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Missing statue found in Stanmer Park
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| One of the empty plinths in Victoria Gardens |
Readers of The Argus
have come up trumps
following our appeal for help
to find five missing statues.
The Victorian era statues
have disappeared from the
Victoria Gardens in Brighton
and we asked for your help in
tracking them down.
We can reveal the mystery is
at least a fifth solved as one of
the statues has been found at
nearby Stanmer Park.
Brighton cartoonist Alan
Wickham told us of its whereabouts.
He said: "It's at the back
of Stanmer Park lying on its side
covered with undergrowth.
"The reason I know it's there
is because I was involved in a
project there a few years ago."
The statues, presented to the
city in 1887 by Sir Edward
Sassoon, are said to have
depicted five allegorical figures
representing Morning, Welcome,
Fidelity, Truth and Night.
All that remains are two
plinths, at opposite ends of the
gardens. Two other plinths
went to Preston Park, where
they remain.
We thought the other, which
went to Wild Park, was also
missing until Mike Griffin, a
former director of parks and
recreation with Brighton
Borough Council, emailed to
say it was definitely there and
took a picture for us.
We were also contacted by
Anthony McIntosh, of Brighton
University's school of historical
and critical studies. He is
involved in the creation of a list
of all public art in Sussex. He
said: "The statues from Victoria
Gardens originated from the
Park Lane mansion of Barney
Barnato. Sassoon bought the
mansion on Barnato's death
and gifted them to Brighton. I
have not yet been able to trace
what happened to them and so
will be very interested if your
call for information has any
success."
The Regency Society sent
some superb pictures from its
webmaster Duncan McNeill.
They depict what Victoria
Gardens used to look like as well
as what some of the statues
looked like before they disappeared.
They are from the
James Gray Collection at
www.regencysociety.org.
The Argus's statue hunt has
been launched together with
the Royal Society of Arts, which
wants to use the two empty
plinths in Victoria Gardens for
new public artworks.
What do you think about the idea of new public art in Victoria
Gardens? Can you tell us anything about the original statues'
disappearance? Let us know by leaving your comments below.
6:34pm Friday 9th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Jim, Brighton on 7:09pm Fri 9 May 08
I like the way the chap clarifies why he knows where they are, in the undergrowth, so as not to incriminate himself in these cynical times.
Yep, I'm all for new public art works but please, not the same old artists, let's some of Brighton's younger and fresher talents breaking through for a change.
I like the way the chap clarifies why he knows where they are, in the undergrowth, so as not to incriminate himself in these cynical times.
Yep, I'm all for new public art works but please, not the same old artists, let's some of Brighton's younger and fresher talents breaking through for a change.
Posted by: bob splosh, sploshland on 9:02pm Fri 9 May 08
..nice to see the argus keeping us all up to date - shame about the picture though, which is at least 2 years old and the house in the background is not even there anymore!!
..nice to see the argus keeping us all up to date - shame about the picture though, which is at least 2 years old and the house in the background is not even there anymore!!
Posted by: caeos on 10:47pm Fri 9 May 08
If there are 5 missing statues, why only 2 empty plinths
If there are 5 missing statues, why only 2 empty plinths
Posted by: jay, brighton on 2:18am Sat 10 May 08
VERY COOL
I recommend checking out the james grey pictures if your interested.
Many thanks Regency Society Posse for sharing those pics,I'l be looking through them for hours at least.Will they be staying up on their site i wonder?
VERY COOL
I recommend checking out the james grey pictures if your interested.
Many thanks Regency Society Posse for sharing those pics,I'l be looking through them for hours at least.Will they be staying up on their site i wonder?
Posted by: PETE on 9:33am Sat 10 May 08
well...who cares about statues. i do. but that guy obviously hid them and can we please have some more exciting news. im at work bored wanting exciting things to happen.[bold]bold pete [/bold]
well...who cares about statues. i do. but that guy obviously hid them and can we please have some more exciting news. im at work bored wanting exciting things to happen.
bold pete Posted by: jim, coldean on 1:12pm Sat 10 May 08
the two have been there for at least 60 years
the two have been there for at least 60 years
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