John William Kitson
Encyclopedia
John William Kitson was an English
-born architectural sculptor.
West Yorkshire
England
. He was sent to London at the age of 14 as an apprentice to learn the art of stone and wood sculpturing. By 1870 he was living in Philadelphia with other architects and sculptors.
joined forces 1n 1874 under the name Robert Ellin Co and created an architectural sculptor partnership Ellin & Kitson
based in New York City in 1879. Just prior to Kitson's 1888 death, the firm became known as Ellin, Kitson & Co. Kitson's estate remained as partner in the firm until his eldest child reached maturity.
According to family oral stories Robert Ellin and he decided to compete in a juried show for the 1876 centennial as Americans to set themselves apart from other English entrants. Their mahogany breakfront won an award and have been noted in articles about the 1876 centennial show. In this exhibit they also showed examples of their church furnishings.
Neither William nor his partner Robert were known for fine art sculpture. Instead, their work was seen as a part of the exterior and interior of churches and commercial buildings and elegant homes.
Kitson has been attributed with carving stone columns of the National Art Institute NYC. These have been lost. His work is also seen in an upstairs meeting room of the Tilden Mansion now the National Arts Club
a carved frieze of birds against a gold leaf ground. Circa 1872 Philadelphia's First Presbyterian Church on Walnut, Kitson and Alexander M Calder carved all interior stone and woodwork. According to family oral history, he was known for his bird sculptures. One of his beautiful breakfronts is still in family hands. An example of his birds in walnut is also in family hands.
Kitson married 1882 to Mary Morrell, also known as May Kitson
, whose family arrived in New Jersey from London, England in 1873. In February 1888 he died at the age of 43 of back injuries, leaving his 25-year-old wife with a son age 5 and an infant daughter aged 8 months. He is buried in Woodlawn.
, a fine sculptor, attended the Rome Academy 1870 - 1873. He was promoted by Ellin & Kitson
while he developed his own career beginning 1878. Younger brother Harry Henry Hudson Kitson
was sent at the age of 14 to apprentice with John William and Samuel James and then moved onto Paris for his sculpturing education. Youngest brother Robert Lewellen Kitson arrived in the United States following his mother's death in 1898. He was a watercolorist of whose work very little is known to survive.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
-born architectural sculptor.
Early life
Kitson, the third child and the first born son of John McWhire and Emma Jaggar Kitson was born in 1846 in Berry Brow HuddersfieldHuddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was sent to London at the age of 14 as an apprentice to learn the art of stone and wood sculpturing. By 1870 he was living in Philadelphia with other architects and sculptors.
Sculptor career
Kitson was active in the United States 1868 - 1888 as a sculptor of wood and stone. He and his fellow Englishman Robert EllinRobert Ellin
Robert Ellin, a stone and wood sculptor, was active in the United States 1867 to 1904. He was most likely born in West Yorkshire about 1838. Not much is known about his life until his association with a fellow Englishman and Yorkshireman John William Kitson...
joined forces 1n 1874 under the name Robert Ellin Co and created an architectural sculptor partnership Ellin & Kitson
Ellin & Kitson
Ellin & Kitson partnership was formed in New York City by two English Sculptors from Yorkshire England in early 1879. Prior to this date they were working as Robert Ellin Company. They advertised their business as ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTORS concentrating on churches.The elder was Robert Ellin born...
based in New York City in 1879. Just prior to Kitson's 1888 death, the firm became known as Ellin, Kitson & Co. Kitson's estate remained as partner in the firm until his eldest child reached maturity.
According to family oral stories Robert Ellin and he decided to compete in a juried show for the 1876 centennial as Americans to set themselves apart from other English entrants. Their mahogany breakfront won an award and have been noted in articles about the 1876 centennial show. In this exhibit they also showed examples of their church furnishings.
Neither William nor his partner Robert were known for fine art sculpture. Instead, their work was seen as a part of the exterior and interior of churches and commercial buildings and elegant homes.
Kitson has been attributed with carving stone columns of the National Art Institute NYC. These have been lost. His work is also seen in an upstairs meeting room of the Tilden Mansion now the National Arts Club
National Arts Club
The National Arts Club is a private club in Gramercy Park, New York City, New York, USA. It was founded in 1898 to "stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts and to educate the American people in the fine arts". Since 1906 the organization has occupied the Samuel J...
a carved frieze of birds against a gold leaf ground. Circa 1872 Philadelphia's First Presbyterian Church on Walnut, Kitson and Alexander M Calder carved all interior stone and woodwork. According to family oral history, he was known for his bird sculptures. One of his beautiful breakfronts is still in family hands. An example of his birds in walnut is also in family hands.
Kitson married 1882 to Mary Morrell, also known as May Kitson
May Kitson
May Kitson , born Mary Ann Morrell, was an American silent film character actor active between 1917 and 1925, known to close family as "De-ah."-Family:...
, whose family arrived in New Jersey from London, England in 1873. In February 1888 he died at the age of 43 of back injuries, leaving his 25-year-old wife with a son age 5 and an infant daughter aged 8 months. He is buried in Woodlawn.
Brothers
The Kitson Brothers all moved to the United States. Samuel James KitsonSamuel James Kitson
Samuel James Kitson was a fine arts sculptor active in the United States from about 1876 to 1906. He maintained studios in New York City and Boston, Massachusetts. Most of his statuary were executed in marble. Many were religious in nature. His work consisted of full body statues, head and...
, a fine sculptor, attended the Rome Academy 1870 - 1873. He was promoted by Ellin & Kitson
Ellin & Kitson
Ellin & Kitson partnership was formed in New York City by two English Sculptors from Yorkshire England in early 1879. Prior to this date they were working as Robert Ellin Company. They advertised their business as ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTORS concentrating on churches.The elder was Robert Ellin born...
while he developed his own career beginning 1878. Younger brother Harry Henry Hudson Kitson
Henry Hudson Kitson
Sir Henry Hudson Kitson, often known as H. H. Kitson, American sculptor, born in Huddersfield, England on April 9, 1865 and died at Tyringham, Massachusetts, on June 26, 1947...
was sent at the age of 14 to apprentice with John William and Samuel James and then moved onto Paris for his sculpturing education. Youngest brother Robert Lewellen Kitson arrived in the United States following his mother's death in 1898. He was a watercolorist of whose work very little is known to survive.