Edinburgh, Newhaven Road, Victoria Park, King Edward Vii Statue
Statue (20th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, Newhaven Road, Victoria Park, King Edward Vii Statue
Classification Statue (20th Century)
Canmore ID 276501
Site Number NT27NE 358.01
NGR NT 25768 76447
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/276501
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27NE 358.01 25768 76447
Project (1997)
The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (http://www.pmsa.org.uk/) set up a National Recording Project in 1997 with the aim of making a survey of public monuments and sculpture in Britain ranging from medieval monuments to the most contemporary works. Information from the Edinburgh project was added to the RCAHMS database in October 2010 and again in 2012.
The PMSA (Public Monuments and Sculpture Association) Edinburgh Sculpture Project has been supported by Eastern Photocolour, Edinburgh College of Art, the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Historic Scotland, the Hope Scott Trust, The Old Edinburgh Club, the Pilgrim Trust, the RCAHMS, and the Scottish Archive Network.
Field Visit (5 August 1999)
Bronze statue of King Edward VII standing in ceremonial regalia (cloak, chain, hose): the robes of the Order of the Thistle. Left foot forward, left hand on hip, right hand holding a sceptre which rests back against his forearm. Atop tall stone pier with square cornice and tapering convex base out to stepped blocks, all within a granite-outlined raised circle.
A public meeting was called by the Provost of Leith for 13 June 1910, to discuss the proposed memorial to King Edward VII in Leith (1).
The Lord Provost of Edinburgh wrote a letter to the Town Council of Leith on 1 September 1910, stating that, at a meeting of residents of Edinburgh and the County of Midlothian, the following resolution had been passed: 'that there should be a Scottish National Memorial' to Edward VII (2)
Leith decided to proceed with their own memorial, however, and on 30 May 1913, the Secretary of the King Edward Memorial Fund Committee wrote to the Town Council of Leith asking for permission to erect a statue in Victoria Park (3)
The Town Council of Leith granted a site opposite Summerside Place, where a fountain stood; the fountain to be moved to the children's playground in the park. The Council also agreed to to provide foundations for the statue, and a railing for its protection (4)
The Leith Observer of 21 February 1914 reported that the model of the statue had been completed 'by John S. Rhind, sculptor, Belford Road, Edinburgh', and would 'shortly be dispatched, probably to Frome, to be cast in bronze.' (5)
The statue was unveiled by Lord Glenconner on 4 July 1914.
Edward VII, known as Edward the Peacemaker.
Inscriptions : On front of pedestal, on top panel (bronze applied letters): PEACE
On front of pedestal (bronze applied letters): ED[W]ARD / VII / 1901-1910
Signatures : At the foot of the right side of the statue (incised letters):
John S. Rhind / Sculptor 1914
Design period : 1913-1914
Year of unveiling : 1914
Unveiling details : Unveiled 4 July 1914 by Lord Glenconner
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0098)