Statue

(relocated) Captain Richard Maples - gone

Erection date: 1680

Inscription

{On the front of the plinth:}
To the memory of Cap. Richard Maples (who dying Commander of a shipp in the East Indies in the year 1680, left to the Trinity House ye value of 1300L in which part of these Almes-houses were built) the said Corpn. caused this statue to be erected Anno 1680.

This B&W photo is from London Picture Archive where it is captioned: "Trinity Almshouses, statue of Captain Richard Maples, removed from Deptford Almshouses, with almshouses in the background".  Spitalfields Life have another photo of the statue in the same place captioned "Capt Maples at Trinity Almshouse, Mile End Rd, c. 1920". Lost Hospitals tells of an additional forty almshouses being built in the second half of the 19th century behind the chapel, around another central green and the statue being placed there.

Site: Captain Richard Maples statue - gone (1 memorial)

E1, Mile End Road, Trinity Almshouses - green north of church

This statue has lived in 3 different homes and has been rather difficult to research with much certainty.

The dates vary depending on source but the journey is roughly: The statue was erected at the Deptford almshouses in 1680. When they closed (dates given range 1866-77) the statue was transferred to the Mile End almshouses. In WW2 it was moved to Trinity House where we understand it is now (2021) on display in the central stairway, as shown in the colour photograph, from Wikipedia.

English 18th Century Portrait Sculpture writes: "In 1681 Latham completed a statue in lead of Captain Richard Maples, a benefactor of Trinity House, for which he was paid £45. This was originally placed in the Trinity Almshouses at Deptford, but was moved in 1873 to the corporation’s almshouses in the Mile End Road and then to Trinity House itself during World War II. The imposing figure, originally posed on an inscribed pedestal, is presented in uniform with naval instruments at his feet. It was one of the first lead portrait statues in London and was painted to simulate stone."

Contradicting that, PPL write: "The bronze statue was created in 1683 by Jasper Latham and said to be the first lead encapsulated with Coade stone."

Maples' clothes have a rather eastern look so we were surprised to see Maples described as being "in uniform".  We couldn't find any images of 17th century British seafarers dressed like this, but then we found a "Portrait of a Dutch navigator" wearing almost exactly the same bizarre outfit.

The header picture at Trinity House shows a statue at the centre of the Mile End courtyard, in 1896. Surely that must be Maples. However this contradicts Lost Hospitals who say it was placed behind the chapel.

We have 'pinned' this statue to its last public location, and marked it as relocated since it is at a known location, though not on public view.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Captain Richard Maples - gone

Subjects commemorated i

Captain Richard Maples

Benefactor of Trinity House Almshouses. From John Stype's A Survey... : "Ann...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Captain Richard Maples - gone

Created by i

Jaspar Latham

Master mason who worked with Christopher Wren in the City of London after the...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Frieze of Parnassus - Grinling Gibbons

Frieze of Parnassus - Grinling Gibbons

SW7, Kensington Road

The monument, officially titled the Prince Consort National Memorial, celebrates Victorian achievement and Prince Albert's passions and i...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Burlington House - Raphael

Burlington House - Raphael

W1, Piccadilly, Royal Academy

This building is commonly known as the Royal Academy (of Arts). The wings of the building are occupied by a number of learned societies, ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Black Bull Inn, W6

Black Bull Inn, W6

W6, King Street, 257

This is a much travelled bull. It was sculpted by Obadiah Pulham at Woodbridge in Suffolk, during the early 19th century. Transported to ...

3 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
V&A façade - Wedgwood

V&A façade - Wedgwood

SW7, Cromwell Road

Excluding the allegories (such as Knowledge) there are 36 statues on the two public façades of the V&A Museum, on Exhibition Road and...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
James Walker

James Walker

SE16, Brunswick Quay

{On a nearby bench:} Plaque 1:The characters for this Portrait Bench chosen by your community celebrate Sustrans winning a nationwide vo...

1 subject commemorated, 3 creators

Previously viewed

Rick Hunter

Rick Hunter

N16, Northwold Road

On a re-visit, 10 years later in 2021, the plaque had been firmly screwed to its backing panel and that panel together with its stake was...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
H. J. Evans

H. J. Evans

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Ernest Bitmead

Ernest Bitmead

Wing Commander Ernest Ralph Bitmead was born in 1913, the second of the seven children of Ralph Bitmead (1885-1961) and Naomi Bitmead née Dodd (1890-1974). His birth was registered in the 2nd quart...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW2
1 memorial
T. Higgs, Esq.

T. Higgs, Esq.

One of the managers of the 1873-75 changes at Aske’s Hospital.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial