Frederick Luke Val Fildes (13 June 1879 – 22 April 1970) was a British fencer, solicitor and company secretary. He competed in the individual

épée The ( or , ), sometimes spelled epee in English, is the largest and heaviest of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. The modern derives from the 19th-century , a weapon which itself derives from the French small sword. This contains ...

event at the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

Biography

Fildes was born on 13 June 1879 in London, the son of Sir Luke Fildes, and the great grandson of Mary Fildes. He was named Val after his godfather, the painter Val Prinsep. He was educated at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...

. He practised as chartered accountant and solicitor until the start of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He served with the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

but after being wounded on the Somme he became superintendent of physical and bayonet training at the Aldershot Command. After the war he went into business rather than return to the Bar and became secretary of Lever Brothers Limited. In 1929, he won the

title at the

British Fencing Championships The British Fencing Championships are held annually to determine the British champion. The Championships are currently held at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield. The championships were not held during World War I, World War II and in 20 ...

. He retired from Lever Brothers in 1946. Between 1934 and 1967 he was a trustee of the Lady Lever Art Gallery and Collections at Port Sunlight. In 1968, as L.V. Fildes, he wrote a biography of his father "Luke Fildes R.A. A Victorian Painter" published in London by Michael Joseph. It is based partly on his father's correspondence and the diary of his maternal uncle Henry Woods R.A., who lived and painted in Venice. In the biography he says remarkably little about himself, except that at Easter, 1914, holidaying with his parents at Lenno on Lake Como, they met the sculptor William Goscombe John, also on holiday with his family. Luke Val married Goscombe John's daughter Muriel eighteen months later in 1915.

References

External links

* 1879 births 1970 deaths British male fencers Olympic fencers of Great Britain Fencers at the 1908 Summer Olympics Sportspeople from Kensington People educated at Marlborough College Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge English solicitors Coldstream Guards officers Sportspeople from London {{UK-fencing-bio-stub