Statues - Hither & Thither

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Liverpool
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St John's Gardens (L1)

William Ewart Gladstone

Liverpool 1809 - Hawarden 1898
British Liberal Party statesman and four times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1868-74, 1880-85, 1886 and 1892-94).
(Wikipedia)

Thomas Brock
1904

Description

Statue of Willem Gladstone delivering a speech with a paper in his left hand. Behind him is a pile of books. The statue is on a high pedestal with on the sides sitting allegorical figures representing Justice and Truth. On the back side of the pedestal is a relief representing Brotherhood. On the front and back are garlands with shield with Gladstone's initials WEG (front) and dates 1809-1898 (back).
The statue was unveiled in 16 July 1904 by Earl Spencer.

Liverpool - William Ewart Gladstone
Justice, a winged figure with a sword on her lap and holding in her lowered right hand her scales, which lay loosely on the ground.
Truth, a winged figure with the Book of Knowledge and a sprig of laurel in her hands.
Brotherhood

Inscription(s)

WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE
born in liverpool
29^th december 1802
died ad hawarden
19^th may 1898

Signature

t. brock r.a. sc.

St John's Gardens

The spot of the St John the Baptist church - demolished in 1898 - at it's cemetery - full in 1854 - was redeveloped and opened in 1904 as 'St John's Ornamental and Memorial Gardens'. The gardens were designed by the corporation surveyor Thomas Shelmerdine. In addition to the creation of flower beds, the gardens contain an assemblage of six statues of great men connected with Liverpool and the King's Liverpool Regiment monument.

In chronological order:

Alexander Balfour, by Albert Bruce-Joy, 1889.*
William Rathbone VI, by George Frampton, 1901.
Sir Arthur Bower Forwood, by George Frampton, 1903.
William Gladstone, by Thomas Brock, 1904.
The King's Liverpool Regiment Monument, by W. Goscombe John, 1905.
James Nugent, by Frederick Pomeroy, 1906.
T. Major Lester, by George Frampton, 1907.
RoadPeace Monument, by Tom Murphy, 2005.

* The Balfour statue was erected before the replanning of the area, it was later moved eastwards to its present location.

Sculptor

Sir Thomas Brock KCB RA (1847-1922), English sculptor (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

Wikipedia, List of public art in Liverpool.
Terry Cavanagh, Public Sculpture of Liverpool. Liverpool University Press, 1997, p. 173-175.
Liverpool Daily Post, 18 July 1904 (British Newspaper Archive).
Bob Speel, Statues in St John's Gardens, Liverpool.

Locatie (N 53°24'31" - W 2°58'51") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: gbnw076; Photograph: 18 June 2023
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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