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Statue of the Earl of Derby, Parliament Square

Coordinates: 51°30′03″N 0°07′38″W / 51.5008°N 0.1273°W / 51.5008; -0.1273
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Statue of the Earl of Derby
The sculpture in 2015
Map
ArtistMatthew Noble
Year1874 (1874)
SubjectEarl of Derby
DesignationGrade II-listed
LocationParliament Square, London
Coordinates51°30′03″N 0°07′38″W / 51.5008°N 0.1273°W / 51.5008; -0.1273

A sculpture of the statesman and three-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, is located in Parliament Square, London, England. The sculptor was Matthew Noble and the Grade II-listed statue was unveiled on 11 July 1874.[1][2]

The unveiling ceremony was performed by prime minister Benjamin Disraeli and those in attendance included Derby's son, Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, Hugh Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns, Henry Liddell, 1st Earl of Ravensworth, numerous Members of Parliament and "a large number of ladies".[3] At the conclusion of his speech, following the unveiling, Disraeli said:[3]

We have raised this statue to him not only as a memorial, but as an example; not merely to commemorate but to inspire.

The four sides of the granite pedestal have bronze reliefs depicting Derby addressing the House of Commons during a debate on slavery, attending a Cabinet meeting, at a meeting of the Lancashire Relief Committee and at his inauguration as Chancellor of the University of Oxford.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Gomme, George Laurence (1910). Return of Outdoor Memorials in London: Other Than Statues on the Exterior of Buildings, Memorials in the Nature of Tombstones, Memorial Buildings and Memorial Trees. London County Council. p. 20.
  2. ^ a b Historic England. "Statue of Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby (1226372)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Unveiling of the Statue of the Earl of Derby". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 24 September 1874. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
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