Manchester city centre has a number of statues – from Queen Victoria to cotton tycoon James Watt. But what’s the story behind them? We take a look…
James Watt sits on the north side of Piccadilly Gardens and was erected to praise his contributions to the cotton trade in Manchester. It was his work with steam engines in the 1760s that brought him to fame.
This statue, called The Wellington Monument, stands near Piccadilly. It shows him speaking in the House of Lords, with his military despatches at his feet. Arthur Wesley has no direct ties to Manchester but served as Prime Minister in 1857 and in 1815 he beat Napoleon at The Battle of Waterloo.
This statue was put up posthumously in 1901 after Queen Victoria’s death. It was unveiled by Lord Roberts, a military commander during the Victorian era.
in 1771, Robert Peel was elected Prime Minister and in 1853 this statue of him was transported to Manchester from London. The statue commemorates the former PM as he was born in Bury.
John Fraser, Bishop of Manchester, stands statuesque near Albert Square, albeit surrounded by construction work. As a bishop, he declined the usual Bishop’s residence to live in Manchester closer to the people.
