The artistically gifted Willy Soukop, born in Vienna in 1907, fled Austria in 1934. He is received in Darlington, England, where many international dancers, sculptors, potters and actors had gathered. Soukop is given a house and an appointment as a sculpture teacher. Monumental animal sculptures are known from this period. He also meets the artist-collector, owner of the Storran Gallery, where he has his first exhibition in 1938. After 1945 he leaves for London where he works on portraits and small sculptures and receives commissions for monumental statues and reliefs. He was also a sculpture teacher at the Chelsea School of Art, among others.