Statue of Queen Victoria - A Birmingham Gem!

The Statue of Queen Victoria is located in Victoria Square, Birmingham. Originally made in 1901 of marble by Thomas Brock. 50 years later in 1951, it was recast in bronze by William Bloye.


Public art: Statue of Queen Victoria 

Designer: Originally Thomas Brock (recast by William Bloye)

The statue was originally created in 1901 by Thomas Brock but then recast in bronze by William Bloye in 1951.

Where? Victoria Square.

Photography by Daniel Sturley

 

The Statue of Queen Victoria - history

Go here for our post on the Statue of Queen Victoria.

Mr W. H. Barber who was a Birmingham solicitor and benefactor of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, offered to present the first outdoor statue of Queen Victoria to Birmingham in 1897, during the Diamond Jubilee year.

He considered Thomas Brock to be the most suitable sculptor.

Barber insisted that it be an enlarged replica of Brock's statue at Worcester Hall.

The City accepted the offer on the 27th July 1897 and the completed work was unveiled 12 days before the death of Queen Victoria, on the 10th January 1901.

It was in an outside space original named Council House Square, renamed to Victoria Square.

The original statue was made of white marble standing on a pedestal of dark Cornish granite.

The figure of the Queen made more monumental with long state robes.

The statue remained here, at one point statues of John Skirrow Wright and Joseph Priestley were here until 1913.

Only to be replaced by the statue of King Edward VII.

Victoria Square in 1930. Getty Images

 

During the VE Day celebrations on the 8th May 1945, there were men sitting on top of the statue, and the orb was badly damaged.

The statue remained in place until 1950.

The square was redesigned in 1950 as a permanent work marking the Festival of Britain in 1951.

The statue of King Edward VII was moved to Highgate Park, and as the marble original of Queen Victoria had weathered badly, Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham Civic Society provided a grant towards reproducing it in bronze.

The old statue was removed from Victoria Square on the 13th March 1950, and it was renovated by William Bloye who cast it in bronze.

It returned on the 25th May 1951 and erected on a pedestal of light coloured Cornish granite.

It was unveiled on the 9th June 1951 by the Princess Elizabeth (now our current Queen from 6th February 1952 to present).

In 1993 Victoria Square was pedestrianised and included new sculptures by Dhruva Mistry and Antony Gormley.

The statue of Queen Victoria was moved slightly at the time.

The square was re-opened by the Princess of Wales on the 6th May 1993.

Queen VictoriaPhotography by Elliott Brown

 

More recently, the Birmingham Civic Society had a new bronze Sceptre made, to replace the one long since missing, this was done in February 2011.

Queen VictoriaPhotography by Elliott Brown

 

Scaffolding went up around the statue in late April 2018 for a deep clean.

By the following month it was looking as good as new.

Queen VictoriaPhotography by Elliott Brown

 

New paving continues to be installed around Victoria Square, this started in 2019 as Town Hall Tram Stop was opened on Paradise Street, and continues well into 2020.

The paving was completed in 2022.

 

 

Foreign Exchange

From June to August 2022, during the Birmingham 2022 Festival, artist Hew Locke has transformed the statue during the Commonwealth Games with a temporary artwork, which has divided opinions.

Photography by Elliott Brown

Project dates

12 Jun 2022 - On-going

Passions

History & heritage, Civic pride, Art; Culture & creativity

Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com