Blue Plaque: George Edward Hunt

George Hunt was a notable British Arts and Crafts jeweller and silversmith, closely associated with Birmingham, where he lived and worked for most of his life. 

Early life and determination
Born in Dudley, George Hunt’s life took an early turn when he contracted diphtheria at the age of five, which resulted in him becoming deaf. Following this, his family relocated to Harborne and despite his disability, Hunt’s artistic talent became evident. In 1908, at the age of sixteen, he earned free admission to the Margaret Street Art School in Birmingham, where he was taught by eminent figures like Bernard Cuzner. He also studied at the Vittoria Street School of Jewellery and Silversmithing. Throughout his training, he was recognised with several prizes for both design and metalwork in national competitions.

From Five Ways to international fame
Hunt opened his own shop at Five Ways, near Birmingham city centre, and later established a studio in the garden of his home at 10 Bull Street, Harborne, where he continued to produce his distinctive jewellery. By the 1920s, he had become a prolific and highly regarded jewellery maker within the Arts and Crafts movement. He was a member of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, exhibiting alongside contemporaries such as Arthur and Georgie Gaskin, John Paul Cooper, and Omar Ramsden. His work was shown in London (including at the Royal Academy), Paris, and throughout the UK.

George Edward Hunt passed away in 1960 and is buried at St Peter’s Church, Harborne, in a grave he designed for his mother, with his name on the kerbstone.