Boulton, Watt and Murdoch

Boulton, Watt and Murdoch in Centenary Square since April 2022

Boulton, Watt and Murdoch

Detail of engine plans

Boulton, Watt and Murdoch is a gilded bronze statue depicting Matthew Boulton, James Watt, and William Murdoch by William Bloye, assisted by Raymond Forbes Kings. It stands on a plinth of Portland stone in Centenary Square, Birmingham and marks the contribution these individuals made to the development of the steam engine and hence the start of the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century. ^{[1] [2]}

It is also known as The Golden Boys after its colour, or The Carpet Salesmen after the partially rolled-up plan of a steam engine which they are examining (and an oblique nod to the often-aggressive marketing that emerged with the rise of industrialisation).

History

In 1939 an £8,000 bequest from Richard Wheatley, and £7,500 from the City Council, enabled the work to be created and it was unveiled in 1956, from preliminary designs drawn up in 1938. In 1956 the statue was erected "temporarily" outside the Birmingham Register Office, with the intention of placing it at a future date in front of a planetarium to be built as part of the Civic Centre, but this never materalised. It therefore remained on the same site for over 60 years. It was restored and re-gilded in September 2006.

In 2017 it was temporarily put into storage to allow construction of the West Midlands Metro. ^{[3] [4]} It was reinstalled on the plinth in Centenary Square outside Symphony Hall on 29 April 2022. ^[5]

See also

• St. Mary's Church, Handsworth (memorials inside the church)
• Soho Manufactory
• Soho Foundry
• Soho Mint
• Boulton and Watt steam engine

References

1. "Boulton, Watt and Murdoch". VADS. University for the Creative Arts. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
2. "Boulton, Watt and Murdoch: 'The Golden Boys of Birmingham'". Age of Revolution. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
3. Elkes, Neil (15 August 2017). "Landmark Iron Man statue to be uprooted from prime city centre spot". Birmingham Mail . Retrieved 16 August 2017.
4. "Birmingham golden statue removed for tram line extension". BBC News . 23 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
5. Young, Graham; Bosley, Kirsty (29 April 2022). "The Golden Boys statue returns to Centenary Square after almost five years". Birmingham Mail . Retrieved 29 April 2022.

Further reading

• Noszlopy, George T. (1998). Beach, Jeremy (ed.). Public Sculpture of Birmingham including Sutton Coldfield. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. ISBN   9780853236825.

External links

• Statue of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch at Birmingham City Council official page

52°28′43″N1°54′30″W / 52.4786°N 1.9084°W / 52.4786; -1.9084