Statue of George V, Westminster

Description

The statue stands 10 ft high and is made of Portland stone. It is located south of The Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey and opposite the House of Lords.

History

thumb|left|upright|The statue on its plinth, with Westminster Abbey in the background It was announced in March 1937 by the Lord Mayor of London that William Reid Dick had been selected as the sculptor of a statue of George V. Giles Gilbert Scott was selected to design the architecture of the plinth. A location in Abingdon Street opposite the House of Lords was announced in October 1937. The original design proved controversial and resulted in some criticism: it was to feature an ornate Gothic canopy which critics described as "dwarfing" the statue itself. Following a public consultation this feature was removed from later designs.

The Amenities groups of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords opposed the citing of the statue facing the House of Lords as they were concerned it would lead to the demolition of No. 6 and 7 Old Palace Yard and houses in a nearby street. A model of the statue was exhibited in the Member's tea room of the House of Commons.

The Royal Fine Art Commission suggested that the statue should be located in Parliament Square instead of opposite the House of Lords. The construction of the statue took place prior to the Second World War, but the danger of bringing the statue to London prevented the erection of it until after the war. The carving of the statue actually took place in the Portland quarry from which the stone was produced, and during the war years it was placed inside one of the quarry's tunnels on the Island in order to prevent it from potential damage due to German bombing raids. Following the war it was moved to the Tate Gallery while the statue's site was prepared for it.

In 1968, the symbol of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was drawn on the side of the plinth, provoking the question of its removal to be raised by Dudley Smith MP in the House of the Commons.

References

References

1. (27 October 1937). "King George Memorial Statue". The Times.
2. (3 March 1937). "King George V Statue". The Times.
3. (25 April 1947). "Points from other replies". The Times.
4. (23 October 2007). "King George V". The Times.
5. (3 June 1938). "Proposed Site of King George V Statue". The Times.
6. (22 February 1939). "George V Memorial Statue". The Times.
7. (5 April 1939). "Political Notes". The Times.
8. (23 October 1947). "King George V Statue". The Times.
9. (17 June 1968). "King George V Statue, Old Palace Yard". They Work For You.