The Jubilee Memorial, Harrogate, is a Grade II

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

. It is a

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

stone memorial in

Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and civil parish in the North Yorkshire District, district and North Yorkshire, county of North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist de ...

, North Yorkshire, England, commemorating the 1887

golden jubilee of Queen Victoria The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated on 20 and 21 June 1887 to mark the Golden jubilee, 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. It was celebrated with a National service of thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Serv ...

. It was donated to Harrogate by its mayor, Richard Ellis, designed by architect Arthur Bown, and unveiled by the Marquis of Ripon. The monument is built of

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

in three storeys, with

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

shafts and a Sicilian

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

statue of Queen Victoria by sculptor

William John Seward Webber William John Seward Webber (January 1842 – c. 17 March 1919) was an English sculptor who created civic statuary, and bust (sculpture), busts of national heroes and local worthies, in marble. He sculpted the statue of Queen Victoria for the Go ...

. The lowest storey is a square stone plinth, which carries the dedications. The middle storey contains the statue of Victoria. The upper storey is the carved stone canopy, in the form of a spire.

Description

This is a Grade II

, designed by the local architect Arthur Bown of H. E. and A. Bown, Harrogate. It was constructed by Richardson of Scarborough, and it contains a statue of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

executed by

. According to

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, a battlefield, medieval castles, Roman forts, historic industrial sites, Lis ...

, the canopy was also carved by Webber. The body of the monument is constructed of

, and the statue is of Sicilian

. The

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...

s are of Scottish pink and grey

. The ''Leeds Mercury'' (1887) said:

This is a statue of the Queen in white marble ... The statue finds a place in a stone structure in the Decorated Gothic style, verging upon the
Perpendicular In geometry, two geometric objects are perpendicular if they intersect at right angles, i.e. at an angle of 90 degrees or π/2 radians. The condition of perpendicularity may be represented graphically using the '' perpendicular symbol'', � ...
. There are, so to speak, three stories. The lower one forms the
pedestal A pedestal or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In civil engineering, it is also called ''basement''. The minimum height o ...
. This is square, and has at each angle a
granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...
shaft, surmounted by a lion rampant and shield. One of the panels bears an inscription stating the object and date of the monument. The second or principal story is an arched
canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...
, under which the statue stands, and this is supported by
pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...
s with granite shafts. The arches are decorated, and there are
crocket A crocket (or croquet) is a small, independent decorative element common in Gothic architecture. The name derives from the diminutive of the Old French ''croc'', meaning "hook", due to the resemblance of a crocket to a bishop's Shepherd's crook, ...
ed gablets and
pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was main ...
s, the centre of each gablet having a
trefoil A trefoil () is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings, used in architecture, Pagan and Christian symbolism, among other areas. The term is also applied to other symbols with a threefold shape. A similar shape with f ...
ed panel, with the borough
coat-of-arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achiev ...
. The upper story takes the form of a graceful spire. The height of the monument is , and the base is square, the whole being enclosed by an ornamental railing. The statue is in height, and has been carved out of a block of Sicilian marble weighing 4½ tons. Her Majesty is represented standing with the
sceptre A sceptre (or scepter in American English) is a Staff of office, staff or wand held in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of regalia, royal or imperial insignia, signifying Sovereignty, sovereign authority. Antiquity Ancient Egypt and M ...
in her right hand, and the pose is calm and dignified. She wears the Imperial crown, and is attired in a
reception Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to: Astrology * Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another p ...
dress trimmed with lace. Upon her breast is the
Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...
and that of Victoria and Albert. Her necklace contains the famous
Koh-i-Noor The ; ), also spelled Koh-e-Noor, Kohinoor and Koh-i-Nur, is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, weighing . It is currently set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The diamond originated in the Kollur mine in present ...
. The
train A train (from Old French , from Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles th ...
of the dress is gracefully arranged, and the design generally is admirable. The more striking feature of the statue, however, is the faithful likeness of Her Majesty which the sculptor, Mr. Webber, has presented. He has evidently done his work in a conscientious manner, and the result must tend to enhance his reputation as a sculptor.

The monument originally had "magnificent iron railings". They were lost during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

under Regulation 50 of the Defence (General) Regulations, 1939, when the Ministry of Works requisitioned ironwork for use in

munitions Ammunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the component parts of ...

manufacture. However, there is some doubt as to what really happened to the railings, following requisition. Jubilee Memorial, Harrogate (1).jpg, The Jubilee Memorial, 1887 Jubilee Memorial 1887 Harrogate 16 July 2021 (77a).JPG, ''Queen Victoria'' by Webber, 1887 Jubilee Memorial 1887 Harrogate 16 July 2021 (71a).JPG, ''Queen Victoria'' by Webber, 1887 Jubilee Memorial 1887 Harrogate 16 July 2021 (76b).jpg, ''Queen Victoria'' by Webber, 1887. Showing the Koh-i-Noor

cabochon A cabochon (; ) is a gemstone that has been shaped and polished, as opposed to faceted. The resulting form is usually a convex (rounded) obverse with a flat reverse. Cabochon was the default method of preparing gemstones before gemstone cuttin ...

diamond on her necklace. Jubilee Memorial 1887 Harrogate 16 July 2021 (85a).JPG, ''Queen Victoria'' by Webber, 1887

History

Planning and funding

The memorial was planned as a commemoration of the 1887

golden jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali language, ...

. The original design for this memorial was a drinking fountain "with a pedestal and canopy for a statue". However the design was changed – on the grounds that it "might have been a source of annoyance" – for a memorial and statue only. The site used was originally triangular, but "to give more space for carriage traffic", the site was made circular. The memorial was given to Harrogate by Mayor Richard Ellis, aided by public subscription of £103 10s. 10d. () raised by The Ladies' Jubilee Committee. 1,604 citizens subscribed, no-one giving more than £1; some giving as little as a

penny A penny is a coin (: pennies) or a unit of currency (: pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. At present, it is ...

Laying the foundation stone, 1887

The

foundation stone A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry Foundation (engineering), foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entir ...

for the Jubilee Memorial was laid by Mayor Richard Ellis's wife Mary Jane Ellis (1823–c.1897) on the morning of 14 April 1887, in "unusually severe" and snowy weather, but nevertheless "in the presence of a large concourse of spectators". The crowd included the Mayor and Corporation, and a "large number" of women representing part of the Ladies' Jubilee Committee. Arthur Bown presented the Mayoress with a silver

trowel A trowel is a small hand tool used for digging, applying, smoothing, or moving small amounts of viscous or particulate material. Common varieties include the masonry trowel, garden trowel, and float trowel. A power trowel is a much larger ga ...

and mallet. The inscription on the trowel was:

Presented to the Mayoress of Harrogate (Mrs Ellis) by the architects and contractor, on the occasion of her laying the corner stone of Her Majesty's Jubilee Memorial, Station Square, Harrogate, April 14th, 1887.

A number of speeches were made, all received with applause and cheers from the crowd. The careful formality of the occasion may be seen in the following exchange, which included wry jokes about the potentially fatal effect of standing for an hour or two in the snow. Bown said:

I have great pleasure in presenting you with the trowel and mallet wherewith to lay the stone. I hope you will be living and in good health when the work is completed; so that you may look upon it with pride and pleasure.

The Mayoress (who was not at death's door) replied:

I am greatly obliged to you for the kind expressions, and trust that I shall have the pleasure of seeing the work brought to a satisfactory completion.

Mayoress Ellis spoke to the crowd about the way in which the Jubilee Memorial represented their loyalty to the Queen, ending (to loud cheers) with:

I think this monument will answer tspurpose. I therefore hope it will be completed in due course, and without any accident to the workmen, and that it will long be to the residents of Harrogate, and the visitors resorting hither, a source of pleasure.

Unveiling ceremony, 1887

The monument was unveiled by the Marquis of Ripon on 6 October 1887. He was met at

Harrogate railway station Harrogate railway station serves the town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Located on the Harrogate Line it is north of Leeds railway station, Leeds. Northern Trains operate the station and provide local passenger train services, with ...

by the mayor and corporation, and was escorted across the road to the ceremony in a grand procession of police, a brass band, the fire brigade, local societies, associations and committees, the

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

s, architect Arthur Bown, sculptor (Webber) and contractor, the enrobed mayor and corporation, and officials. The station was adorned with flags, and the monument site encircled by a "dense concourse of spectators", who "loudly cheered" the marquis before being treated to a long speech, which was regularly interrupted with cheers and applause. About a hundred worthies (including Webber) were invited to a dinner at the Crown Hotel, Harrogate. Speeches were made, and healths (including that of Webber and the architect Arthur Bown) were drunk.

Visit of Prince Albert Victor, 1889

Prince Albert Victor Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward; 8 January 1864 – 14 January 1892) was the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra). From the time of his ...

, grandson of Queen Victoria, visited Harrogate in 1889 to open an extension to the Royal Bath Hospital, Harrogate. For that occasion the Jubilee Memorial was garlanded. It still had its "magnificent iron railings".

Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, 1897

The monument was garlanded again on 22 June 1897, in celebration of

Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria was officially celebrated on 22 June 1897 to mark the occasion of the Diamond jubilee, 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. Queen Victoria was the first British monarch ever to cel ...

. In the morning, when the photograph ''(below)'' was taken, the temperature was in the shade. There was a procession through the town, while all the church bells rang.

Queen Victoria's funeral, 1901

On the day of Queen Victoria's funeral, 2 February 1901, the licensed victuallers of Harrogate closed their premises until 6 pm and placed a wreath on the Jubilee Memorial, which was "draped in black and purple". Some societies, and people from the town, added more wreaths there.

State visit of the Lord Mayor of London, 1913

On 7 June 1913, the Jubilee Memorial was garlanded in celebration of the state visit to Harrogate of the

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

, David Burnett. He was to open extensions to the Victoria Baths, and the Old Sulphur Well (now called the Royal Pump Room). On that day, Burnett brought the state landau with him on the train, and processed in it around the town with the Mayor of Harrogate Joseph Rowntree, twenty visiting mayors, the Yorkshire Hussars band, and

mounted police Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. Their day-to-day function is typically picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and increasingly in th ...

. Jubilee Memorial Harrogate - laying foundation stone 1887 001a.jpg, The crowd at the laying of the foundation stone, 1887. The

A-frame An A-frame is a basic structure designed to bear a Structural load, load in a lightweight economical manner. The simplest form of an A-frame is two similarly sized Beam (structure), beams, arranged in an angle of 45 degrees or less, attached a ...

supported the

pulley Sheave without a rope A pulley is a wheel on an axle or shaft enabling a taut cable or belt passing over the wheel to move and change direction, or transfer power between itself and a shaft. A pulley may have a groove or grooves between flan ...

which lowered the stone. Prince Albert Victor visits Harrogate 1889 001.jpg, The monument garlanded for Prince Albert Victor's visit, 1889 Harrogate celebrates Victorias Diamond Jubilee 1897 001.jpg, The monument garlanded for Victoria's diamond jubilee, 1897 Jubilee Memorial Harrogate - garlanded (1d).jpg, The monument garlanded for the Lord Mayor of London's visit, 1913

Reviews

On 22 March 1888,

, grandson of Queen Victoria, visited the monument and "expressed his warm admiration of the likeness" of the statue to his grandmother. In 2012 a visitor to Harrogate found the gardens around the monument uncared-for.

Notes

References

External links

{{Authority control 1887 sculptures Buildings and structures completed in 1887 Grade II listed buildings in North Yorkshire Gothic Revival architecture in North Yorkshire Monuments and memorials in North Yorkshire Monuments and memorials to Queen Victoria Royal monuments in the United Kingdom Victorian era Tourist attractions in North Yorkshire Harrogate 1887 establishments in England Scheduled monuments in North Yorkshire Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale