Statues

Statues - George Square

It was laid out in 1781 in honour of King George the third and remains at the heart of Glasgow. But, while the crowds in George Square come and go, one group of 12 never leave - the 11 men and one woman - who stand on the stone plinths. Here are the stories of the 12 residents of George Square.

1. James Oswald - 2. Thomas Graham - 3. William Gladstone - 4. Robert Burns - 5. James Watt - 6. Sir Robert Peel - 7. Queen Victoria - 8. Prince Albert - 9. Sir Walter Scott - 10. Thomas Campbell - 11. General Sir John Moore - 12. Field Marshall Lord Clyde

1 JAMES OSWALD ( 1779 - 1853 ) One of Glasgow’s first MPs, Oswald Street is named after him. He was one of the Liberal leaders in Glasgow who campaigned for the Reform bill in 1832. When the bill was passed Glasgow people celebrated by decorating and lighting up the streets. He represented the city from 1832-37 and 1839-47. His statue was unveiled in 1875. Back to top

2 THOMAS GRAHAM (1805-1869) A brilliant chemist, the Glasgow University graduate invented kidney dialysis. He became a student in 1819, after defying his father and refusing to enter the Church of Scotland. His statue was erected in 1872. Back to top

3 WILLIAM GLADSTONE (1809 - 1898) Born to Scottish parents, Gladstone was prime minister four times. He also served as a rector of Glasgow University. He was continually at odds with Queen Victoria but his supporters referred to him as the ‘Grand Old Man’ or ‘The People’s William’. He’s regarded as one of the greatest prime ministers. His statue was added in 1902. Back to top	>

4 ROBERT BURNS (1759-1796) Scotland’s national poet who gave the world such classics as Auld Lang Syne, A Man’s A Man for a’ That and My Luve is Like a Red Red Rose. Burns is the most famous poet to have written in the Scots language, although he wrote many poems in English with a Scots dialect. A pioneer of the Romantic movement, he was an inspiration to founders of liberalism and socialism. He collected folk songs from across Scotland, revising and adapting them to the point that they are still sung today. The statue was erected in 1877. Back to top

5 JAMES WATT (1736-1819) Greenock-born Watt developed the steam engine, which spurred the industrial revolution, while working at Glasgow University. He also developed a version of the photocopier and the term ‘horsepower’. The Watt steam engine allowed factories to run without relying on energy from water power, and became the basis for future inventors to create locomotives and steamboats. Watt’s experiments with the steam engine was the catalyst for the industrial revolution. His statue joined George Square in 1832. Back to top

6 SIR ROBERT PEEL (1788-1850) Sir Robert was a Conservative prime minister twice. He was instrumental in establishing the Metropolitan police force in London and the terms ‘Bobbies’ and ‘Peelers’ are derived from his name. He oversaw the Mines Act of 1842, which forbade the employment of women and children in mines and the 1844 Factory Act , which limited working hours for women and children in factories. In June 1846, he repealed the Corn Laws. A statue was erected in his honour in George Square in 1859. Back to top

7 QUEEN VICTORIA (1819-1901) The statue of the young queen riding her horse is on the west side of the Square. Victoria opened the City Chambers, on the east side, in 1888. She reigned over the Industrial Revolution and the expansion of the British Empire. She married Prince Albert and had nine children. She arranged marriages for her children all over Europe, establishing ties with numerous countries and earning her the affectionate title of the ‘Grandmother of Europe’. Her bravery in the face of a number of assassination attempts strengthened public feeling towards her. In a 2002 BBC poll of the 100 Greatest Britons she came eighteenth. Her statue was placed in George Square in 1854. Back to top

8 PRINCE ALBERT (1819-1861) Sitting next to Queen Victoria, again on horseback, is Prince Albert, who died in 1861. The queen is said never to have recovered from his loss. Born in Bavaria, his marriage to Victoria in 1840 was not looked upon favourably. Albert acted as advisor to the queen, and encouraged her to take a more active interest in social welfare, inviting the driving force behind several factory acts, Lord Shaftsbury, to Buckingham Palace to discuss child labour. In 1861 Albert aided in averting conflict between Britain and the United States through diplomacy, but died the following winter. Although generally disliked by the public during his life their attitude changed due to the queen’s grief after his death. She mourned him for the rest of her life. Albert’s statue joined his wife in George Square in 1866. Back to top	>

9 SIR WALTER SCOTT (1771-1832) An Edinburgh-born man taking centre stage in Glasgow? Sir Walter a poet and novelist who penned Waverley and Ivanhoe, among others. Scott was a highly regarded historical author and poet all over Europe. His works, such as Lady of the Lake and Rob Roy are viewed as classics of both English language and Scottish literature. The city fathers are said to have erected his statue in a snub to King George III - who was originally meant to be remembered by a likeness on top of the 80ft high plinth - but his failure to preserve the American Colonies along with Glasgow’s lucrative tobacco trade, saw Scott take his place. Back to top

10 THOMAS CAMPBELL (1777-1844) A respected poet and journalist, city-born Campbell was Glasgow University rector three times. He is mainly remembered for sentimental poems addressing human issues. In 1799 he wrote ‘The Pleasures of Hope’, and he produced numerous patriotic war songs such as ‘The Soldier’s Dream’. He also helped to begin plans for what is now the University of London. Although his fellow poets did not take to him, Campbell is remembered for his brilliant lyrical war poems. His statue was erected in 1877. Back to top

11 GENERAL SIR JOHN MOORE (1761-1809) Glasgow-born Moore led his troops in battle in both the American War of Independence and the Peninsular War. He was the son of a well-respected doctor and fought in Corsica and was wounded in Calvi. As MajorGeneral he was noted for his humanity. He was elected to Parliament as the member for Lanark Burghs. He went on to fight in Spain against Napoleon but was killed after setting up a strong defence as he prepared to retreat at La Corunna in 1809. His statue was erected in 1819. Back to top

12 FIELD MARSHALL LORD CLYDE (1792-1863) Glasgow-born Colin Campbell, as he was originally known, became a war hero during the Crimean War when his troops held the ‘thin red line’ against the Russian cavalry at the Battle of Balaklava. He was presented with a knighthood and a sword of honour by the people of Glasgow following his service in the Crimea. When the Indian Mutiny arose in 1857, he was accepted command of the Indian army and initiated the relief of Lucknow that year. He became a peer in 1858 and was promoted to Field Marshall the next year. He is remembered as a brave man who always led his men carefully into battle. He was always concerned with safety. His statue was raised in 1868. And of course, who could ignore the two huge lions sitting either side of the Cenotaph? Erected in remembrance of the soldiers who died during the First World War, the cenotaph was designed by Sir JJ Burnet in 1922 and is flanked by the lions designed by Ernest Gillick. Back to top