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Coordinates: 52°28′47″N 1°54′25″W / 52.479762°N 1.906906°W / 52.479762; -1.906906
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{{Short description|Public sculpture by Albert Toft}}
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[[Image:Edward VII Highgate.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Statue in Highgate Park, Birmingham]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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The '''King Edward VII Memorial''' is a sculpture in memory of King [[Edward VII]], located in [[Highgate, Birmingham|Highgate]] Park, [[Birmingham]], [[England]].
{{Infobox artwork
| image_file = King Edward VII Memorial 02 CROP.jpg
| caption = The statue in 2013, after restoration
| image_size = 200px
| title = King Edward VII Memorial
| alt =
| artist = [[Albert Toft]]
| year = {{start date|1913}}
| material = [[Carrara marble]]
| height_metric =
| width_metric =
| length_metric =
| height_imperial =
| width_imperial =
| dimensions =
| metric_unit = cm<!--don't leave this parameter blank—either don't include it, or include the default cm. Not including it will default it to cm.-->
| imperial_unit = in<!--don't leave this parameter blank—either don't include it, or include the default in. Not including it will default it to in.-->
| museum = [[Centenary Square]]
| city = [[Birmingham]], England
| coordinates = {{Coord|52.479762|-1.906906|region:GB-BIR_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| owner = [[Birmingham City Council]]
}}


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[[File:Edward VII Highgate.jpg|thumb|upright|The statue in Highgate Park in 2007, before restoration]]
⚫
In [[1910]] the [[Birmingham Mail]] launched an appeal to erect a statue to [[Edward VII]], in order to commemorate his reign. Over £5,000 was quickly raised and an area was allocated within [[Birmingham Children's Hospital]] for its location.


⚫
The '''King Edward VII Memorial''' is a sculpture in memory of King [[Edward VII]], relocated from [[Highgate Park]] to [[Centenary Square]], [[Birmingham]], [[England]].
⚫
[[Albert Toft]] was commissioned to craft the statue but the project immediately ran into problems. The statue was to be over six feet tall, making it difficult to find a large enough piece of [[Carrera]] [[marble]] for its construction. Fortunately, this problem was overcome and the project was well underway through [[1912]]. <ref name="Public sculpture">''Public Sculpture of Birmingham: Including Sutton Coldfield'', George Thomas Noszlopy, 1998, Liverpool University Press (ISBN 0853236925)</ref>


⚫
In 1910, the [[Birmingham Mail]] launched an appeal to erect a statue to [[Edward VII]] in order to commemorate his reign. Over £5,000 were quickly raised, and an area within [[Birmingham Children's Hospital]] was allocated for its location (then located on Ladywood Road near [[Five Ways, Birmingham|Five Ways]]).
⚫
The statue was unveiled in [[Victoria Square, Birmingham|Victoria Square]] on [[St George's Day|23rd April]] 1913 by [[Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll]]. It stood next to a statue of [[Queen Victoria]]. However, soon afterwards these statues were criticised as being of "ill matched designs"<ref>''The Builder'': ''Art beneath the rule of commerce'', May 1 1914, vol. 106</ref>. The statue of Edward VII was eventually moved to Highgate Park when Victoria Square was remodelled in [[1951]].<ref name="Public sculpture" />


⚫
[[Albert Toft]] was commissioned to craft the statue, but the project immediately ran into problems. The statue was to be over six feet tall, making it difficult to find a large enough piece of [[Carrara marble]] for its construction. This problem was overcome and the project was well underway through 1912.<ref name="Public sculpture">''Public Sculpture of Birmingham: Including Sutton Coldfield'', George Thomas Noszlopy, 1998, Liverpool University Press ({{ISBN|0853236925}})</ref>
⚫
The statue was the subject of theft in the [[1970s]] and [[1980s]], beginning with the theft of [[Saint George]]'s lance and then the three bronze groups in [[1985]] and [[1986]], none of which have been recovered.


⚫
The statue was unveiled in [[Victoria Square, Birmingham|Victoria Square]] on [[St George's Day]], 23 April 1913 by [[Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll]]. It stood next to a statue of [[Queen Victoria]]. However, soon afterwards these statues were criticized as being of "ill matched designs".<ref>''The Builder'': ''Art beneath the rule of commerce'', May 1, 1914, vol. 106</ref> The statue of Edward VII was moved to [[Highgate Park]] when Victoria Square was remodeled in 1951.<ref name="Public sculpture" />
Following successful lobbying by [[The Victorian Society]], [[Birmingham City Council]] agreed to restore the statue and resite it back in the city centre. On June 12 2007, The Victorian Society launched an appeal fund to contribute towards the programme of works and by June 18, had raised £10,335.

⚫
The statue was the subject of theft in the 1970s and 1980s, beginning with the [[Saint George]]'s lance and then the three bronze groups in 1985 and 1986, none of which have been recovered.

Following successful lobbying by the [[Victorian Society]], [[Birmingham City Council]] agreed to restore the statue and re-site it back in the city center. On 12 June 2007, the Society launched an appeal fund to contribute towards the program of works which raised almost £12,000, more than 10% of the final cost of restoration. Work by Cliveden Conservation in Bath began in 2009. A new scepter and orb capital and the three bronzes (representing, respectively, Peace, Education and Progress, and St George slaying the dragon beneath a stylized crown) were re-made, and the monument reassembled on its original plinth. King Edward VII statue was finally placed in its new location outside [[Baskerville House]] in Centenary Square in 2013, near other Toft sculptures in the [[Hall of Memory, Birmingham|Hall of Memory]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=BusinessLive |date=2010-11-01 |title=Statue of King Edward VII to return to Birmingham city centre |url=http://www.birminghampost.net/news/local-news/statue-king-edward-vii-return-3925653 |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=Business Live |language=en}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
⚫
*[http://www.victorian-society-bham.org.uk/Edward_VII_statue.pdf Victorian Society: Statue appeal]


{{GeoGroup}}
{{coord|52.46925|-1.88294|display=title|format=dms|region:GB_type:landmark}}
{{Commons category|King Edward VII Memorial}}

⚫
*[http://www.victorian-society-bham.org.uk/oldsite/Edward_VII_statue.pdf Victorian Society: Statue appeal]
*{{NHLE |num=1289623 |desc=Grade II statue}}
* [http://birminghamnewsroom.com/?p=13808 Birmingham City Council press release] with video of statue's arrival and erection.

{{Edward VII}}
{{Albert Toft}}
{{Public art in Birmingham}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Edward Vii, Statue}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, England]] <!-- We have no memorial category for Birmingham.-->
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in Birmingham]]
[[Category:Edward VII]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Royal monuments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1913 sculptures]]
[[Category:Sculptures by Albert Toft]]
[[Category:Marble sculptures in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Centenary Square, Birmingham]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Edward VII]]
[[Category:Grade II listed statues in England|Edward VII, Birmingham]]

Latest revision as of 01:13, 26 April 2024

King Edward VII Memorial
The statue in 2013, after restoration
ArtistAlbert Toft
Year1913 (1913)
MediumCarrara marble
LocationCentenary Square, Birmingham, England
Coordinates52°28′47″N 1°54′25″W / 52.479762°N 1.906906°W / 52.479762; -1.906906
OwnerBirmingham City Council
The statue in Highgate Park in 2007, before restoration

The King Edward VII Memorial is a sculpture in memory of King Edward VII, relocated from Highgate Park to Centenary Square, Birmingham, England.

In 1910, the Birmingham Mail launched an appeal to erect a statue to Edward VII in order to commemorate his reign. Over £5,000 were quickly raised, and an area within Birmingham Children's Hospital was allocated for its location (then located on Ladywood Road near Five Ways).

Albert Toft was commissioned to craft the statue, but the project immediately ran into problems. The statue was to be over six feet tall, making it difficult to find a large enough piece of Carrara marble for its construction. This problem was overcome and the project was well underway through 1912.[1]

The statue was unveiled in Victoria Square on St George's Day, 23 April 1913 by Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll. It stood next to a statue of Queen Victoria. However, soon afterwards these statues were criticized as being of "ill matched designs".[2] The statue of Edward VII was moved to Highgate Park when Victoria Square was remodeled in 1951.[1]

The statue was the subject of theft in the 1970s and 1980s, beginning with the Saint George's lance and then the three bronze groups in 1985 and 1986, none of which have been recovered.

Following successful lobbying by the Victorian Society, Birmingham City Council agreed to restore the statue and re-site it back in the city center. On 12 June 2007, the Society launched an appeal fund to contribute towards the program of works which raised almost £12,000, more than 10% of the final cost of restoration. Work by Cliveden Conservation in Bath began in 2009. A new scepter and orb capital and the three bronzes (representing, respectively, Peace, Education and Progress, and St George slaying the dragon beneath a stylized crown) were re-made, and the monument reassembled on its original plinth. King Edward VII statue was finally placed in its new location outside Baskerville House in Centenary Square in 2013, near other Toft sculptures in the Hall of Memory.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Public Sculpture of Birmingham: Including Sutton Coldfield, George Thomas Noszlopy, 1998, Liverpool University Press (ISBN 0853236925)
  2. ^ The Builder: Art beneath the rule of commerce, May 1, 1914, vol. 106
  3. ^ BusinessLive (1 November 2010). "Statue of King Edward VII to return to Birmingham city centre". Business Live. Retrieved 9 November 2022. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
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