200 years of Nelson in the Bull Ring

[Tacitus]

Hi Folks,

I'm not sure how many people have noticed - but 2009 is the bi-centenary year of the Nelson statue in the Bull Ring. It was unveiled on 25th October 1809.

The statue has various claims to fame. It was the very first public statue in Birmingham and also the first statue of Nelson erected in the United Kingdom.

But just as important - for most of those 200 years it was at the very heart of Birmingham life.

The Trafalgar Day service/parade at the statue is a well established event and by a perfect coincidence this year it coincides exactly with the anniversary of the unveiling i.e. Sunday 25th October.

We are already planning some special events and commemorative activities which hopefully will be of interest to forum members. I will use this thread to keep you appraised of things as they start to come together.

In the meantime I have just made another post in the "Pictures" section to see if I can track down a couple of images that I would like to use in an exhibition in the Central Library.



Here's hoping we can give the statue a 200th birthday party to remember!!

T

 

[Dave M]

Have marked my calendar

 

[terry carter]

Wikpedia the online encyclopedia has the official unveiling on 25 October 1810. Is that wrong?
Terry

 

[Pro Civitate]

It's no coincidence that this year's Trafalgar Day ceremony coincides with the 200th anniversary Tacitus, it is by particular design and something that we had planned for for years. All the participating bodies were told in October 2008 of the date.

As you say, the statue was indeed unveiled on 25th October 1809, which was the day ordained for the Golden Jubilee celebrations of George III. I wonder who can tell my why 1809 is an odd year to do that...?

There will be a commemorative medal struck for the 200th anniversary in the Birmingham tradition of minting and following Boulton's Trafalgar medal.

I guess I must know Tacitus, as he knows things that I know only a few people know.

Oh, and I think people need to be kept apprised Mr T, not appraised.

Apprise = To give notice to; inform
Appraise = To estimate the quality, amount, size, and other features of; judge

 

[Tacitus]

PC

Of course you know me - I'm sure you can guess!! - I will email you in the next day or so.

In reply to Terry's point about Wikipedia. It's definitely wrong - and needs correcting a.s.a.p.

Anyone still in the slightest doubt go to Floor 6 in the Central Library and pull out the microfilm of Aris's Gazette for 1809 and you will find the proof positive in there.

I think I know how the error has occured. i.e. it is commonly quoted that the unveiling co-incided with George III's Golden Jubilee. George III would have been on the throne for 50 years in October 1810. (I think this is the date the writer of the Wikipedia entry has taken and projected forward 200 years) But the 50th anniversary of his accession to the throne was 25th October 1809 - and that is when his Golden Jubilee was commemorated.

Here is just one confirmation of this - on the BBC website. (you need to scroll down the page a bit).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A830332

T

P.S. Thanks for my vocab lesson!

 

[G G Jean]

Tacitus thanks for that and have circled it on my calender. Jean.

 

[Dave M]

What time is it all happening ? on Sunday
Thanks

 

[BernardR]

What time is it all happening ? on Sunday
Thanks

From the Birmingham City website:


Trafalgar Day

Sunday 25 October, 11am-12:30pm

Birmingham city centre

Come along and celebrate Lord Nelson’s great victory at Trafalgar in 1805.

Tel: 0121 303 3008

 

[Dave M]

Thanks

 

[cornwall col]

Cant get along but raised a tot earlier to 'the immortal memory'

 

[Dave M]

Also had a Tot (smile)

 

[expatriate]

When the Bull Ring was refurbished in the 60's Nelson was moved down a side street facing a tailor's shop. The council had to come down and turn him around because women customers complained he was looking at them!!!

 

[ellbrown]

Some of my shots of the Nelson statue in the Bullring.


Statue of Nelson in the Bullring by ell brown, on Flickr


Statue of Nelson in the Bullring by ell brown, on Flickr

It inspired me to get shots of Nelson's Column in London


Nelson's Column - Trafalgar Square, London by ell brown, on Flickr


Nelson's Column - Trafalgar Square, London by ell brown, on Flickr

 

[dek carr]

Nice photos Bernard #187 thats the first photo of Nelson i,ve seen up in the seating area of the balcony thank you. Dek

 

[Vivienne14]

Was Nelson's statue moved across the road? I thought it stood by the pedestrian ramp into the Bull Ring. Viv.

 

[DavidGrain]

Was Nelson's statue moved across the road? I thought it stood by the pedestrian ramp into the Bull Ring. Viv.

Viv I refered to this postion for the Nelson statue in another post somewhere. As far as I am aware it was in this position during the existence of the 1960s Bull Ring but being at the end of an upper level line of shops was always out of the way of most passers-by

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks David. So have I understood this right: it was moved to the place in the photo after having been moved from over by the Bull Ring entrance? I just don't ever remember it being in the position on the photo. Viv.

 

[dek carr]

Quote>>>> "Surely the last sentence is wrong" ? I agree mike that shows the bomb site opposite the market Hall

Got to be wrong

What.s the stone plinth on the right hand side of the photo for I think Nelson was lower down the hill. Dek

 

[Phil]

Mike

I have looked at the photo on here as suggested by you on the Market Hall thread, and I have seen yours before and I have a copy although not as good as yours. I was wondering about the brickwork pillar myself and have come to the conclusion that the original plinth that Lord Nelson stood on must have been bricked in and left in situ. Only the statue itself was probably taken away for storage.

Phil

 

[Stitcher]

This is The Annual Trafalgar Day Ceremony on October 21st 1953. The ceremony used to take place in The Bull Ring and you can see Nelsons Column looking over parade.

 

[Stitcher]

The Bull Ring in 1897 and it is 'Trafalgar Day.This statue was the first public monument to be erected in Birmingham.

 

[Rupert]

I like the Bull Ring statue better than the Trafalgar Square one. Without the hat and with the ship symbol and down to earth; it makes him more of the people somehow. Which is what he was I think.

 

[Stitcher]

My thoughts as well Rupert.

 

[Maris]

The statue has various claims to fame. It was the very first public statue in Birmingham and also the first statue of Nelson erected in the United Kingdom.

Is there an older statue of Nelson outside of the UK or could this be the oldest statue of Nelson in the World ?

 

[Richie]

Is there an older statue of Nelson outside of the UK or could this be the oldest statue of Nelson in the World ?

The statue of Nelson in Barbados in the Caribbean is around thirty years before the one in Trafalgar Square.

 

[Tacitus]

Is there an older statue of Nelson outside of the UK or could this be the oldest statue of Nelson in the World ?

Hi Maris

There is one statue of Nelson that is usually credited as older than the Birmingham one. And that is the one in Montreal, Canada.

It is much more like Nelson's Column, being a stone statue on top of a stone column.

I can't recall if there was an official "unveiling" but the column was started in August 1809 and as I say is usually given the benefit of the doubt over Birmingham.

By the 1990's the original stone statue in Montreal had become very weather-worn so they moved it to a museum and replaced it with a replica.

There are of course various other early memorials to Nelson in the U.K. and elsewhere which were not statues, but that is all a bit complicated to go into here. Hope you don't mind that!!

By coincidence I just received notification of this year's Trafalgar Day parade. This year the 21st falls on a Sunday which is perfect.

The service at the statue is an excellently organised affair and well worth attending if you can possibly make it.

A few years ago there was a "mini meet-up" of forum members. After the parade we sank a couple of pints in the Wellington pub which suited the occasion perfectly.

I don't know what my exact whereabouts will be on the day - but is it worth thinking about something similar for this year??!!

The band will start playing at 10.20 and the service starts at 11.00 sharp.

Several youth organisations will doubtless be represented and I always think it is nice if they see a large crowd in attendance.

All the best.

T

 

[bren]

This is one i took early last year whilst up St Martins tower





​bren

 

[Dave M]

Today, Trafalgar Day

 

[Dave M]

Few pics from today

 

[Dave M]

Few more