John Woodhouse, Medallist
(b. 1835, d. 1892)
Medallist
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Was born in Dublin in 1835, the son of William Woodhouse (q.v.). He entered the Royal Dublin Society's School in 1851, and studied there under William Neilan (q.v.). He obtained the first prize for drawing in 1851, and was subsequently awarded a silver medal and a prize for four heads modelled in low relief. He cut his first steel die, the harp for the reverse of his father's Dargan medal, in 1853. He lost no opportunity for improving himself, and although already in good practise as a medallist, he became a student in the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1860. He assisted his father and gradually, as the latter relinquished work, pursued his profession on his own account. He began to exhibit in the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1860, sending a number of medals; and in 1861 he was presented by the Academy with a medal for his skill in modelling. He continued as a constant exhibitor down to 1883 of medals, seals and models in wax, and was elected an Associate of the Academy on the 16th March, 1863.
His talents as a medallist were great, and for many years he produced a considerable number of works. Besides medals he engraved nearly all the official seals for public bodies and institutions required during his time. Unfortunately, in the midst of his career, he was attacked by a dangerous and severe illness which for some time incapacitated him from pursuing his profession. He died at his residence, 61 Lombard Street, South Circular Road, Dublin, in May 1892, and was buried in Mount Jerome cemetery. He did a series of twelve portraits in wax of members of the Sketching Club. The following is a list of his medals:
Dargan Medallet. Made for practice in die-sinking when 16 years of age.
Sir Benjamin Brodie. Copied from an English medal as a study.
Daniel O'Connell. To commemorate the centenary of his birth. Bust by William Woodhouse. The monument in Sackville Street on reverse by John Woodhouse, his first published die.
Daniel O'Connell. To commemorate erection of the monument. Replica of last, with inscription altered.
Daniel O'Connell. Centenary of birth. Round tower, harp and wolf-dog on reverse.
Daniel O'Connell. Erection of monument. Harp, dog and distant round tower on reverse. (Great numbers of these two medals, struck in white metal, were sold.)
Arthur Jacob, M.D. Though this medal bears the initials of his father it was, according to Dr. Frazer, the work of John Woodhouse.
Trinity College. A replica, with some small differences, of William Woodhouse's medal.
Trinity College. Struck in gold, this medal is given for moderatorships.
Trinity College. The Vice-Chancellor's prize Latin medal. The die, Roma holding Victory on her outstretched hand, is copied from a brass coin of Nero.
Theological Society of Trinity College.
Philosophical Society of Trinity College.
Tyrrell Medal. Intended as a College medal in commemoration of William Gerard Tyrrell, who died in 1876. Only two appear to have been struck.
The Queen's University of Ireland. A prize medal.
Cork College Philosophical Society.
Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. For prizes given by Sir Charles Cameron, Professor of Chemistry.
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital. The Haughton clinical medal, instituted in 1868.
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital. The Haughton maternity medal, instituted in 1869.
City of Dublin Hospital. Medal issued as a premium.
Carmichael Medical School. Was given for prizes in the School.
Mater Misericordiae Hospital. Given as a prize by Dr. Hayden.
Jervis Street Hospital. Prize medal, made in 1885.
Ledwich School of Medicine and Surgery. Prize medal.
Ledwich School of Medicine and Surgery. Similar, but smaller, 1882.
Ledwich School of Medicine and Surgery. Prize medal, made in 1885.
Law Students' Debating Society. The Law medal of Chief Baron Palles, awarded for legal debates.
Law Students' Debating Society. Lord O'Hagan's medal, awarded each year for oratory.
Law Students' Debating Society. Serjeant Armstrong's medal for oratory. Only one medal, in gold, was issued in 1876.
Law Students' Debating Society. Given by Dunbar Plunket Barton, and presented for excellence in legal debates.
Law Students' Debating Society. Presented by Professor Jellett, Q.C., in 1878.
Legal and Literary Debating Society.
Society of Attorneys and Solicitors. Presented to successful students.
Royal Irish Academy. Cunningham Prize medal; a copy of Mossop's die, which had become worn out.
Royal Dublin Society. Arms of the Society on obverse; inscription, "Royal Dublin Society," and blank centre for engraving, on reverse.
Royal Dublin Society. Horse Show medal. A mare and colt on reverse. Made in 1883.
Royal Dublin Society. Horse Show medal. A horse on reverse.
Royal Hibernian Academy. Prize medal for the Art School.
Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Institution of Civil Engineers. Awarded for communications on engineering subjects. Made in 1879.
Friendly Brothers' miniature medal. Similar to that struck by Mossop.
Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland. William Woodhouse's medal re-engraved in 1880.
Irish Bee-keepers' Association. Struck for prizes to be given at an exhibition held by the Society in 1882.
Irish Rifle Association. Made in 1867. The figure of a rifleman represents Major Leech.
Royal Dublin Society's Exhibition of 1864.
Dublin Exhibition, 1865.
Dublin Exhibition, 1872.
Cashel Art Exhibition, 1874.
Cashel Art Exhibition, 1884.
Cork Exhibition, 1882. Prize medal.
Cork Exhibition, 1882. Memorial medal.
Dublin Artisans' Exhibition, 1885. Prize medal.
Dublin Artisans' Exhibition, 1885. Commemoration medal.
National Dog Show, Dublin. Prize medal in 1873.
Dublin International Dairy Show, 1882.
Photographic Society of Ireland. Made for Sir Jocelyn Coghill, President of the Society, in 1854. The joint work of William and John Woodhouse.
Photographic Society of Ireland. A later medal.
Dublin Metropolitan Amateur Regatta.
Irish Champion Athletic Club.
Fitzwilliam Lawn-Tennis Club. A "Champion" medal in gold struck in 1884.
Commercial Rowing Club, Sligo. Struck in 1880.
Limerick Gaelic Association.
E. Dwyer Gray. A single impression, struck in gold. Presented to Gray in 1882 to commemorate his committal to prison for contempt of court, and his fine of £500 when High Sheriff of the city of Dublin. Mr. Gray subsequently presented the medal to the Corporation of Dublin to be attached to the High Sheriff's chain of office.
The Boycott Expedition. Silver medal. Presented to those who took part in the Boycott Expedition in 1880.
Master Magrath. Lord Lurgan's greyhound; winner of the Waterloo Cup. Only one impression struck.
Masonic Royal Arch Medal. A single impression in bronze struck for the Royal Arch Room, Dublin, in 1879.
Masonic Orphan Boys' School. Prize medal made in 1878.
Masonic Orphan Girls' School. Commemorating the opening of the school buildings in Merrion Road in 1882.
Masonic Orphan Girls' School. Prize medal for art studies, intended to be given by Woodhouse.
Masonic Orphan Schools. Medal for Masonic School prizes, with ring for suspension.
Erasmus Smith's Schools. Prize medal. Replica of William Woodhouse's medal.
Church of Ireland Young Men's Christian Association. Issued in 1876.
Board of Religious Education, General Synod, Church of Ireland. Intended for premiums. Struck in 1886.
Church of Ireland Sunday School Medal. Intended as a premium for Sunday School pupils.
Church of Ireland Sunday School Medal. Woodhouse's obverse same as above; reverse from a die made by Carter of Birmingham.
Royal School, Donegal.
Portora School, Enniskillen. Medal to commemorate the death by drowning of a son of the headmaster, Dr. Steele.
Londonderry School. Issued in 1880.
The Norton Medal. Presented to the best spear thrower at Santry School.
Jesuit School, Tullamore. School medal.
Jesuit School, Tullamore. Medal for athletics.
Jesuit School, Tullamore. School medal.
Jesuit College, Galway. Prize medal.
St. Vincent's College, Castleknock. A few struck in 1881.
Clongowes College. Sixty struck in 1888.
French College, Blackrock. Prize medal.
Dunheved College, Launceston. One of the few medals struck in Ireland for use in England.
Headford Agricultural Medal. Made in 1875, to be given each year by the Marquess of Headford to an improving tenant.
Lansdowne Agricultural Medal. Given by the Marquess of Lansdowne to improving tenants.
Ballinasloe District Agricultural Society. Medal struck in 1882.
Banbridge Farming Society Medal.
Agricultural Medal. Made for general use in 1880.
Agricultural Medal. After 24 medals were struck in 1874 the die cracked.
Clones Union Farming Society. Medal struck in 1879.
Queen's Co. Horticultural Society. Prize medal.
Hibernian Band of Hope Union. Struck in white metal and issued in hundreds.
Church of Ireland Temperance Association. Made in 1879; issued in white metal.
Church of Ireland Temperance Association, Parish of Bray. A fish-shaped medal, issued in white metal.
Derry and Raphoe Diocesan Temperance Society. Fish-shaped medal.
Methodist Band of Hope, Kingsland Park, Dublin.
South Great George's Street Band of Hope.
Ruan (Co. Clare) Temperance Society. Bust of Father Mathew.
St. Patrick's Juvenile Temperance Society. Struck in 1878 for the Rector of Phibsborough.
Ossory Total Abstinence Association. Similar to last.
Guild of All Saints. Made in 1875 for Rev. Dr. Maturin, of Grangegorman.
Irish Home Rule League. A four-rayed star. Struck in bronze for the Home Rule Procession in 1879.
John Woodhouse's medals were catalogued and described by Dr. Frazer in Vol. XVIII of the "Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association," 1887-1888.
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