Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke, Date of Birth, Date of Death
TweetWenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke
British model engineer
Date of Birth: 
About Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke
- Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke (27 December 1877 Northampton – 21 October 1953) was the son of Joseph Tom Lowke, a Northampton boilermaker and his wife, Eliza, and is noted for having founded the firm of Bassett-Lowke which specialised in producing construction sets, and model railways, boats and ships.
- He was married to Florence Jane Jones (9 May 1886 - 8 February 1973) on 21 March 1917.Bassett-Lowke was actively interested in modern design, notably becoming a patron of the architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who remodelled Basset-Lowke's home at 78 Derngate, Northampton.
- Now a Grade II* listed building, the house (which has been fully restored) is now open as a museum and visitor attraction.
- He also employed the services of the stained glass artist E.W.
- Twining to provide much of his company's graphic identity.
- His close contacts with German toy manufacturers, particularly Gebruder Bing, introduced him to the very advanced state of design in Germany and organisations such as the Deutscher Werkbund.
- He was quick to join its British equivalent, The Design and Industries Association, founded at the opening of the Great War.
- It is notable that in 1925-6 Lowke commissioned the German architect-designer Peter Behrens to design his house 'New Ways' in Northampton (now considered the first modernist building in the UK) rather than any UK architect.
- Lowke professed to Fabian socialist politics, serving on the executive of the Fabian Society from 1922 until 1924.
- He greatly admired George Bernard Shaw, to the extent of having him modelled as an '0' scale railway platform accessory.
- He supported Stephan Bing and other members of the family when, as Jews, they fled Nazi Germany to the UK in 1933. Although Bassett-Lowke left school at thirteen, he absorbed many new ideas from his travelling and contact with people from all walks of life.
- He went on fact-finding missions to Germany and Holland.
- He was also keen to ensure that the outside world appreciated the benefits of Northampton.
- In 1932, he was instrumental in producing a film showing Northampton’s history and current attractions.
- Despite his incessant travel, Bassett-Lowke never thought of leaving Northampton.
- He was a member of many societies, including the Rotary Club, of which he was a founder.
- His work on the Northampton Council gave him most opportunity to influence the future of the town.
- He was also a founder Director of the Northampton Repertory Theatre in 1926.In January 2011 it was announced that W.J Bassett-Lowke would be commemorated with a steel sculpture placed alongside the River Nene near a cycle route which runs from Beckets Park towards Upton in Northampton.
- Bassett-Lowke was the winning choice following a public vote in Northamptonshire in which several potential 'local icons' were nominated.
- Charles Rennie Mackintosh and poet John Clare will also be commemorated as part of the same project, having received the second and third highest number of votes respectively.
- The sculpture was installed in Beckets Park, close to 78 Derngate, in April 2013 and officially unveiled in August of that year by a group from Sustrans that included Aggie MacKenzie.
Read more at Wikipedia