Leeds City Council confirm major review of statues

Leeds City Council has commissioned a review of the presence of statues in the city following the Black Lives Matter protests.
City Square in Leeds is home to most of the city's statuesCity Square in Leeds is home to most of the city's statues
City Square in Leeds is home to most of the city's statues

The first black woman to serve as a councillor in Leeds, Honorary Alderwoman Alison Lowe, has been invited to chair a panel independently of the council and she will assess all of the statues present in Leeds and establish whether any should be replaced with more diverse representations.

The public's views on the future of statues are being sought as part of the consultation.

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The aim is to improve inclusivity in public spaces in the wake of the Black Lives Matter demonstration, which saw the statue of slave trader Edward Colston toppled into the harbour by protesters in Bristol.

In Leeds there are statues of imperial and royal figures such as Queen Victoria and the Duke of Wellington, industrial benefactor John Harrison, inventor James Watt and even eight naked female nymphs arranged across City Square.

Leeds Civic Trust and historical experts from universities in Leeds will also take part in the review.

Aspects to be considered include the importance and significance of specific statues to Leeds, any concerns about individuals currently represented, and the best ways to explain the historical context of statues through information boards for instance.

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Honorary Alderwoman Lowe is also interested to hear about any individuals or groups that are considered to be noticeably absent (although the review will not be itself recommending named individuals to be honoured), and how Leeds can best honour and represent significant individuals or groups in future.

Public consultation will run until Friday July 31, with a report and recommendations expected to be published and presented to Leeds City Council for consideration in the autumn.

Honorary Alderwoman Alison Lowe said:

“As a historian myself I am delighted to have been asked to chair this review and have already discovered new facets of the history of Leeds and its people through our early investigations. In order to complete the review I urge people to get involved so that all voices can be heard. I look forward to seeing and hearing all the responses.”

For more information on the review go to https://www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/consultations-and-feedback/statues-review

The statues you can see in Leeds

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Edward, the Black Prince - the son of 14th-century ruler King Edward III, the Black Prince was known as one of the greatest knights of his age and was an English military commander during the Hundred Years War. Yet he has no specific connection with Leeds. His statue was cast in 1903 in Belgium and transported to Leeds by sea, arriving at the port of Hull and being taken by barge up the River Aire. It was commissioned, like most of the other City Square statues, by Colonel Thomas Harding.

James Watt - Watt is famous as the Victorian inventor of the steam engine, but again he has no connection to Leeds. He was Scottish and lived mainly in Glasgow and later Birmingham. His statue was erected on City Square in 1903 as a gift to the city.

John Harrison - Harrison was one of the first cloth merchants to set up in business in Leeds in the 16th and 17th centuries, and was a major benefactor of the city, establishing Leeds Grammar School. His statue was a gift from a councillor and erected in City Square in 1903.

Dr Walter Hook - Hook was a Victorian vicar who had a major influence on Leeds, establishing 30 schools and rebuilding Leeds Minster. He campaigned for mass education and was commemorated by a City Square statue in 1902, again thanks to Colonel Harding.

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Joseph Priestley - Priestley was a chemist who is credited with discovering oxygen, but he was prominent in many other fields, including political theory. He was from Birstall and was once the minister at Mill Hill Chapel, which overlooks his statue on City Square.

The eight nymphs - the naked females are arranged on City Square, where they have stood since 1899. There were initially objections to their presence, as they were thought to be indecent, and there were plans to remove them in the 1990s.

Sir Robert Peel - the Conservative politician and former prime minister is best known for founding the first police force. He has no connection to Leeds but his statue stands on Woodhouse Moor.

Queen Victoria - the statue used to stand on Victoria Square in the city centre before it was moved to Woodhouse Moor.

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Duke of Wellington - the aristocrat and statesman is famous for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, and a statue of him was commissioned in the 1850s, after his death, as a tribute by the people of Leeds. It originally stood outside Leeds Town Hall before being moved to Woodhouse Moor.

Sir Peter Fairbairn - the Scottish engineer and inventor came to Leeds in the 19th century to market his machine designs to the local mill owners. He later became a town councillor and served as mayor. His statue stands on Woodhouse Moor.

Arthur Louis Aaron, VC - the son of a Jewish couple from Gledhow and a former pupil of Roundhay School, Aaron was a World War Two pilot who received the Victoria Cross for heroism after he was killed in action in 1943. A competition held in 2000 to choose a new statue for Leeds saw Aaron voted the winner and his statue stands on a roundabout near the Leeds Playhouse.