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Birmingham Statue Campaign

The city already has a symbol at Dartmouth Circus, a genuine Boulton & Watt steam engine. It is somewhat dwarfed by landscaping,unfortunately, but is a far better symbol than any vague image conjured from an artists imagination. If it were to be returned to working order , which i believe it was when originally placed there, then this would truely be a symbol of birmingham.
 
A few months ago I went to the Solihull history Society but the talk I went for had been cancelled and replaced by one of the commitee giving a talk on the Soho Foundry , he was very genned up and had written a book on the subject .He reconed that the engine on the pump Islamd was not a Watt engine if that's true it'sa shocking blunder
 
I totally agree Mike my father took me to see a working beam engine when I was about eight years old. I thought it was an amazing machine even though I didn't understand at the time what it did. It would be wonderful to have a beam engine especially if it moved. I always feel quite sad when I see the one at Dartmouth Circus overgrown and forlorn...
 
Someone on the radio, yesterday, suggested that a wrecking ball and crane knocking down old buildings would be a very suitable to represent Birmingham....

Both unfunny & funny at the same time...
 
ALB10N said:
Someone on the radio, yesterday, suggested that a wrecking ball and crane knocking down old buildings would be a very suitable to represent Birmingham....

Both unfunny & funny at the same time...
Click to expand...

well i cant argue with that albion...this fair city of ours is quite expert with the wrecking ball...

lyn
 
Is the Boulton Murdoch and Watt statue by Mr William Bloye still there? John Crump Parker. Colorado USA
 
Well if they are of historical importance to this city Bernie,they should be on display,why do I get the feeling that there's so much apathy and lack of pride with promoting our proud industrial past from the powers that be.
 
Maybe a new Birmingham symbolic "statue" or tribute to the modern City and what its presently most famous for would be a Giant Balti cooking pot also representative of the Multi-cultural melting pot that represents the First mainly Asian populated City in England and possibly in Europe, i'm sure there are enough old fashioned skilled Brummie Artisan tradesmen left who could design, engineer and turn this modern pot out, John
 
Not sure what I was watching/listening to yesterdy, but someone suggested that the old mini that had been found could be done up and used as a tribute to the car heritage of Birmingham. Have heard of worse ideas.
Sue
 
I don't like either to be honest. The Clubman was the ugliest of the minis in my opinion. Never knew why folk liked King Kong.

Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk 2
 
This might be a controversial idea but what about remaking the Forward statue in some material that won't burn. I know that I described it as Stalinist Art when it first appeared but I grew to like it.

King Kong no thank you. I thought it was an insult to Sir Herbert Manzoni when it was put in Manzoni Gardens.
 
oldbrit said:
Is the Boulton Murdoch and Watt statue by Mr William Bloye still there? John Crump Parker. Colorado USA
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Maybe you have forgotten but it is still on Broad Street. Think you were unsure of the gold leaf that was added in 2006.




The only statue I found in storage at Dollman Street (last year) was George Dawson



The Spirit of Enterprise (formerly of Centenary Square due to the construction of the Library of Birmingham)
was at Dollman Street

 
I've got a small Francis Frith book with something like that George Dawson in Chamberlain Square photo!

On page 20 it says

The George Dawson statue by the Chamberlain Memorial Fountain 1896
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photograph no: 37279x
 
BernieW: Was there a St George statue?

Maybe it was destroyed.


According to my Francis Frith book, there was an
earlier Dawson statue unveiled in 1881 by Thomas Woolner, but it was disliked because it was not a good likeness. A new statue was commissioned from F J Williamson, and Woolner's statue was moved around to several other locations in the city before ending up at its present site behind the library.
Click to expand...

The one at the Museum Collections Centre is the Woolner one.
 
They look shiny with sunny weather and blue skys!

Broad Street is all hotels, pubs and bars now!
 
I am sure Mr Bloye would turn over in his grave and moan if he saw the BLING. Why would they do that? How about some flashing coloured lights on it also. John Crump Parker. Colorado USA
 
A replica of the old Market Hall Clock (Percy Shurmers Clock) would get my vote it must have been quite something to see and quite a big piece of sculpture in its own right if the photos of the figures being removed from the Imperial Arcade are anything to go by. Though with Birmingham's track record of trying to severe all contacts with the past I'm just hoping for a miracle.
 

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