Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

Statue of Edward Akroyd standing erect wearing formal dress with a frock quote.
Unveiled 29 July 1876 by Joshua Appleyard, former mayor of Halifax chairman of the statue committee.

The statue was designed by J. Birnie Philip, who died before it was finished. It was completed by Ceccardo Fucigna, who also made the three reliefs with scenes from Akroyd's life from photographs.

EDWARD AKROYD erected by his fellow townsmen. mdccclxxxv The whole panel has been treated in the Cinque Cento style, from drawings by Mr. Swindon Barber, F.R.I.B.A., and has been worked by Messrs. John Freeman and Sons.

The other three are alto relievo panels, representing events in the life Colonel Akroyd. They have been designed and modelled by Signor Fucigna from photographs. All have been cast by Messrs. Young and Co., Pimlico.

One panel represents the cutting of the first sod of the Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Railway, of which Col. Akroyd was chairman, Oct. 21st, 1846, and includes portraits the late Mr. Jon. Akroyd, Colonel Akroyd, Lord Morpeth (who trundled the barrow), the Right Hon. Mr. [Charles] Wood (now Lord Halifax) who cut the rod, and afterwards addressed the people from the barrow: Colonel [Joshua] Pollard; Mr. (now Sir John) Hawkshaw, engineer of the line; the Rev. W. Smith, curate of the Parish Church, who offered prayer on the occasion. [Note: the line was in 1846 called West-Riding Union Railway, see report in the Leeds Times, 24 October 1846 (British Newspaper Archive).]

Another panel represents the laying of the corner stone of All Souls' Church, April 25th, 1856, the persons represented being Mr. Joshua Appleyard, the then mayor; Col. Akroyd, Bishop Longley, then of Ripon; the Rev. Canon Fawcett, the Ven. Archdeacon Musgrave, Mr. Richard Carter, now Mayor of Barnsley, and then P.M. of the Lodge of Probity; the Rev. C.R. Holmes, incumbent-designate; Mr. (now Sir) Geo. Gilbert Scott, the architect. * The statue stands in a small park next to the All Souls' Church

The remaining panel is emblematic of Colonel Akroyd's connection with Fourth West York Rifle Volunteers. The colonel is represented on horseback. At the sides are Major Ingram, Major Holdsworth, and Captain Holroyde. In the background is a file of volnunteers.

Signature

Sculptors

• Ceccardo Egidio Fucigna (Carrara, Italy c. 1834 - 1884), British-Italian sculptor, worked as an assistant to John Birnie Philip until the latter's death in 1875, and then oversaw the completion of some of Philip's works (Wikipedia – (Mapping of Sculpture).
  
• John Birnie Philip (1824-1875), British sculptor (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

• British Listed Buildings, Statue of Colonel Edward Akroyd.
• Bradford Daily Telegraph - Monday 31 July 1876 (British Newspaper Archive).

Tags

Locatie (N 53°43'48" - W 1°51'46") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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