Statues and monuments
The Prince Albert statue
By the roadside as you leave Halifax for Huddersfield, on a patch of green known locally as Sparrow Park, stands a statue of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s Consort.
The statue was originally located at Ward’s End in Horton Street. It was unveiled by Sir Francis Crossley on September 17 1864 in a formal ceremony preceded by a procession from the Town Hall involving military bands, clergy, JP and other prominent citizens. Around 10,000 spectators watched the procession.
Before long, the statue was the focus of controversy. People claimed that the sculptor Thomas Thornycroft, who also created the famous Boadicea statue on London’s Embankment, had got the horse’s legs wrong. Moreover, the rumour was that when the sculptor discovered his error he committed suicide!
In fact the horse’s unusual gait is a kind of trot known as ambling, producing a smooth and easy ride. Prince Albert and Nimrod, the horse used as the model for the statue, would probably have favoured this style.
As for the sculptor, Thomas Thornycroft in fact lived on for another 21 years after completing the statue and died at the age of 70.
The sculpture is 9ft high and stands on a 7ft granite pedestal. Made in bronze, it weighs around 1.5 tons and was paid for by public subscription following the Prince’s death in December 1861. It was moved to its present location at Albert Park, Skircoat in June 1900 because of increased road traffic at Ward’s End.
A photo of the statue in its original location can be found on the From Weaver to Web website under the Prince Consort Memorial|
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Town Hall, Crossley Street, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 1UJ
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