Statues - Hither & Thither

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Young Boy with Beavers and Sea Lions

John Hodge
A.B. Burton (Thames Ditton)
1937

Description

Statue of a young boy holding a fish in each uplifted hand. A beaver tries to clamber up the boy's leg and looks to the fish. The boy stands on a large nautilus shell. According to the sculptor, the boy symbolises the joy of youth - just a happy boy playing in the water and catching the fish in his hands. The sculpture is the center piece of a circular fountain basin, with four animals spouting water (but not when we were in Braintree). The animals, including the one at the boy's feet, are according to the Chelmsford Chronicle sea lions and according to Historic England seals. However, two of them are certainley beavers

Braintree - Young Boy with Beavers and Sea Lions

The fountain was commissioned in 1937 by sir W.J. Courtauld in memory of King George V.

Inscription(s)

the gift of
WILLIAM JULIEN COURTAULD ESQ. JP
of pennypot halstead
(coat of arms)
to the town of braintree
in memory of
king george v

Signature

John Hodge sculpt^r 1936

Sculptor

John Hodge, British sculptor.

Sources & Information

Braintree Community Centre, Public Art Directory.
EPMAS - Essex Public Monuments & Sculpture, Database.
Historic England, Database.
Chelmsford Chronicle, Friday 23 July 1937, p. 2 and 7.
Essex Newsman, Saturday 24 July 1937.

Locatie (N 51°52'38" - E 0°32'56") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: gbee106; Photograph: 17 March 2019
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
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© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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