international level. He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1956. His home city of Aberdeen made him a Freeman of the City and Aberdeen University conferred an honorary doctorate upon him.

For most of his career he had a studio at Glebe Place in Chelsea, London, and was a member of the Chelsea Arts Club. A faux blue plaque exists at 63 Glebe Place, stating "William McMillan lived here". Even if this were the correct address, Glebe Place was his place of work not residence. In his later years he lived at 3 Cholmondley Walk, Richmond, London.[7] Shortly after his 90th birthday in September 1977 he was assaulted and robbed. He died of his injuries on 25 September 1977 in a hospital in Richmond upon Thames.[1] He was buried at Richmond Cemetery.[8]

Selected works

1920-1939
Image Title / subject Location and
coordinates		 Date TypeMaterialDimensions DesignationWikidata Notes
War memorial Echt, Aberdeenshire 1921 Statue on pedestalBronze and granite [9][10][11]

More images		 War memorial Exterior of Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen 1925 Lion sculpture on pedestalGranite Category AQ4666883 Architects: Alexander Marshall Mackenzie & Alexander George Robertson Mackenzie[12][13][14]
Bishop Hugh Oldham Manchester Grammar School 1931 StatueBronze McMillan also created Youth, a 1931 war memorial for the School.
Earl Haig Clifton College, Bristol Cast 1931; unveiled 1932 StatueBronze Grade IIQ26586264 [15]
Frederick Craufurd Goodenough Goodenough College, Mecklenburgh Square, London 1936 Bust in nicheBronze Grade II Architect, Herbert Baker.[16]
Thomas Coram Foundling Museum, Brunswick Square, London c. 1937 Bust in pedimentStone Grade II Architect, J. M. Shepherd.[17]

1940-1949
Image Title / subject Location and
coordinates		 Date TypeMaterialDimensions DesignationWikidata Notes

More images		 David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty Trafalgar Square, London 1948 BustBronze Grade II*Q29295271 [18]
Nereid and Triton with Dolphins, the Beatty Memorial Fountain Trafalgar Square, London 1948 Two sculpture groups in fountainBronze Grade II*Q29295257 Architect, Edwin Lutyens.[18][19]

1950-1959
Image Title / subject Location and
coordinates		 Date TypeMaterialDimensions DesignationWikidata Notes

More images		 Triton and Dryads Fountain Queen Mary's Gardens, Regent's Park, London Designed 1936, erected 1950 Fountain with sculpture groupBronze and stone Grade IIQ26656400 Memorial to Sigismund Goetze.[20]

More images		 Extension to Chatham Naval Memorial Chatham, Kent 1952 Sculpture elementsPortland stone Grade IQ5087681 Extension designed by Sir Edward Maufe with other elements executed by Charles Wheeler.[21]

More images		 Extension to Portsmouth Naval Memorial Portsmouth 1953 Sculpture elementsPortland stone Grade IQ20712306 Extension designed by Sir Edward Maufe with other elements by Charles Wheeler and Esmond Burton.[22]
Alcock and Brown Newall Road, Heathrow Airport, London 1954 Sculpture group [23]

More images		 Additions to Plymouth Naval Memorial Plymouth Hoe 1954 Two sculpture groupsBronze Grade IQ7205840 Extension designed by Sir Edward Maufe with other elements by Charles Wheeler.[24][25]

More images		 Memorial to George VI Carlton House Terrace, London 1955 Statue on pedestalBronze and Portland stone Q18577910 [25][26]

More images		 Sir Walter Raleigh Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London 1959 Statue on pedestalBronze and stone Grade IIQ27080893 Relocated from Whitehall in 2001.[27]

1960 and later
Image Title / subject Location and
coordinates		 Date TypeMaterialDimensions DesignationWikidata Notes
Genius, lion and unicorn figures Kensington Central Library 1960 SculpturesGilded bronze and stone Grade II* [28]
William Caxton and Geoffrey Chaucer Kensington Central Library 1960 Deep relief bustsStone Grade II* [28]

More images		 Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard Victoria Embankment Gardens, London 1961 Statue on pedestalBronze and Portland stone Grade IIQ27081636 [25][29]

More images		 Thomas Coram Outside the Foundling Museum, Brunswick Square, London 1963 Seated statue on pedestalBronze and granite Grade IIQ27083559 [25][30][31]

Other works

References
  1. "McMillan, William (1887–1977), sculptor". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31396. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. University of Glasgow History of Art / HATII (2011). "William McMillan RA, CVO". Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain & Ireland 1851–1951. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  3. Tate. "William McMillan (1887–1977) – Tate".
  4. Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin. British Battles and Medals. pp. 230–1. Published Spink, London. 1988.
  5. James Mackay (1977). The Dictionary of Western Sculptors in Bronze. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 0902028553.
  6. "William McMillan". Royal Academy.
  7. "People of historical note buried in the borough M to Z". Richmond.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  8. Meller, Hugh; Parsons, Brian (2011). London Cemeteries: An Illustrated Guide and Gazetteer (fifth ed.). Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. pp. 290–294. ISBN 9780752461830.
  9. "The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project :: View topic - William McMillan". warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com.
  10. "War Memorials Register: Echt". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  11. Historic Environment Scotland. "Echt Parish Churchyard (Category B Listed Building) (LB3153)". Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  12. Derek Boorman (1988). At the Going Down of the Sun: British First World War Memorials. William Sessions Limited. ISBN 1-85072-041-X.
  13. Historic Environment Scotland. "Schoolhill and Blackfriars Street, Art Gallery including War Memorial and Cowdray Hall, Robert Gordon's College Archway and former Grays School of Art (Category A Listed Building) (LB19978)". Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  14. "War Memorials Register: Aberdeen City war memorial". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  15. Historic England. "Clifton College, Statue of Earl Haig (1298816)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  16. Historic England. "London House (1113121)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  17. Historic England. "Thomas Coram Foundation for Children and attached railings, lanterns and parapets (1272392)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  18. Historic England. "Fountains and terrace walla with lampstandards, steps and stone bollards enclosing the square (1066235)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  19. "Fountain Group". The Courtauld Institute of Art. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  20. Historic England. "Triton and Dryads Fountain, Queen Marys Gardens (1375637)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  21. Historic England. "Chatham Naval War Memorial (1267787)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  22. Historic England. "Portsmouth Naval War Memorial (1386975)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  23. Alan Gallop (2005). Time Flies: Heathrow At 60. Sutton Publishing. p. 96. ISBN 1-85310-259-8.
  24. Historic England. "Plymouth Naval War Memorial (1386464)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  25. Jo Darke (1991). The Monument Guide to England and Wales. Macdonald Illustrated. ISBN 0-356-17609-6.
  26. "Statue of George VI". The Courtauld Institute of Art. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  27. Historic England. "Statue of Walter Raleigh (1224167)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  28. Historic England. "Kensington Central Library building (1119724)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  29. Historic England. "Statue of Lord Trenchard (1237902)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  30. Historic England. "Statue of Thomas Coram statue outside number 40 Brunswick Square (1272393)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  31. John Blackwood (1989). London's Immortels. The Complete Outdoor Commemorative Statues. Savoy Press. ISBN 0951429604.
  32. "Tablet to Sir Aston Webb". The Courtauld Institute of Art. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  33. "William McMillan RA (1887-1977)". Royal Academy. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  34. Mary Ann Steggles & Richard Barnes (2011). British Sculpture in India: New Views & Old Memories. Frontier Publishing. ISBN 9781872914411.
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