Leonard was born in Frome in 1897. In 1911 he was apprenticed to JW Singer and Sons Ltd for 6 years to learn metal moulding. His pay was 3/- (15p) a week during the first year, increasing by one shilling in subsequent years.  His apprentice agreement was later endorsed: ‘He showed industry and ability and we were sorry to lose his services’.  In 1916 he left early to join the Royal Naval Air Service as an air mechanic.

A moulder had a highly important and exacting job requiring great skills if the casting was not to be flawed. Singer’s made the memorial tablets for the Memorial Hall in Frome, Leonard making the wreaths of leaves surmounting its list of names.

In 1926 he joined Morris Singer in London and later Basingstoke and worked on important castings, including the statue of Field Marshall Viscount Montgomery. sculpted by Oscar Nemon.  During the Second World War he worked for Westlands of Yeovil.

He died in 1986, aged 88.  The Museum displays many lovely items by Stockting.