WIP · World in Pocket

King Edward VII Memorial

Birmingham, GB

King Edward VII Memorial

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. 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". The statue of Edward VII was moved to Highgate Park when Victoria Square was remodeled in 1951. 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...

Listen to the audio guide for King Edward VII Memorial Free on WIP — starts by itself when you arrive, even with the screen off

Nearby