Statues - Hither & Thither

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Corn Street 37-39
(Friends Provident Building)

Peace, Plenty, Benevolence and Prudence

Hermon Cawthra & Austin Crompton Roberts
1933

Description

Nos. 37-39 Corn Street was erected for the insurance company Friends' Provident and Century Life Office, built in 1933 by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott for the front façade and the company's architect A.W. Roques for the interior. There are two Art Deco figures above and either side of the portico, which are 'symbolic of virtues which it is the object of life assurance offices to encourage. The figure the right represents Benevolence, by her attention, care and sympathy towards the child, and Prudence is indicated by the money box in the child's hands, also by the money bags at her feet. The figure on the left with the doves and copia represents Peace and Plenty. The grille over the main entrance was prepared by Mr Austin Crompton Roberts, and the carving each side of the central window on the first floor was executed by Messrs Hearn, Rogers and Hartley.'

Bristol - Peace, Plenty, Benevolence and Prudence
Peace and Plenty.
Benevolence and Prudence.

Above the door is a grille depicting a woman with an owl and a mirror flanked by six 'dancers'.

Sculptors

Hermon Cawthra (Baildon, Yorkshire 1886 - Bradford 1971), British sculptor (Wikipedia).
Richard Austin Crompton Roberts (Liverpool 1909 - Germany? after 1994), British sculptor in metal (Mapping of Sculpture).

Sources & Information

Bob Speel, Architectural sculpture in Corn Street and Clare Street, Bristol.
Western Daily Press, Saturday 13 May 1933 (British Newspaper Archive).

Locatie (N 51°27'15" - W 2°35'41") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: gbsw044; Photograph: 21 March 2019
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
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© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt