Tuesday, July 20, 2010

AREN'T WE "GLAD"

By Robert Borrill, Dying Gladiator pub, Bigby Street, Brigg

Work has started on the restoration of the Gladiator statue. It is being undertaken by Simon Cottle and his team of restorators from Lincoln University. The statue is in a very poor condition and is expected to take the team a week to complete all the repairs to the body. Not sure what we can do with the head!
The Gladiator statue is such an iconic landmark in Brigg and I am so pleased that a team has been pulled together the preserve it. Rachel Faulding, of Lincoln University, pulled the project together and has a personal interest as her ancestors used to run the pub.

3 comments:

Ken Harrison said...

William Clark sculptured the DG in 1863.
Therefore, the DG statue will be 150 years old in 2013,
William C proabably based the DG on the statue (in Rome) of the 3rd century BC, Dying Gaul. There is, however, a bronze copy in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
William C was the landlord of the DG pub.
William C. was a friend of the Elwes family who lived nearby (later, Convent House).
William C, also sculptured a bust of a young boy....it was large enough to be erected above (on the roof) a large corner shop in the main shopping centre of Hull. Like the DG, the bust was an iconic feature of the area.
It was still there before WW2.

.......And now for something completely different, the 2012 Olympics start in 2 years time (?tomorrow)....I'm practising for the high jump!

Ken Harrison said...

Just occurred to me....What is the connection between William Clark, the caption, 'Aren't We Glad' and a ?1964 hit song?

Answer: The group, The Dave Clark 5 reached the top with 'Glad All Over' in (methinks) 1964.

NIGEL FISHER said...

We have a well-known Dave Clark in Brigg.