Lewis Silkin, by Franta Belsky

Clock Tower in the Town Square

By Pauline Maryan

Lewis Silkin memorial relief plaque by Franta Belsky
Pauline Maryan

This bronze memorial relief plaque was unveiled in 1974 by Harold Wilson M.P.

Franta Belsky (1921-2000) was born in Czechoslovakia, but came with his family to England in 1938 to escape the German occupation, and began his studies at art college in London, returning as a teacher after the war.  His work includes bronze busts of several members of the royal family, a larger-than-lifesize statue of Lord Mountbatten in Horseguards Parade, and a monument in Prague to the Czech pilots in the R.A.F..  He was a founder member of the Royal Society of Portrait Sculptors, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.

In each of his works, he placed an empty Guinness bottle, the day’s newspaper, a sixpence, and a note stating that he was the artist.

This page was added on 07/12/2011.

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