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Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension

 Charles Wheeler
1955

London / Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension

Description

The Second World War extension of the Tower Hill Memorial, designed by Sir Edward Maufe, takes the form of a semi-circular sunken garden located behind the First World War Memorial. At the south side of the garden are two columns with statues representing an officer (western column) and a seaman (eastern).

London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension

Listed on the walls of the sunken garden are the names of 24,000 British seamen and 50 Australian seamen. Between the bronze plates are stone reliefs, showing allegorical figures representing the Seven Seas. Each figure is different and is accompanied by various fish and a specific shell. It is not clear if Wheeler meant specific seas with each relief. There are various interpretations of the seven seas, an interpretation is seven of the largest bodies of water in the world: The Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. Oxford University Press' online dictionary defines them as all the oceans of the world (conventionally listed as the Arctic, Antarctic, North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans).
  1. Mermaid combing her hair, accompanied by a shark (?), a star and the sun. At the top a conch.
  2. Man blowing wind, accompanied by a dolphin. At the top a shell.
  3. Nude woman raising from a shell (Aphrodite?). At the top a conch.
  4. Neptune with trident, accompanied by dolphins and a vessel. At the top a spider conch.
  5. Woman with a sail (?), accompanied by a dolphin. At the top a shell.
  6. Nude boy riding a dolphin, accompanied by fish and seahorses. At the top a thorned snail.
  7. Merman blowing a conch. At the top a shell.

London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension
1		 London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension
2		 London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension
3		 London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension
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5		 London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension
6		 London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension
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London - Tower Hill Memorial - World War II extension

In the centre of the garden is a pool of bronze, engraved with a compass pointing north.

Annotation

It was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on 5 November 1955.

Sculptor

Sources & Information

Tags

  • Dolphin
  • Mermaid
  • Merman
  • Neptune / Poseidon
  • Putto on dolphin
  • Shell
  • Soldier
  • War Memorial (UK - WWI)
  • War Memorial (UK - WWII)
  • Wheeler, Charles

    • Locatie (N 51°30'34" - W 0°4'39") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

    Item Code: gblo152; Photograph: 8 August 2014
    Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
    If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
    © Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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