Statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled twice

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32494, 2 January 1971, Page 11

Statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled twice

(By

W.J.A. BRITTENDEN)

There should really be three photographs to illustrate the history of Queen Victoria’s statue in Victoria Square, Christchurch, and its two unveiling ceremonies. The first, dated June 22, 1901, would show the Duke of Cornwall and York, later King George V, laying the foundation stone of this memorial. The second, dated May 25 (Empire Day), 1903, would show Mrs Wigram, the Mayoress, unveiling the statue after Mr (later Sir) Henry Wigram, Mr William Reece, a former mayor, and Sir Joseph Ward, Colonial Secretary, had addressed a very large crowd. The third photograph, shown here, illustrates the second unveiling, this time of the panels, which were not ready in 1903. This accounts for the flags round the pedestal. On the front, facing north-east or Victoria street, is boldly engraved VICTORIA above the dates of the birth and death of the monarch. On the other faces of the pedestal are bronze bas-relief representations of the landing of the pilgrims in 1850 (facing Oxford Terrace), the Canterbury Rough Riders and, on the back, facing Armagh Street, a list of the 89 Canterbury men who fell in the South African War. Each of these panels is surmounted by a niche within which are set representations in high relief of, respectively, the pastoral industry, manufacturing industries, agriculture and education. These additions were unveiled on Thursday, April 7, 1904. Jubilee memorial The statue is a Canterbury Jubilee memorial commemorating the first 50 years of the planned settlement of the province. After many proposals had been considered, the choice of a statue was made more than six months before the Queen died, and it is said that she actually sat for the sculptor, F. J. Williamson. That the Queen died before the completion of the statue in 1902 no doubt gave added value to it in the eyes of our grandparents and inevitably it became a memorial, also, to the ruler during whose reign the province had been founded and had grown up. Incidentally, it was cast by Hollinshead and Burton, founders of Thames Ditton, London. v ßut this is not the end of this multi-purpose statue. Two of the four panels unveiled by the Governor, Lord Ranfurly, on the eve of his departure from New Zealand dealt with the Boer War, so it is a war memorial also. Indeed, after the unveiling, the Governor presented merits to members of the

Bth, 9th and 10th Contingents before crossing Victoria Street to the band rotunda to receive a farewell address from the people of Christchurch and another, presented by Captain Uru, from the Kaiapoi Maoris. The whole function took about one hour. Soldiers of the king To the right of the photographer, perched precariously on his ladder while balancing a very large camera, is the garrison band, 20 strong, under Lieutenant Merton. Judging by the raised hats, the officers at the salute and the troops presenting arms, the band is playing the National Anthem as the Mayor and Mayoress precede Lord Ranfurly on to the mound. The troops in the foreground have been identified by Mr J. K. Collins, regimental historian, as A Company (City Guards) of the Ist Battalion, Canterbury Volunteer Rifles. On parade Lining the route followed by the official party on the left of the photograph, are the 14 members of E Battery of the Christchurch Volunteer Artillery who paraded on this occasion. On the previous occasion the parade state' showed 36 present. It must be remembered that although the numbers might seem small, the units were numerous. In 1903, for instance, in addition to the City Guards there were College, City, Imperial, Sydenham, Linwood and Civil Service Rifles as

well as E Battery and the Engineers on parade. By 1904 there had been some amalgamation of the Rifles into the First and Second Battalions but also on parade were the Lyttelton Navals, the Permanent Artillery, the Bearer Corps, Garrison Band and C.Y.C. escort under Lieutenant Rhodes. Market place In the earliest maps of Christchurch, Market Place is shown as such. Although originally the focal point of the city (Christchurch received its charter in 1856) containing, as it did, the post office, market hall, immigration barracks, police lock-up, fire-station, public works headquarters and one of the first three hotels in the city, the Place declined with the removal of the post office to Cathedral Square and the setting up of Paddy’s Market. However, in 1897, the area was tidied up for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It was then that it aspired to the title Market Square. It was not until the erection of the statue that Market Square in ’ turn became Victoria Square. Although Whately Road had become Papanui Road in the early ’fifties a map dated 1877 shows it still as Whately Road. The Papanui Bridge had become Victoria Bridge in September 1864 when, what is practically the present stone and iron bridge, replaced - the old wooden structure. Can anyone identify the tall building on the right of photograph with spectators lining the parapet?