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Statue Protection And Preservation

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Vivienne14

Vivienne14

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The Joseph Sturge statue at Five Ways was protected during WW2. Nelson's statue in the Bull Ring was protected in a similar way during WW2. Nelson was also moved while the 1960s/70s Bull Ring re-development took place. And more recently we've seen the "Golden Boys" (Boulton, Watt & Murdoch) put under protection during the Broad Street road changes.

Do we have others that have been under wraps for their own protection ? Why were they protected ? And how were they protected ?

Below is "Peace" at the Joseph Sturge memorial Five Ways. I don't suppose the symbolism of this act escaped Birmingham's notice, in that "Peace" had to be protected during a world war. Viv.
image.jpeg
 
Vivienne14 said:
The Joseph Sturge statue at Five Ways was protected during WW2. Nelson's statue in the Bull Ring was protected in a similar way during WW2. Nelson was also moved while the 1960s/70s Bull Ring re-development took place. And more recently we've seen the "Golden Boys" (Boulton, Watt & Murdoch) put under protection during the Broad Street road changes.

Do we have others that have been under wraps for their own protection ? Why were they protected ? And how were they protected ?

Below is "Peace" at the Joseph Sturge memorial Five Ways. I don't suppose the symbolism of this act escaped Birmingham's notice, in that "Peace" had to be protected during a world war. Viv.
View attachment 123336
Click to expand...

Unusual to see a lady bricklayer, especially as Sturge was against women getting the vote!
 
Ha ha ha ha Pedro ! That's funny.

Couldn't work out if just the lower figures (Peace, Charity - can't remember the other one) were protected leaving Sturge to fight it out on his own. That would seem odd, so assume the whole ensemble were eventually bricked up. Viv.
 
A touching gesture for Nelson's statue. But where did it go in the interim ? Viv.

image.jpeg
 
The Joseph Sturge statue was last restored / cleaned in 2007.

This was in 2009.



The last few times I saw it, it was looking dirty again.

The Edward VII statue was removed from Highgate Park, restored then installed in Centenary Square in 2010.

 
Statues in storage due to the redevelopments of Paradise and Centenary Square include:

Chamberlain Square: James Watt, Joseph Priestley and the sitting statue of Thomas Attwood (you could also include the statue of George Dawson).

Centenary Square / Broad Street: Boulton, Watt & Murdoch. Also the relatively new statue A Real Birmingham Family.
 
Thanks Ell that's very helpful. We can now keep track of their whereabouts.

Like the plinth of Edward VII. Bronze decoration ? Viv.
 
They had to recast the bronze on those as the original were lost.

They even replaced the missing orb and sceptre on the Queen Victoria statue in 2011.

 
Re. Post #4 Nelson was moved to the corner of Bell Street "in the shadow of the Market Hall" October 1959. Poor quality image. Viv.
image.jpeg
From Birmingham Post October 1959
 
Thanks Ell. Looks like it would have been restored (again) pre-2003.

I wondered if with the move to Bell Street, Nelson's statue lost its children (cherubs?) and original posts at the foot of the statue. Viv
 
I walked past here earlier and was wondering when Bell Street ceased to exist on this site. Especially as there is a plaque on the right for John Freeth.

 
ellbrown said:
I walked past here earlier and was wondering when Bell Street ceased to exist on this site. Especially as there is a plaque on the right for John Freeth.
Click to expand...

ellbrown, Bell Street was still there in 1947 according to my Bartholomew's Atlas & Guide. It ran off Worcester Street into the Bull Ring at the side of the market hall. I expect it disappeared under the 1960's development of that area.
 
Nelson's statue in the Bull Ring was protected in a brick shelter during WW2
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image from https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/street-furniture.42920/page-19#post-562048
 
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Was in the North West for the Bank Holiday weekend, then in North Wales for a week. So only saw the Queen Victoria statue today revealed after her deep clean!



Last week I got to see statues such as the Marquess of Anglesey!

 
Saw the statue of Thomas Attwood by Peter Hollins at the Museum Collections Centre during the Open Day last Sunday. I was the first one to recognise what it was! Was removed from a park in Sparkbrook in 2008.

Here's the plinth seen in 2012 (I did not look at it again, but saw it from a distance last Sunday).





Saw the statue in an open looking crate before I headed into the Warehouse.



No restoration in 10 years!



Arm still missing and still with graffiti!



Was hoping to see the statues that went into storage in the last few years, but I couldn't find them here.
 
I also found a maquette of the destroyed by arson Forward statue by Raymond Mason in the Smaller Objects Store. Wasn't expecting to see this!





There is also a maquette of Laurence Broderick's The Guardian (Bullring Bull) in the Extension (vintage cars area).

 
I was hoping to see the statues that recently went into storage (I didn't) but saw this Maquette of Iron Man by Antony Gormley in the Warehouse.





 
Attwood’s in a sorry state. But at least we know where he is. Thanks for the update Ell. Viv.
 
No problem Viv! George Dawson is still there where he was last time with the vintage cars. Didn't take new photos of him as already had photos of him from 2012.
 
Below is a view of Nelson's statue taken from an 1808 Birmingham guide for sale on ebay. Guide looks interesting, but they are asking £125 !!
nelsons statue from 1808 guide.jpg
 
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