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What has happened to our great statues ?

O

O.C.

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Seeing Oisin's photo on this site and nobody could identify him made me think, do we only want to learn about certain parts of our history in Brum, which is fine as I confess I do. But this great man influenced Chamberlain and all the other folk who pulled us up by the scruff of the neck and made Birmingham such a great city.
One time his statue was standing in (?) and he was such a much loved person, who am I talking about George Dawson, a name that's been forgot. The statues of him were taken down and moved to places were they could be vandalized and then moved out of sight. What a great shame on our city
The same fate applied to John Skirrow Wright a man that was so loved by the people after he died the folk of Birmingham paid for a statue to be erected at Chamberlain Place then it was moved in 1951 and scrapped, now all you can see (for the lucky ones) is a bust in some obscure corner in the council house
Then there was John Sturge a great radical and anti slavery, he to was cast aside by the city and now I have tracked him down outside the Swallow Hotel.
I can go one about a few more statues that have been moved to obscure locations as if they now embarrass us, but will not for the time being mention them.
Its called dumbing down of History
Photo 1 is a great picture of George Dawson
 

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met George Dawson recently!! Hes in the museum stores in Nechells which I visited on the recent open day
 

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Statue of Thomas Attwood
Kenh I have been in many museum store rooms and seen forgotten treasures hidden away and years later they seem to disappear, this is rife in Regimental Museums as I have just been trying to track down the Silver Drums of the RWF museum and would you believe they have disapeared and no one knows when they went 10...20 ...30. 60 years ago and I seem to be the only one that has photographs of them
 
Kenh you beat me to it .There's a chance to see him again soon,see my post in Birmingham News and Events/Open Day at the Museums Collections Centre.

Colin
 
Colin I doubt it, they would rather you see the fllozzie in the pool and the iron man as its multi culture and appeals to everyone, history" Bah Humbug !!!!!!!
 
Bully put in a position so he can get used and abused which has allready happened, what will he be like in ten years time ?
 
I know what you mean Cromwell :( why cant they just leave well alone :mad:
 
birmingham history.the council have destroyed everything we loved.god bless what we have left.if anyone on the council reads this.tough.we were never treated properly by this council.
NO ONE SHOULD ADD ANY COMMENTS TO MY COMMENTS.as the council won't like it.TOUGH.i do wish we had a time machine.
 
Has anyone read the book written by:


"Stephen Hartland
36 Clarendon Road
Birmingham
B16 9SE
Tel (daytime) 0121 234 4466 (evening) 0121 454 2240
Email [email protected]

Subjects
"Moving Men of Stone: The Statues of Birmingham" Charts the rise and fall of public monemental sculpture. "The History of Birmingham Civic Society 1918 to date" examines the influence of the society on the city's parks, built environment/landscape and other aspects of the city's heritage. (available from 2006)"

I found his name on the Local Birmingham Speakers list and there is a contact for him
to find out if his book is available to buy or on loan from the Library if someone has not already come across it. It would be more than interesting to find out more about the statuary that has gone missing from Birmingham over the decades.
 
Very few people realize what they have till it's gone
In the US they would have treasured their statues and heritage same goes for Vienna and France and most other countries. The gilded statue of the "Three wise men" was only made in 1950's and unveiled in 1956 Great piece of work, but why was it made? when we had statues of the men dotted about all over the city.I think the politics of the time played a major part in the clearance of the statues to be banished to the cities parks, it was all about removing evidence of the other parties deeds and the citzens of Brum had no say in the matter. some of the statues were destroyed not put in storage, and I am still trying to find a picture of John Skirrow Wright.
Imagine a kid in the future at Uni. saying I wonder who influenced Chamberlain and all the other great men of the city. and hearing the reply from his teacher. "I have not got a clue"
Imagine the uproar if they tried to take Shakespeare's statue away from Stratford ?
They tried it with Nelson but knew they could not get away with it.
Along with the Beautiful Marble Statue of Joseph Priestley that was erected by the City in 1874 even though he was driven from the city in 1791.
The same goes for the Thomas Attwood Statue that was erected in Stephenson Place in 1859 anyone know were that is ?
 
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This is one of my old poems, called " Too late, it's gone.

To the people on Birmingham Planning Committee
I just want to say what the hell have you done to our City
You stole all our landmarks like thieves in the night
You daint even ask us, now I just don't think that's right
You've done more damage than two world wars
The decisions you made were totally yours
You altered the Centre and tore it apart
You removed its spirit and ripped out its heart
Wheres all the treasures and statues we knew
They are gone forever and its all down to you
You cannot rest easy in bed as your sleeping
The sounds that awake you are our ancestors weeping
Its us Brummies who keep you in your jobs of high power
As we expect more of you, your standards get lower
There are not many old buildings to preserve and retain
But we'll keep on fighting till we make Brum a great City again.
 
Nice one Postie  O0
Now In two books published by the Brum Library it states that the statue in Corporation St was George Dawson but I have found another picture in my archive that tells me it is not, so allready we have folk talking about our history which is wrong
The statue in this photo is of Thomas Attwood and this statue is now in a park in Sparkbrook (where I do not know)
Click on this link and you can see the statue
https://www.birmingham-photos.co.uk/PB3/C7/PB3p119B.htm

Thomas Attwood lived in Grove house Harbourne but the house was demolished and its land incorporated in Grove Park so why was the Statue put in Sparkbrook ?
 
HI CROM JUST READ SOME ARTICLES Of THE DISAPPEARANCES OF OUR GREAT STATUE,S CAN YOU ,OR ANYBODY TELL ME , WHETHER OR NOT THAT THE PETER PAN STATUE IS STILL ON THE GREEN WITH HIS FLUTE PLAYING ON THE LAWN BEHIND ASTON HALL IT WAS A GREAT FOUNTAIN .?.
 
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They may have removed the stone statue of him out to Sparkbrook,but theres still a statue of him in the City
Where is it?

Colin
 

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Thats the modern one Colin but its strange that they move him them commission another statue of him which I think is great
 
CHAMBERLIN SQ BACK OF THE TOWN HALL USED TO BE A FOUNTAIN AROUND THAT THING IN THE BACK GROUND, (FOR GIVE MY IGNORANCE  I NO I SHOULD KNOW WHAT IT IS) :-[
ASTON O0
 
Just dug my guide book out of Aston Park 1981 stuffed with photo's but no fountain so when I am passing I will pop in and take a snap (thats if someone aint pinched it )
 
Statue on the right of Queen Victoria is John Skirrow Wright and Statue on the left of her is Joseph Priestley on the far left (out of the picture) their was a statue of James Watt outside the Town hall and on the far right just out of the picture their was as stutue of Robert Peel
 

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