Our walking tours of the city look at public
artworks that are all around us. This page moves
us to the east side of Birmingham where public
art mixes with graffiti art and industrial
architecture in the most exciting way.
Centenary Square
Edward VII
Albert Toft, 1913
This Carrara marble commemoration of ‘Bertie’ which was originally
in Victoria Square, then spent some time in Highgate Park in
Sparkbrook and storage, before coming back to Centenary Square.
Bertie’s excesses as a populist Prince of Wales, and then finally King
after the death of Queen Victoria, included gambling and notorious
infidelity. Despite this he remained popular with the general public
who contributed to the statue through a memorial fund organised
by the Birmingham Mail in 1910.
The three brass castings around the plinth were stolen in 1985 and
replacements were paid for by the Birmingham Civic Society. Quite
what relevance Bertie has to today’s city is perhaps open to debate
as public art and it’s meaning in our modern lived is reviewed.
‘Peace’ is one of three peices of cast bronze which are
replicas the originals being stolen during the time the
manument was in Highgate Park in Sparkbrook
‘Education fostering progress’
Albert Toft (1862-1949): Birmingham born and trained before being
apprenticed to Wedgwood pottery as a modeller. Then trained in
London where he had a studio.
Industry and
Genius
David Patten, 1990
A tribute to John Baskerville on the site of his former
home, Easy Hill.
See David’s notes on producing the art piece here….
More coming soon
New Book - November 2021
Invention & Design; Elkington of Birmingham
If you enjoy the mix of industry
and art that underpins so much
of Birmingham’s growth and
development you will love the
new book: Invention & Design;
Elkington of Birmingham.
The book has been written and
photographed by Jonathan
Berg, who runs Positively
Birmingham walking tours. It
will be officially published in November 2021 and copies will be available as soon
as the book is received from the printer, hopefully by mid-November