Sculpture

St Michael's School, Chester Square - statue

When you have a winged character overpowering a dragon - who is it - St Michael or St George? 

Here we have St Michael. Our confidence comes from the existence of St Michael's (National) School on this site. As happens quite often, we think that when the school was demolished to make way for this rather dull 50s (?) block they rescued this piece of sculpture and placed it here in memory of the school.

Two thirds of this block, the northern part, used to be occupied by St Michael's (National) School - see 1891 map. This map shows a detached property at the centre of the southern part of the site, surrounded by, presumably, gardens. Another 1901 map shows the same arrangement. Both maps show the fountain on the corner. It's likely that the detached property had been subsumed into the school by the time the whole block was redeveloped.

Trying to find an image of the school (and failing) we kept finding it described as "St Michael's Chester Square". Certainly the church, St Michael's, is in nearby Chester Square (to the north). We can only think that the school was named after the church, including the address. Perhaps it started in a small building in Chester Square and kept the name when it moved to this much larger site. Either way it confused us and probably confused lots of people at the time.

We found a presentation book on eBay which confirms that "St Michael's School, Chester Square, London SW1" still existed in 1953.

2022: IanVisits says that the detached property was the St Michael's vicarage, last occupant Rev. James Fleming. That seems extremely likely, but we still can't find an image of it.

Site: Richard Grosvenor fountain (2 memorials)

SW1, Pimlico Road

The 1954 film 'Cocktails in the Kitchen' has Dirk Bogarde and wife living in a one-room flat in the Cundy Street flats near here and, at about 30 mins in, the camera pans past this junction showing this fountain and the statue exactly as they now are.

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
St Michael's School, Chester Square - statue

Subjects commemorated i

St Michael's School and Vicarage

Associated with St Michael's church, Chester Square.

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
St Michael's School, Chester Square - statue

Also at this site i

Richard Grosvenor fountain

Richard Grosvenor fountain

'EMW' are the initials of the Marquess's wife, Elizabeth Mary who died 1891, ...

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Nearby Memorials

Plough Lane Landmark

Plough Lane Landmark

SW19, Plough Lane

The artist's website has a photo of the textured surface in the studio. Our location shot shows WFC's double-headed eagle on one side of...

3 subjects commemorated, 7 creators
Sir Bradley Wiggins - St Augustine’s Sport Centre

Sir Bradley Wiggins - St Augustine’s Sport Centre

NW6, Oxford Road, St Augustine’s Sport Centre

As a child Wiggins attended St Augustine's School. The Brent and Kilburn Times announced the unveiling of this "Sculpture of Sir Bradley ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Lady Somerset and temperance

Lady Somerset and temperance

WC2, Victoria Embankment Gardens

The original bronze statue by Wade in 1897 was stolen in 1971 when it was sawn off at the feet. A copy by Davis of the original statue wa...

2 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
St Olav's Church - Seafarers' memorial

St Olav's Church - Seafarers' memorial

SE16, St Olav's Square, St Olav's Church

To us this is a rather eerie-looking seafarer. A colleague informs us that the Norwegian inscription translates as 'In memory of our nava...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Anna Kendall

Anna Kendall

SW3, Robinson Street, Christ Church Primary School

{On the small plaque on the wall to the left:} For Anna Kendall, headteacher of Christ Church Primary School, 1992 - 2009. From grateful ...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator