Kitchener's Bugle Posted 30 March , 2015 Share Posted 30 March , 2015 Leeds memorial originally stood in the City Square. Due to changes in the road layout it was moved to the Victoria Gardens outside of the municipal buildings in 1937. The memorial has some wonderful elements, particularly the statues, but its size does not necessarily reflect the sacrifice of the City or its overall contribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Fattyowls Posted 30 March , 2015 Share Posted 30 March , 2015 KB Thanks for this; the symbolism looks quite complex. St George and the Dragon, Peace I recognise but I'm not sure about the topmost figure. I'll have to go and look it up. Impressive but not as immediate as some of the (many) others that you have posted. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Kitchener's Bugle Posted 30 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 30 March , 2015 Hi yes, St.George is standing on the Slain dragon and the other two statues are both representing "peace". The Four Owls if you have noticed them are actually symbolic to Leeds as a City. KB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 KB I have to admit I had completely missed the owls having concentrated on the symbolism of the bronzes; a schoolboy error. They look quite fat too.............. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 KB Thanks for this; the symbolism looks quite complex. St George and the Dragon, Peace I recognise but I'm not sure about the topmost figure. I'll have to go and look it up. Impressive but not as immediate as some of the (many) others that you have posted. Pete. Originally the top figure was "Victory" holding a sword in her right hand and a wreath in her left. She stood on a globe. This figure was considered unsafe when the memorial was moved from the City Square, and languished at Cottingley crematorium where it was vandalised, the arms being broken off. A capstone was placed on the memorial. The top winged figure in KB's photos seems to be of different design, with considerably smaller wings. and no globe. Much less triumphalist and more Right On for modern Leeds, I suppose. "Peace" was represented by the female figure tossing a dove, standing on the plinth, balancing the St George figure. As for comments about the overall size of the memorial, original plans had to be scaled down as the public appeal for funds met with very poor response. Only 210 contributions were received; three generously gave £1000 each, but the remaining 207 only managed a further £3000 between them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 I beg to differ Mr D; thanks for that background. There was something about the composition which seemed strange to me and now it makes much more sense. Pete. Sorry FO, I edited that bit out. I thought it unnecessary personalisation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 It would be good to see a photograph of the memorial as it was originally constructed and dedicated. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 It would be good to see a photograph of the memorial as it was originally constructed and dedicated. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 Found this - from an old postcard image online Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 A slightly larger version of Mr D's postcard..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 A slightly different angle from the previous one. When you see these I think the design makes much more sense, but I can now see why it might be fragile. Pete. P.S. I deleted my post Mr D without thinkiing it was quoted in yours. Yet another schoolboy error...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 Thank you gents. Those are impressive. Photographs from ther dedication of memorials always have a special effect, as so many who were present each had their own personal and close reason for attending. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 Photographs from ther dedication of memorials always have a special effect, as so many who were present each had their own personal and close reason for attending. Keith I know what you mean. Back in black and white television days the BBC made a film of an Alan Bennett story called "A Day Out". It followed the interaction of members of a cycling club on a jolly in 1912, or thereabouts. The final scene opened with the caption, "November 11th 1920" with the camera panning to the thin line of maimed survivors of the happy-go-lucky "day out" attending the opening of a small memorial on which the names of the majority of their old companions appeared. A moving moment of television which preceded the closing scene of Blackadder by about thirty years ! Thought of it apropos of your comment, and also the Yorkshire connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 31 March , 2015 Share Posted 31 March , 2015 Maybe I should share this - not far from Leeds. This postcard image shows the dedication of the Greengates War Memorial. Members of my family were fortunate not to feature on it. I have researched those who do and my big sister's first employment was as a teacher at the school a part of which is just visible in the left rear of the picture. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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