Statue of Claude Auchinleck at Five Ways

Outside of Park Regis Birmingham, the hotel near the top of Broad Street at Five Ways is the statue of Claude Auchinleck. Made in the mid 1960s, it was relocated during the redevelopment.


Where is the Statue of Claude Auchinleck?

The Statue of Claude Auchinleck is on Broad Street opposite the Park Regis Birmingham hotel.

 

In brief

A bronze statue of  Claude Auchinleck by Fiore de Henriquez. The bronze statue in his honour was in Auchinleck Square from 1965 until the demolition of Five Ways Shopping Centre in 2013. The statue was in storage, restored, then placed outside of the new Park Regis Birmingham hotel on Broad Street (which was built out of the former Auchinleck House offices).  From 2015 to 2018 there was a car park outside of Park Regis Birmingham. The site of Five Ways Shopping Centre is now St Martin's Place (which was completed in 2020). The statue came out of storage near the end of 2015, and was placed on a new spot opposite the new hotel.

Claude Auchinleck (1884 - 1981) was a British Army commander during the Second World War. In 1943 he became Commander-in-Chief in India. He later served as Commander-in-Chief for India until the partition of India in 1947, and then Supreme Commander of all British Forces in India and Pakistan until 1948. Auchinleck House was built in the 1960s, and was named after him. This included the Five Ways Shopping Centre with Auchinleck Square.

 

Claude AuchinleckStatue of Claude Auchinleck in on Broad Street (December 2015).Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Old location

Before Auchinleck House, Auchinleck Square and the Five Ways Shopping Centre were demolished in 2013, was an opportunity to pop in and see the statue before it was removed to storage.

Claude AuchinleckStatue of Claude Auchinleck in Auchinleck Square (April 2013).Photography by Elliott Brown

 

New location

After being in storage for two years while Auchinleck House was being converted into Park Regis Birmingham, the statue of Claude Auchinleck was returned to a new site on Broad Street, close to Five Ways Island.

Claude Auchinleck

Claude AuchinleckStatue of Claude Auchinleck in on Broad Street (November 2015).Photography by Elliott Brown

 

By December 2015, the temporary barriers had gone, they had also done new paving outside Park Regis Birmingham towards one of the subways at Five Ways Island.

Claude AuchinleckStatue of Claude Auchinleck in on Broad Street (December 2015).Photography by Elliott Brown

 

From 2015-18 the statue was facing a car park built next to Park Regis Birmingham. Then St Martin's Place got built on that site, it was completed in 2020. The statue looking to where it used to be in the past.

Claude AuchinleckStatue of Claude Auchinleck in on Broad Street (July 2021).Photography by Elliott Brown

Project dates

30 Mar 2022 - On-going

Passions

History & heritage, Art; Culture & creativity, Shopping
Travel & tourism

Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com