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Statue Protection And Preservation

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Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
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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
 
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

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.

 
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, 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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