Victoria Memorial, London

Last updated

Victoria Memorial
Victoria Memorial, The Mall, London.jpg
Location The Mall
Coordinates 51°30′06.65″N00°08′26.34″W / 51.5018472°N 0.1406500°W / 51.5018472; -0.1406500
OS grid reference TQ291797
Area London, SW1
Height25 m [1]
Unveiled16 May 1911
Built1901 (memorial gardens) 1906–24 (monument) [2]
Restoredbronzes – April 2011 [3]
Sculptor(Sir) Thomas Brock
Architectural style(s) Beaux-Arts [2] / Edwardian Baroque
Governing body The Royal Parks
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameQueen Victoria Memorial
Designated5 February 1970
Reference no.1273864 [4]
Open street map central london.svg
Red pog.svg
The Victoria Monument in central London

The Victoria Memorial is a monument to Queen Victoria, located at the end of The Mall in London by the sculptor Sir Thomas Brock. Designed in 1901, it was unveiled on 16 May 1911, though it was not completed until 1924. It was the centrepiece of an ambitious urban planning scheme, which included the creation of the Queen’s Gardens to a design by Sir Aston Webb, and the refacing of Buckingham Palace (which stands behind the memorial) by the same architect.

Contents

Like the earlier Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens, commemorating Victoria's consort, the Victoria Memorial has an elaborate scheme of iconographic sculpture. The central pylon of the memorial is of Pentelic marble, and individual statues are in Lasa marble and gilt bronze. [5] The memorial weighs 2,300 tonnes (about 2535 short tons) [1] and is 32 m (104 ft) in diameter. [6] In 1970 it was listed at Grade I. [4]

History

Proposal and announcements

King Edward VII suggested that a joint Parliamentary committee should be formed to develop plans for a Memorial to Queen Victoria following her death. The first meeting took place on 19 February 1901 at the Foreign Office, Whitehall. The first secretary of the committee was Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham. [7] Initially these meetings were behind closed doors, and the proceedings were not revealed to the public. [8] However the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Joseph Dimsdale, publicly announced that the committee had decided that the memorial should be "monumental". [9]

The original sketch model created by Thomas Brock of the finalised design of the Victoria Memorial Vmsketch model.jpg
The original sketch model created by Thomas Brock of the finalised design of the Victoria Memorial

Reginald Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher, the secretary of the committee, submitted the proposal to the King on 4 March 1901. [10] [11] A number of sites were suggested, and the King visited both Westminster Abbey and the park near the Palace of Westminster. [11] Several ideas were rumoured at this time, including an open square in The Mall near to the school Duke of York Column, and a memorial located in Green Park. [12]

On 26 March the decision was announced to locate the memorial outside Buckingham Palace and slightly shorten The Mall. It was estimated that the work would cost £250,000 and decided that there would be no grant given by the Government to the construction. [13] Once the site was selected, a competition was conducted for the design. [14] Five architects were chosen to develop designs. [15] This phase lasted until the beginning of July 1901, when the committee selected its primary choice for the construction and took it to the King for approval. [14] It was announced on 21 October 1902 that Thomas Brock had been chosen as the designer. The expectation was that the memorial would cost £200,000. [16] [17]

Funding and construction

Funding for the memorial was gathered from around the British Empire as well as the public. The Australian House of Representatives granted a £25,000 contribution for the construction on 17 October 1905. [18] The New Zealand government submitted a cheque for £15,000 towards the fund. [19] By October 1901 some £154,000 had been gathered for the construction of the memorial. [20] During 1902 a number of tribes from the west coast of Africa sent goods to be sold, with the proceeds going towards the fund. Alfred Lewis Jones had arranged for these items to be brought from Africa to Liverpool free of charge on his ships. [21]

Following the public and national donations towards the funds, there was more money collected than was necessary for the construction of the Victoria Memorial. Funds were therefore diverted towards the construction of Admiralty Arch at the other end of The Mall, and a redevelopment to clear a path directly from that road into Trafalgar Square. Sir Aston Webb was put in charge of this project; he built the Arch so economically that enough money was left over to re-front the entirety of Buckingham Palace, a job that was completed in 13 weeks due to the pre-fabrication of the new stonework.[ citation needed ]

The initial preparatory stage was to re-route the road and modify The Mall. Brock hoped that work on constructing the memorial itself could be started at some point in 1905. [17] The lower half of the memorial was revealed to the public on 24 May 1909. Thousands of people visited it on the first day. [22]

Dedication and inauguration

The memorial's unveiling ceremony Inauguration du Monument de la reine Victoria.jpg
The memorial's unveiling ceremony

Following a practice ceremony on 11 March, in the presence of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, [23] the dedication ceremony took place on 16 May 1911, presided over by King George V. His first cousin, Wilhelm II of Germany, was also present. These two were the senior grandsons of Victoria, [24] and arrived, together with their families, in royal procession. Also in attendance were a large number of Members of Parliament, and representatives of various armed forces. [25]

In his role as Home Secretary, Winston Churchill carried the text of the speeches. [25] Lord Esher addressed the King and the gathered crowd, explaining the history of the memorial. The King replied to this, referring to his involvement in the development of the monument to his grandmother. He talked of the impact of Queen Victoria and of her popularity with the public. In total, the ceremony went on for thirty minutes. Following this, it was revealed to the press that the King had decided that the sculptor of the memorial, Thomas Brock, was to be knighted. [24]

Later uses

As part of the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, the Victoria Memorial (along with areas in Green Park and Buckingham Palace) was used as a platform for a fireworks display which lasted fourteen minutes with a total of two and three-quarter tonnes of fireworks used. In addition, water jets were added to the fountains in the Victoria Memorial, which fired water 40 feet (12 m) up into the air. [26] This display followed a concert held in the Palace forecourt. [27]

It was announced in February 2012 that the Victoria Memorial would form the centrepiece of the stage for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Concert on 4 June that year. [28] Platforms designed by Mark Fisher were built around the memorial at a cost of £200,000, and were constructed in two weeks.[ citation needed ] A number of performers appeared from across the sixty years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, including Gary Barlow, Tom Jones, Elton John, Jessie J, Madness, Dame Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney. Tickets were free and allocated by public ballot; and in addition to being seen live by the 10,000 fans in attendance, the event was broadcast by the BBC and highlights were shown in the United States on ABC. [29]

Later in 2012, the memorial marked the end of "Our Greatest Team Parade" on 10 September 2012. This parade celebrated the successes of the British teams at the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. There were 21 floats holding a total of around 800 athletes, and it was estimated that around a million members of the public cheered them on. [30] The area from Admiralty Arch to the Victoria Memorial down the Mall was reserved for ticket holders. [31] After the arrival at the Victoria Memorial, there was a flypast by helicopters of the Royal Air Force, as well as a British Airways jet and a flight of the Red Arrows. [30] During the games, the Mall and the Victoria Memorial had been used as the finishing point for the Marathon, [32] as well as being on the triathlon route. [33]

The memorial was damaged by anti-austerity protesters during the "Million Mask March" on 5 November 2013, which took place in central London focused on Trafalgar Square and outside Buckingham Palace. [34] [35] During the following year's protests, the memorial was guarded by police officers.[ citation needed ]

BUCKINGHAM PALACE.jpg
The Victoria Memorial with Buckingham Palace in the background

Description

At the top of the central pylon stands a gilded bronze Winged Victory , standing on a globe and with a victor's palm in one hand. Beneath her are personifications of Constancy, holding a compass with its needle pointing true north, and Courage, holding a club. Beneath these, on the eastern and western sides, are two eagles with wings outspread, representing Empire. Below these, statues of an enthroned Queen Victoria (facing The Mall) and of Motherhood (facing Buckingham Palace), with Justice (facing north-west towards Green Park) and Truth (facing south-east). [36] These were created from solid blocks of marble, with Truth being sculpted from a block weighing 40 tonnes. [24]

Brock described the symbolism of the memorial, saying that it was devoted to the "qualities which made our Queen so great and so much beloved." [37] He added that the statue of the Queen was placed to face towards the city, while flanked by Truth and Justice as he felt that "she was just and that she sought the truth always and in circumstances", [37] while the Motherhood was to represent her "great love for her people". [37]

At the four corners of the monument are massive bronze figures with lions, representing Peace (a female figure holding an olive branch), Progress (a nude youth holding a flaming torch), Agriculture (a woman in peasant dress with a sickle and a sheaf of corn) and Manufacture (a blacksmith in modern costume with a hammer and a scroll). [38] The self-bases of the last two groups are inscribed THE GIFT OF NEW ZEALAND . [5] At nearly 25 metres (82 ft) tall, the Victoria Memorial remains the tallest monument to a King or Queen in England. [39] The whole sculptural programme has a nautical theme, much like the rest of The Mall (Admiralty Arch, for example). This can be seen in the mermaids, mermen and the hippogriff, all of which are suggestive of the United Kingdom's naval power.

The memorial is a grade I listed structure. [4] Its architectural setting of formal gardens and gates was designed by Sir Aston Webb and has a separate Grade I listing. [40]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buckingham Palace</span> Official London residence of the British monarch

Buckingham Palace is a royal residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mall, London</span> Road in London, England

The Mall is a ceremonial route and roadway in the City of Westminster, central London, that travels 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) between Buckingham Palace at its western end and Trafalgar Square via Admiralty Arch to the east. Along the north side of The Mall is green space and St. James's Palace with other official buildings, and to the south is St James's Park. Near the east end at Trafalgar Square and Whitehall it is met by Horse Guards Road and Spring Gardens, near the west end at the Victoria Memorial it is met by the Constitution Hill roadway and the Spur Road to the street of Buckingham Gate. It is closed to traffic on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and on ceremonial occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlborough House</span> Mansion in the City of Westminster, London, England

Marlborough House, a Grade I listed mansion on The Mall in St James's, City of Westminster, London, is the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Nations and the seat of the Commonwealth Secretariat. It is adjacent to St James's Palace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Park</span> Royal park in London, England

The Green Park, one of the Royal Parks of London, is in the City of Westminster, Central London. Green Park is to the north of the gardens and semi-circular forecourt of Buckingham Palace, across Constitution Hill road. The park is in the middle of a near-continuous chain of green spaces in Westminster that includes St James's Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens. To the northwest of Green Park is the district of St James's including, Lancaster House, Clarence House, and St James's Palace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Admiralty Arch</span> Triumphal arch, government building in London, England

Admiralty Arch is a landmark building in London providing road and pedestrian access between The Mall, which extends to the southwest, and Trafalgar Square to the northeast. Admiralty Arch, commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother, Queen Victoria, and designed by Aston Webb, is now a Grade I listed building. In the past, it served as residence of the First Sea Lord and was used by the Admiralty. Until 2011, the building housed government offices. In 2012, the government sold the building on a 125-year lease for £60m for a proposed redevelopment into a Waldorf Astoria luxury hotel and four apartments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St James's Park</span> Royal Park in the City of Westminster, central London

St James's Park is a 23-hectare (57-acre) urban park in the City of Westminster, central London. A Royal Park, it is at the southernmost end of the St James's area, which was named after a once isolated medieval hospital dedicated to St James the Less, now the site of St James's Palace. The area was initially enclosed for a deer park near the Palace of Whitehall for King Henry VIII in the 1530's. It is the most easterly of a near-continuous chain of public parks that includes Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarence House</span> Royal residence in London

Clarence House is a royal residence on The Mall in the City of Westminster, London. It was built in 1825–1827, adjacent to St James's Palace, for the royal Duke of Clarence, the future King William IV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Guard</span> Military units charged with protecting the royal residences of the United Kingdom

The King's Guard are sentry postings at Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace, organised by the British Army's Household Division. The Household Division also mounts sentry postings at Horse Guards, known as the King's Life Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II</span> 50th anniversary of the monarchs accession

The Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II was the international celebration held in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. It was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50 years as monarch and an opportunity for her to officially and personally thank her people for their loyalty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Brock</span> British artist (1847–1922)

Sir Thomas Brock was an English sculptor and medallist, notable for the creation of several large public sculptures and monuments in Britain and abroad in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His most famous work is the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace, London. Other commissions included the redesign of the effigy of Queen Victoria on British coinage, the massive bronze equestrian statue of Edward, the Black Prince, in City Square, Leeds and the completion of the statue of Prince Albert on the Albert Memorial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth II</span> Queen of the United Kingdom from 1952 to 2022

Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states over the course of her lifetime and remained the monarch of 15 realms by the time of her death. Her reign of over 70 years is the longest of any British monarch, the longest of any female monarch, and the second longest verified reign of any monarch of a sovereign state in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria</span> 50th anniversary of the monarchs accession

The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated on 20 and 21 June 1887 to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. It was celebrated with a Thanksgiving Service at Westminster Abbey, and a banquet to which 50 European kings and princes were invited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada Gate</span> Gate in London, England

Canada Gate forms part of the Queen Victoria Memorial scheme in London. An entrance to the Green Park, one of the eight Royal Parks in central London, the gate was presented to London by Canada as part of a vast memorial scheme dedicated to Queen Victoria, who died in 1901.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Jamyn Brooks</span> English painter

Henry Jamyn Brooks (1839–1925) was a British painter, particularly known for his pictures of meetings and events, in which many individuals are personally identifiable. He painted royalty, and portraits of civic leaders and military people, and was also a photographer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equestrian statue of the Duke of Cambridge, Whitehall</span> Equestrian statue in Whitehall, London, U.K.

The equestrian statue of Prince George, Duke of Cambridge is a life-size memorial by Adrian Jones, installed in Whitehall, London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Queen Victoria, Bangalore</span> Public sculpture by Thomas Brock

The Statue of Queen Victoria, Bangalore, is located at Queen's Park, next to Cubbon Park, Bangalore Cantonment, at the junction of 3 roads, at the border between the Cantonment and the Bangalore Pete. The statue was unveiled on 5 February 1906 by the then Prince of Wales, George Frederick Ernest Albert. The statue was raised out of funds raised by the residents of the Bangalore Civil and Military Station and contributions made by Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore. This Statue of Queen Victoria is one of the five of the original 50 statues of Queen Victoria which were installed in British India, to still stand at its original location. The statue has blossoms of jacaranda falling around. On the other end of Queen's Park is the Statue of King Edward VII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances C. Fairman</span> English painter (1839–1923)

Frances Caroline Fairman was a British watercolourist, a painter in oils, and an illustrator. In her lifetime she was best known for her canine portraits, some of which were commissioned by royalty and aristocracy. She was known as "the Lady Landseer" for the quality of her work. She travelled to the Americas, France, and Switzerland, returning with watercolour landscape sketches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Trooping the Colour</span> Parade for the Queens Official Birthday

The 2022 Trooping the Colour ceremony was held on Thursday 2 June 2022, as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II. Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians came together in the traditional parade to mark the Queen's Official Birthday, which usually takes place on the second Saturday of June. It was the final Birthday Parade to take place under the reign of Elizabeth II before her death on 8 September later that year.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Queen Victoria Memorial". The Royal Parks. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 Bradley, Simon; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2003), London: Westminster, The Buildings of England, vol. 6, London and New Haven: Yale University Press, pp. 655–6
  3. ↑ "St James's Park and the Green Park Management Plan 2008–2018" (PDF). The Royal Parks. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Historic England. "Queen Victoria Memorial (Grade I) (1273864)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 Ward-Jackson 2011 , p. 125
  6. ↑ Salaman, Malcolm C. (June 1911). "Sir Thomas Brock's Queen Victoria Memorial". The Studio. 53: 29–40.
  7. ↑ "Victoria Memorial" . Dundee Evening Post. No. 338. British Newspaper Archive. 19 February 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "The Victoria Memorial" . Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. No. 8460. British Newspaper Archive. 22 February 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Victoria's Memorial" . Lincolnshire Echo. No. 2534. British Newspaper Archive. 2 March 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "The Victoria Memorial" . Tamworth Herald. No. 1836. British Newspaper Archive. 9 March 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Victoria Memorial" . Hull Daily Mail. No. 4799. British Newspaper Archive. 5 March 1901. p. 3.
  12. ↑ "Victoria Memorial" . Portsmouth Evening News. Vol. XXVI, no. 7397. British Newspaper Archive. 13 March 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "Victoria Memorial" . Portsmouth Evening News. Vol. XXVI, no. 7404. British Newspaper Archive. 21 March 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  14. 1 2 "The Victoria Memorial" . Western Daily Press. Vol. 87, no. 13447. British Newspaper Archive. 12 July 1901. p. 8. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  15. ↑ "The Victoria Memorial" . Sheffield Daily Telegraph. No. 14268. British Newspaper Archive. 4 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  16. ↑ "The Victoria Memorial" . Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. Vol. LXXVII, no. 14338. British Newspaper Archive. 22 October 1902. p. 6. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  17. 1 2 "The Victoria Memorial" . Nottingham Evening Post. No. 8099. British Newspaper Archive. 13 August 1904. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  18. ↑ "Victoria Memorial" . Dundee Evening Telegraph. No. 8953. British Newspaper Archive. 17 October 1905. p. 5. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  19. ↑ "The Victoria Memorial" . Aberdeen Daily Journal. No. 15331. British Newspaper Archive. 9 March 1904. p. 5. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  20. ↑ "The Victoria Memorial" . Western Daily Press. Vol. 87, no. 13521. British Newspaper Archive. 8 October 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "Victoria Memorial" . Nottingham Evening Post. No. 7297. British Newspaper Archive. 15 January 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Victoria Memorial" . Nottingham Evening Post. No. 9583. British Newspaper Archive. 24 May 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  23. ↑ "Victoria Memorial" . Nottingham Evening Post. No. 10142. British Newspaper Archive. 11 March 1911. p. 6. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  24. 1 2 3 "Victoria Memorial Is Unveiled by King George". Dundee Evening Telegraph. No. 10699. British Newspaper Archive. 16 May 1911. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  25. 1 2 "The Victoria Memorial" . Sheffield Daily Telegraph. No. 17247. British Newspaper Archive. 17 May 1911. p. 7. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "Jubilee 1952–2002: Firework display lights up the Palace". Western Mail]. 4 June 2002. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  27. ↑ "Jubilee: Queen launches firework finale with a rocket". Belfast Telegraph. 3 June 2002. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  28. ↑ "Ticket Details: Gary Barlow announces Diamond Jubilee spectacular concert". Doncaster Free Press. 10 February 2012. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  29. ↑ "Paul McCartney, Shirley Bassey and Elton John to play Queen's Diamond Jubilee gig". Radio Times. 7 February 2012. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  30. 1 2 "Streets Are Paved with Gold". Birmingham Mail. 11 September 2012. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  31. ↑ "Parade for 800 Olympic and Paralympic Team GB athletes". BBC News. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  32. ↑ Heald, Claire (5 August 2012). "Olympic women's marathon brings sport to the city". BBC News. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  33. ↑ Nikkhah, Roya; Henry, Julie (4 August 2012). "Triathlon: Roar of the crowd fails to help Helen Jenkins to medal". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  34. ↑ "Million Mask March: Metropolitan Police plead for peaceful protest". The Daily Telegraph. London. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  35. ↑ Mertz, Theo (6 November 2013). "'Anonymous' protesters descend on Buckingham Palace and Parliament Square". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  36. ↑ Ward-Jackson 2011 , pp. 126–7.
  37. 1 2 3 "The Victoria Memorial" . Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. No. 11696. British Newspaper Archive. 16 May 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  38. ↑ Ward-Jackson 2011 , p. 128
  39. ↑ "Famous Royal memorials". Royal.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  40. ↑ Historic England. "Queen Victoria gates and gatepiers, balustrades, steps and retaining wall with fountain framing West end of The Mall (Grade I) (1239086)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 19 April 2023.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.