chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 My home town Memorial which resides in front of our main Post Office was recently repaired as part of a major renovation of our city centre. This was a big surprise to me and a happy one. Compared to some Memorials it really wasn't in bad shape; the plaques were hard to read and the bayonet on the soldier's rifle had been bent off. Now the plaques have been cleaned up and the bayonet replaced (I don't think it is the correct size, looks too short for the period). It is good see these men haven't been completely forgotten by the town. Here's a before photo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2004 An after shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2004 A photo of the statue (one of the more aggressive poses I've seen on a Memorial). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2004 And one more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Chris, Great to see and I am glad that some towns take an active interest in their past residents. Thanks for posting the pictures. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Hi Chris, As always showing my ignorance but who is 'Coeur de Lion Mac Carthy' or MacCarthy the Lion-Heart to his friends! Thanks, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Good question Neil! I don't know myself and when the statue was in the same condition as the plaques, the name wasn't evident. One thought I have is it could have been the artist who made the statue. This brings up another question. Is this statue unique or was it one bought from a catalog? I seem to have read after the war there were companies who manufactured such statues for Memorials. True or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 What an impressive statue - no messin' about there! A job well done by your town. Great to see the pics. Des I'd like to know about McCarthy too - I take it the statue is meant to be him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Hi Chris, There were companies that toured the US and sold statuary. Two designs come to mind: one is a doughboy waving his right arm in a 'follow me' type pose the other is of a type I call the disgruntled citizen, he's sometimes armed sometimes not he's in civilian clothes with his shirt open and appers to be at least digruntled, if not enraged. I guess it's a play on the minuteman tradition. I can't recall seeing a statue similar to this one though. Any chance the archives of the local paper might have any information? Take care, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broznitsky Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 There are 5 MacCarthy's in NAC, and 358 McCarthy's. Of the 5, none had any Trois Rivieres connection I could see on their attestations. Chris, what about: CARTHY, JOHN M 672365 ?? Anyways, I love the pose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broznitsky Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Coeur de Lion MacCarthy grew up surrounded by celebrated sculptors, receiving his training in the Toronto studio of his British born father, Hamilton Plantagenet MacCarthy, as well as in the studio of Franklin Brownell. (In case you are curious about his name: King Richard I, the son of King Henry II, the first Plantagenet, was called the Richard "the Lion Hearted" or "Coeur de Lion." ) Among Coeur de Lion's first artistic productions were a bronze bust of Sir Wilfred Laurier and one of Sir John A. MacDonald. He created the bust of Queen Victoria for the alcove above the Speaker's chair in the Senate Chamber. With the Dominion Carver, Cléophas Soucy, he made many other contributions carved in the Parliament Buildings from his models, such as the lion shown here guarding the entrance. While his busts were recognized for their superior style and technique, his war memorials garnered him the most attention. One of Quebéc's most prominent sculptors, Coeur de Lion moved to Montréal in about 1918 to establish his own studio. He created numerous memorials including monuments in Trois Rivières and Knowlton, as well as the Verdun War Memorial. Perhaps his most poignant sculpture is the Great War Memorial to employees of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The CPR Memorial was cast in an edition of three and installed in Vancouver (1921), Winnipeg (1922), and Montréal's Windsor Station in 1923. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Neat, thanks Peter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Well done Peter! So it is unique. Just goes to show you there is always something of interest in your own area. Here's a close-up of his name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Here's a link to his statue in Knowlton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Heart of a Lion McCarthy - what a log-on name! Great findings forum people. Yeah - statue needs a bigger bayonet .. but still class work. Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broznitsky Posted 24 August , 2004 Share Posted 24 August , 2004 I remember as a little boy viewing "Winged Victory" which stands outside the CPR station in Vancouver. I remember my dad always mentioning my grandfather and his service. When I found this picture, my heart gave a little thump. I think I will go down and take some real pictures of it. Sniffle, sob, blubber, "Get a grip, Sir," "Yes, thank you Sergeant Major, it won't happen again." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.wight Posted 24 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 August , 2004 Whenever I took the train to Trois-Rivieres from Windsor Station, I always had a good look at the Memorial Statue in the concourse. There was something special about it. They have some decent photos of it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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