In the front façade of the building are two roundels with projected head, depicting:
James Sharp (1613 - 1679), Presbyterian minister, and later Archbishop of St Andrews (1661-1679).
(Wikipedia).
Saint Blaise (Armenian: Սուրբ Բարսեղ, Sourb Barsel; Greek: Άγιος Βλάσιος, Agios Vlasios; Turkish: Aziz Vlas), physician, and bishop of Sebastea (modern Sivas, Turkey). According to his Acta Sanctorum, he was martyred by being beaten, attacked with iron carding combs, and beheaded. The similarity of these instruments of torture to wool combs led to his adoption as the patron saint of wool combers in particular, and the wool trade in general
(Wikipedia).
The identification of Sharpe is doubtful, it seems to be a king. The possibility is, that there were statues of archbishop Sharpe and Bishop Blaise on the now empty corbel-bases with gothic style canopies. (The head of St. Blaise is almost identical with that on the Wool Exchange)
Annotation
The Church Institute was built 1871-73 by architects Andrews and Pepper.
Sculptor
Unknown artist. Do you know who the sculptor is? please let us know.
Sources & Information
Jane Winfrey, Bradford's Sculpture Trail, Bradford City Centre Management, 2003 (PDF on-line).
