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Statue in Nechells?

Mayfield

Mayfield

Burbury Brummie
As a child I lived in Cato Street North and remember the nude statue being erected near to Bloomsbury Street school in about 1959ish? Does anyone know the actual date and the name of the statue?

Keith
 
I remember it, It was called Reclining Woman or something smilar. It was at the bottom of Melvina Rd, alongside the railway just before the bridge. As you say it appeared about the same time as the Community Centre opposite. I would hazzard a guess at about 1959/60 as you say.

Phil
 
pmc1947 said:
I remember it, It was called Reclining Woman or something smilar. It was at the bottom of Melvina Rd, alongside the railway just before the bridge. As you say it appeared about the same time as the Community Centre opposite. I would hazzard a guess at about 1959/60 as you say.

Phil
Click to expand...

Is the staue still there?
 
Kieth

I'm sorry I don't have a clue, the last time I passed that way would be about 30 years ago.

Phil
 
this sounds like Hebe who was in holloway circus gardens but was stolen.I
think she was found but not put back in the original spot .present whereabouts unknown!
 
kenh

This was a great stone modern art thing that looked nothing like a woman, I would imagine where it stood it was vandalised to bits over the years. It was certainly started on during the 60's.

It was such a strange place to put a work of art. it was right out of the way. Perhaps that was the idea.

Phil
 
It's still there..vandalized? no, I know art is subjective but it was never much to start with.
 

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Kandor

Did it ever spend time some'where else in the locality. I have an idea in the back of my head it was some'where else before it was put in that location.

Of course it could just be my brain pickling.

Phil
 
Hi Phil,

To my knowledge that was its first and only site, people often think it is vandalised because it lacks arms etc, I can remember it being put there around 1959/60.
It was certainly pristine when first mounted, I'm not of course sure but it is unlikely it had been put anywhere else, remember Bradburne Way and Greenbank house all went up around that time..it was all a part of 'New' Nechells...none of which lasted over 40 years..
A true story which I've written here but I think was deleted.
The guy responsible for the statue was on a bus going into town and told my Father (who was on the Bus with me) that he had designed the art work..
My Dad replied. 'Well it's a load of rubbish'
I remember it clearly, the guy was crestfallen...my Dad just smiled.
 
Kandor said:
Hi Phil,

To my knowledge that was its first and only site, people often think it is vandalised because it lacks arms etc, I can remember it being put there around 1959/60.
It was certainly pristine when first mounted, I'm not of course sure but it is unlikely it had been put anywhere else, remember Bradburne Way and Greenbank house all went up around that time..it was all a part of 'New' Nechells...none of which lasted over 40 years..
A true story which I've written here but I think was deleted.
The guy responsible for the statue was on a bus going into town and told my Father (who was on the Bus with me) that he had designed the art work..
My Dad replied. 'Well it's a load of rubbish'
I remember it clearly, the guy was crestfallen...my Dad just smiled.
Click to expand...

Kandor

I think many would have agreed with your father, I still think it is why it was put in a such out of the way place.

Phil
 
The statue , although still there is not very obvious and trees growing around it now push it further into obscurity. Not one of Birmingham's best IMHO.

Bob
 
Kandor

looking at your photo, the sculpture looks like it has been snapped in half at sometime, and stuck back together rather badly. I never noticed that when I was younger.

Is this a recent photo and if so what did you think when you saw it, and by the way is there a name plate.

Phil
 
Hi Phil,

It was taken today at 11 30 am, yes, it HAS been broken a few times and stuck back,
What did I feel?
Nothing apart from sadness on how much my Nechells has changed and not for the better.
 
Kandor said:
Hi Phil,

It was taken today at 11 30 am, yes, it HAS been broken a few times and stuck back,
What did I feel?
Nothing apart from sadness on how much my Nechells has changed and not for the better.
Click to expand...

Kandor

We all feel that, not all change is for the good. I am no lover of this medium that is called modern art, but If this statue was damaged intentionally then what is the matter with people that they will make a sustained effort to do this sort of damage.

Phil
 
thanks everyone now i know it was definately not Hebe but I thought you might like to see her anyway!!
 
hi Keith,
i also lived in Cato st north, just couldn't resist saying i use to play on the statue, and wave to the passengers on the bus upstairs when i was little... i wasn't a Vandal tho... :)
 
Nice photos Les still looks the same from the 60s its just matured like most of us,a bit rough round the edges

Moss
 
pinky said:
hi Keith,
i also lived in Cato st north, just couldn't resist saying i use to play on the statue, and wave to the passengers on the bus upstairs when i was little... i wasn't a Vandal tho... :)
Click to expand...


I have distinct memories of using the statue ('Doris') as a climbing frame with my school friends from Bloomesbury Street School. Vandals, not at all just children having fun. After all, in those days, had we have been caught by our parents or the bobby-on-the-beat, we would have received a 'clip around the ear' and told to behave.
 
I don't think that "the Thinker" would have been affordable by Birmingham Council. It is by Rodin and located at some museum in Paris.

The modern art statue in Melvina Rd I have always thought went by the name of Reclining Lady or Seated Lady or something similar. I will see if I can find out what its real name is.

Phil
 
Oh right! I didn't mean it looked exactly the same but I thought there was a concrete thing similar, I am mistaken! Maybe I thought the lady looked like it?! lol
 
bluebrummie

I note we can no longer open Kandor's photo of the statue in question, well I can't anyway. So here is a photo, so that you can refresh your memory.

Phil

Youth.JPG
 
Last edited:
Not long after the statue was erected, a group of us local kids were gathered together for a photograph of us on the statue. I think that it was for the Bham Mail. We did have the paper cutting but where it is now I dont know. Someone may be able to trace it. This forum seems to be able to track down anything.
regards
Amanda
 
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