Gates

Hobbs Gates

Erection date: 1934

Inscription

The Hobbs Gates - in honour of a great Surrey and England cricketer.

See Alpha Rail for a close-up photo of these lovely Art Deco gates during their restoration in 2013. "Significant changes were being made to the Hobbs Gate entrance to improve access at this historic entrance. ... In 1934 Jack Hobbs retired as the leading batsman in the world and the ‘Jack Hobbs Gates’ opened and became one of the major ground entrances at the Oval." Wikipedia has Hobbs announcing his retirement in February 1935. Shared Knights describes a menu from the "Farewell Dinner to J.B. Hobbs. To commemorate his retirement from County Cricket’ The Dorchester Hotel, London, 17th July 1935. Arranged by ‘The Star’ newspaper. Large official menu, with original decorative covers, with tribute by Neville Cardus, Toasts, table plan, after Dinner entertainment, guest list and two photographs, one of the ‘Hobbs Gates’ at The Oval, the other one of Hobbs, head and shoulders ...".

The gates themselves and the railings have minimal ornamentation but the overthrow above the gates is elegantly designed. However we have failed to find the designer responsible.

Site: Hobbs Gates + first Test (2 memorials)

SE11, Kennington Oval, Hobbs Gates

From British History Online: "During the war of 1939–45 the Oval suffered both from bombing and from neglect. It was used as a searchlight site and subsequently set out, though never used, as a prisoner-of-war camp. In 1945, after de-requisitioning, 40,000 turves from Gravesend were laid, and cricket was resumed at the beginning of the season of 1946."

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Hobbs Gates

Subjects commemorated i

Sir Jack Hobbs

Professional cricketer who played for Surrey 1905-34 and for England in 61 Te...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Hobbs Gates

Also at this site i

First Test Match in England

First Test Match in England

The "D.R. London S.E.5" is puzzling. The Oval is in the SE11 post code, not S...

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Nearby Memorials

WW1 gates at BMA

WW1 gates at BMA

WC1, Tavistock Square

2019: We are grateful to Justin Barkham who pointed out that we had incorrectly transcribed the text on the shield as 'Memory and peace' ...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Borough of Holborn

Borough of Holborn

WC2, St Giles High Street, St Giles Church

St Giles-in-the-Fields was founded as a leper hospital by Matilda, Queen of Henry I in 1101; it was dissolved in 1539 and its former chap...

1 subject commemorated
York Watergate

York Watergate

WC2, Victoria Embankment Gardens

The streets laid out on the site of York House were named: Villiers Street, Duke Street, Buckingham Street, George Court and Of Alley (no...

4 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Sir Follett Holt

Sir Follett Holt

EC3, Byward Street, Tower Hill Terrace

Since they are rather lovely we chose to photo one of the gate-post sculpted finials rather than the inscription.  The other sculpture de...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
George Inn - gate

George Inn - gate

SE1, Borough High Street, 77, George Inn Yard

Records of this coaching inn date back to 1542 although the current building dates back to 1676 when it was rebuilt following a devastati...

3 subjects commemorated