Harwich – Statue of Queen Victoria

This statue spoke to me, albeit not literally, because it is a snapshot in time of the hopes that existed in Harwich in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. The statue was placed here in 1904 and it was listed in 1994 which has likely made it easier to receive the repairs that it had urgently needed over recent decades. The statue was unveiled by the Earl of Warwick on 11 June 1904 and was funded by public subscription which raised the necessary £400. The Earl of Warwick said that he was personally delighted that “all classes have subscribed liberally towards it, showing their spirit of loyalty”.

If Queen Victoria could turn around a little bit, this is the rather beautiful view that she would see. I suspect that if there were requests for statues of Queen Elizabeth II then the population would likely give generously, but it seems that the great era for statues and memorials is perhaps over.