Canova Throp was born in 1848, the second son of John and Sarah Throp of Bowling Green Terrace, Hunslet. He was named for the great Italian sculptor of that name, possibly in the hopes that he would inherit his skill. His father John Throp was born in Liverpool, and was described as a stone carver in the 1851 census. Canova’s greatest claim to fame was the fact that he was the father of Leonora Cohen, the renowned Leeds suffragette, but had he not died at the early age of 30, he may well have contributed much more as a sculptor and artist.

Little is known of his life, and much of what we do know has come from records such as the 19th century census returns. We know that there were at least five other siblings, and that Canova was probably the second of three sons. Something fairly momentous must have happened on or around 1861, because the census for that year records his mother, Sarah, living at 5, Darnley Street with Hannah aged 18, Canova aged 14, Elizabeth aged 5 and Henry aged 3. Sarah was working as a cap maker and Hannah as a seamstress. Of John there is no sign, but a wider census search finds him and another son George, aged 15, living down in London at 5, Percy Street, St. Pancras. John is described as a sculptor, and they are both living in the household of a Professor Karl Schapper, professor of languages. Whether this was simply a visit to an old friend, or maybe a journey to London to find work, we can only speculate, but it is an odd and unusual occurrence in the life of a jobbing stone carver and his 15 year old son. The fact that Sarah is shown as earning her living seems to suggest that he was away from the marital home for some time.

By the 1871 census, John and Sarah are living together again at Milnes Terrace, along with Elizabeth and Henry Tate Throp, the youngest son. Henry appears later in the old trade directories as a sculptor and monumental mason, and all of the sons seem at one time or another to have followed in their father’s footsteps. Of Canova there is no sign – not in Leeds, or indeed anywhere else in England, if the on-line census is to be trusted. However, a clue may be got from the 1881 census. Although he had died by that time (in 1879), a search for Leonora shows her, aged 7, living with her mother Jane, a widow aged 35, and born in Ireland.

No marriage can be found in Leeds for Canova and Jane, nor is there any record of a marriage elsewhere in the country, so did Canova go to Ireland at some stage and met and married Jane? Whatever the story, Canova is first listed in the trade directories in 1875 at 38, Chetwynd Street, and is described as foreman. He appears again in 1876 as a sculptor of 3, Finsbury Street, but there are no more entries for him after this.

According to a newspaper article in the YEP of 27th February 1925, he was responsible for the carved statues on the old Royal Exchange building which once overlooked City Square. Aged only 25, he was by all accounts already ill with consumption and spinal disease, and had to be carried by his workmates every day to the platform around the work, and was supported by pillows as he carried out his carving. There were five statues in all, each depicting an historical figure with strong Leeds connections. They were as follows:

King Athelstan
Ilbert de Laci
Maurice Pagenil
Sir John Savile
John Harrison

The building was also decorated with a bas relief depicting Jason searching for the Golden Fleece, as well as two panels illustrative of History and Commerce. The History panel showed a skirmish in the reign of King Stephen at the entrance to the West Bar, and the Commerce one showed the old Cloth Market on Leeds Bridge.

Although Canova is generally credited with the statues, the decorative work on the Royal Exchange building was designed by his father, John, and the work carried out by him and all of the Throp brothers. The article goes on to say that Canova had shown a strong artistic talent since early childhood, and that some of his drawings, made when he was seven, were still preserved by the family. His daughter Leonora recalled how he had been inspired one day at the dinner table. His wife Jane had put a dish of broccoli on the table, and Canova saw, in the form of the vegetable, the outline he wanted for a decoration of leaves and grapes. Much to his wife’s disgust he brought his plaster to the table and made a mould of the broccoli which he did not finish until almost midnight.

Canova also turned his hand to ‘pot-boiler’ paintings, no doubt in an endeavour to bring some money into the household. Although Leonora was only five years old when he died, she obviously had a great admiration for him and his talent. She said, “ The reason I have always taken (an) interest in the welfare of children is because of the tragedy of my father. His spirit was a rare and sensitive plant that needed congenial soil and air to expand and grow, and did not find it. Handicapped as he was, what he accomplished was wonderful. Had he been a man of normal health. What fame might he not have brought to his city and himself? His dying words to my mother were: ‘My brain is as clear as ever, but my body will not carry me on’. As he lay on his deathbed a fishmonger with a raucous voice used to pass in the street below. ‘If I had that man’s lung power’, he would say, ‘the world would be at my feet’.

Canova died in 1879.

Appendix 1. Directory entries for Throp family of stonemasons and sculptors.

1847 – John Throp, stonemason. Bowling Green Terrace.
1849 – John Thorp (sic). Stonemason, Victoria Road. Res. 17, Bowling Green Terrace.
1851 – ditto 1853 – George Throp, stonemason, 114, Low Road, Hunslet
1857 – John Throp, carver and sculptor, Rebecca Street
1861 – no entries for Throp family
1863 – John Thorp (sic), sculptor, 5, Darnley Street
1866 – no entries
1870 – John Throp, sculptor and general stone carver, Victoria Road. H. West View, Beeston Hill.
1872 – John Throp, sculptor, 62-64, Victoria Road. Res. Gladstone Street, Cemetery Road, Beeston.
1875 – Canove (sic) Throp, foreman, 38, Chetwynd Street John Throp, sculptor, Calverley Street. H. 26, Chetwynd Terrace,
1876 – Canova Throp, sculptor, 3, Finsbury Street John Throp, 62-64 Victoria Road, h. 49, Hillary Street
1878 – John Throp, St. James’s Street. Res. 49, Hillary Street.
1881 – John Throp, 54, St. James’s Street
1882 – James Throp, mason, 7, Exchange Street. Mrs. Jane Throp, 12, Blundell Terrace John Throp, 56-58 St. James Street. Res. No. 54
1888 – Henry Tate Throp, sculptor and monumental mason, Meadow Road. Mrs. Jane Throp, dress maker, 5, Blundell Terrace John Throp – as 1882
1890 – Henry Tate Throp – Meadow Road, res. 15, Chetwynd Street. Jane Throp, householder, 5, Blundell Terrace, Caledonian Road
1892 – Henry Tate Throp, s/a Jane Throp, 1, Bridgefield Place, South Accommodation Road
1894 – Henry Tate Throp, 70, Meadow Road, 15, Chetwynd Street
1897 – Mrs. Throp, dressmaker, 7, Thornville View Henry T. Throp, sculptor, 17, Middleton Road
1898 - Henry T. Throp, 124, Beeston Road and Meadow Road
1899 – Henry T., as above James Throp, mason, 30, Pepper Lane, Hunslet
1900-01 – as above

No further entries for Throp family.

Appendix 2 – census returns 1851 - 1881

1851. Bowling Green Terrace, Hunslet

John Throp – head – mar – 30 – stone carver – b. Liverpool
Sarah Throp – wife – mar - 27 - b. Leeds
Hannah Throp – dau - 8 b. Leeds
George Throp – son - 5 b. Leeds
Canova Throp – son - 2 b. Leeds
Elizabeth Ann – dau - 8 months b. Leeds

1861. 5, Percy Street, St. Pancras, London

John Throp, 41 and George Throp, 15, living in the household of Karl Schapper, b. Germany, Professor of languages.

1861. 5, Darnley Street

Sarah Throp – wife – mar – 37 – cap maker
Hannah Throp – dau – unm – 18 – seamstress
Canova Throp –son – 14 – scholar
Elizabeth – dau – 5
Henry – son – 3

1871. 13, Milnes Terrace

John Throp – 51- general carver
Sarah Throp- 47
Elizabeth Throp – 16 – cap finisher
Henry Tate Throp – scholar

1881. 54, St. James Street

John – 61 – sculptor, employing 2 men, 4 boys.
Sarah – 57
Elizabeth – 25 – unm - dressmaker
Sydney F. Johnson – apprentice – 20 – sculptor – b. Derby

1881, 12, Blundell Terrace

Jane Throp – widow – 35 – seamstress – b. Ireland
Leonora Throp – dau – 7 – scholar – b. Leeds
John C. Throp – son – 5 – b. Leeds
Francis R. Throp – son – 4 – b. Leeds.