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Sir Robert Peel's Statue

W

Wendy

Guest
This is an extract from R K Dents book Old and New Birmingham:

"In 1855 the town paid a well deserved tribute to the memory of Sir Robert Peel, by the errection of of a bronze statue, designed by Peter Hollins and cast by Messers Elkington and Mason, being the first colossal work of its kind ever produced in one piece in Birmingham. Upwards of three tons of metal were used in the casting of this work, which is eight feel and a half inches high. It stands on a fine pedestal of polished granite,resting on a sub plinth of grey stone: and was originally surrounded by a handsome railing, the bars of which represented large clusters of wheat ears, to commemorate the repeal of the corn laws. These however, have lately been removed and the position of the statue slightly altered, so to harmonise with the Priestley statue in the same locality, to which reference will be made at the date of errection. The Peel statue was errected at the junction of New Street, Ann Street and Paradise Street, and was unveiled on the 27th August, 1855, being presented to the corporation, on behalf of the city Committee, by the Hon Rev. Grantham Yorke (now Dean of Worcester), Chairman. The cost of the statue was 2,000 guineas".
 
Peel statue

Hence the old saying. Why is the Town Hall like an orange? Because it has Peel outside? Later replaced by Queen Victoria. Going from memory I think Peel ended up in a parl!
 
I think it now stands outside the Tally Ho Police Training Centre on Pershore Road.

Colin
 
it moved around a bit it it's time:-

The statue of Sir Robert Peel (1788 - 1850) has been remarkably active for a piece of bronze! The site outside the Police Training Centre on Pershore Road is his fourth home. He originally stood in Congreve Street before moving, in 1873, to the top of Victoria Square (then called Council House Square). In November 1926 he was hit by a gas lamp (which in turn had been hit by a lorry) and moved again, to Calthorpe Park, after being repaired.

Its current position, where it has stood since 1963, is fitting for the founder of the Metropolitan Police. Sir Robert was also Conservative Prime Minister in 1834 and again from 1841-6.

The statue is the work of Peter Hollins, a Birmingham man, and was cast at Elkington and Masons in Newhall Street - the first bronze statue to be cast in one piece in the city. At least 15,000 people attended the unveiling on 27 August 1855.
According to Birmingham.gov.

And there also another one outside the Town Hall in a place called Tamworth.

I'm sure there was a photo on the forum , but I cannot find it. wait till Jim comes on he's bound to have one

Colin
 
Original setting of Robert Peel statue

May have posted this picture before....

Anyway, what the heck!

The castellated building is now the site of the present Council House,along with some of the adjoining buildings.
 

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And heres another picture of him being lynched, because he was born in Manchester. ( not really, he was on his way to Pershore Rd. )
 
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It's not surprising that there's a statue to him in Tamworth, because he was the local MP. It so happens that near me in Croydon today is a road (on land formerly owned by his family) called Tamworth Road, which had a pubg named 'Sir Robert Peel', closed for redevelopment 40 years ago, and still has another called the 'Tamworth Arms' with, yes, the Peel coat of arms on its sign. Sadfly that pub is about to be closed by the brewery and sold to developers. But progress doesn't always go forwards - only time does that.
Peter
 
How interesting Peter. I realised my mistake after I had posted that Sir Robert Peel was actually his father a wealthy Mill owner who I think lived at Drayton Manor where his son Robert died.
 
Rumour has it

Rumour has it that one of my grandmothers was Sir Robert Peels house keeper, any suggestions as how i could find this out.
Regards. Cat
 
The statue of Robert Peel is now in Edgbaston on Pershore Road outside the West Midlands Police Training Centre.

Looked in good condition when I took photos of it last year.


Statue of Robert Peel in Edgbaston, Birmingham by ell brown, on Flickr

Could do with a better plinth / base though. It doesn't match the style of the statue. What were they thinking back in the 1960s when it moved here? Was the old plinth from Victoria Square not useable?


Statue of Robert Peel in Edgbaston, Birmingham by ell brown, on Flickr


Statue of Robert Peel in Edgbaston, Birmingham by ell brown, on Flickr


Statue of Robert Peel in Edgbaston, Birmingham by ell brown, on Flickr

Nice detail on it


Statue of Robert Peel in Edgbaston, Birmingham by ell brown, on Flickr
 
Thanks for posting these excellent photos of Sir Robert Peel. He definitely could do with a clean up and a new plinth.
 
No problem. Even a year ago it had bird muck on it, leaves etc. Yeah it needs a new plinth. Is this the right location for it or should it move to the city centre somewhere
(is here as he came up with the idea for the Police / bobbies / peelers).
 
Re: Rumour has it

Tamworth Library may have some info. There has been a lot in the Tamworth Herald about the family as they lived at Drayton Manor before it became a theme park.
 
Just went to Calthorpe Park to take photos of the Peel plinth. Does seem odd that they left the plinth in Calthorpe Park and put the statue outside Tally-Ho!


Calthorpe Park, Edgbaston - plinth of the Robert Peel statue by ell brown, on Flickr


Calthorpe Park, Edgbaston - plinth of the Robert Peel statue by ell brown, on Flickr


Calthorpe Park, Edgbaston - plinth of the Robert Peel statue by ell brown, on Flickr

Imagine the statue of Peel on top of this plinth


Calthorpe Park, Edgbaston - plinth of the Robert Peel statue by ell brown, on Flickr
 
Re: Peel statue

Peel family, found Frederick Peel`s grave today, in The Parish Church of St. Mary and St. Bartholomew
Hamton in Arden, Fred used to occupy Hampton Manor close by,




Family
Peel married Julia, youngest daughter of General Sir John Floyd, 1st Baronet, in 1820.[60] They had five sons and two daughters. Four of his sons gained distinction in their own right. His eldest son Sir Robert Peel, 3rd Baronet, served as Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1861 to 1865. His second son Sir Frederick Peel was a politician and railway commissioner. His third son Sir William Peel was a naval commander and recipient of the Victoria Cross. His fifth son Arthur Wellesley Peel was Speaker of the House of Commons and created Viscount Peel in 1895. His daughter Julia married the 6th Earl of Jersey. Julia, Lady Peel, died in 1859. Some of his direct descendants now reside in the states of Australia; Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and in different parts of the United States.
 
“Manchester was only one of many towns where Peel was burned in effigy by the Leaguers. When this happened at Caernarvon in March, it stimulated the signing of a pro-Peel address from the ‘respectable’ inhabitants. Peel commented, with a light-heartedness rare at this period, that he did not mind being burned ‘when the flames excited so gratifying a demonstration in my favour’. An effigy of Peel was whipped through the streets of Birmingham on 27 February, the figure bearing the words ‘Sir Robert, the Artful Dodger, “He that witholdeth corn, the people shall curse him.”–Proverbs.’

Peel and the Victorians, Donald Read.
 
“Birmingham’s bronze statue by Hollins was not ready until August 1855. The Times (28 August) pointed out how noteworthy it was that a statue had been erected in Birmingham at all. This was the place where fifteen years earlier Peel had been assaulted by the mob, on account especially of his currency views. ‘Times and circumstances have, however, since that period wonderfully changed.’ The crowd present at the unveiling was said by the Birmingham Journal (29 August) to have been as large as that at the famous reform meeting on Newhall Hill in 1832. The Crimean War was being fought, and the chairman of the organizing committee remarked that contemporaries had cried out during the Commons debates on the war, ‘Oh for one hour of Peel’. The Journal believed that the sculptor had succeeded ‘in conveying the sharp outlines which the wear and tear of official life had begun to carve on the statesman’s handsome countenance’. The figure also took account of Peel’s awkwardness with his legs, although some present at the inauguration assumed this to be a flaw: ‘we saw several endeavouring to get themselves into the pose which such a curve of the limb involved, but both right leg and body had to yield ere they were successful.”

Peel and the Victorians, Donald Read.
 
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