Statue

Imperial Hotel - statue 02 - Shakespeare

Imperial Hotel - statues Imperial Hotel - statue 02 - Shakespeare

Erection date: 1898

Beard, balding head . . and the stance and outfit are very similar to those of the Scheemakers statue.

Site: Imperial Hotel - statues (21 memorials)

WC1, Russell Square

On this site there used to be a sister hotel to Hotel Russell, also designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll and erected in 1898. It was demolished in the 1960's and all that remains are these statues from the Turkish baths (on that page there is a photograph of them in their original location), bells and a galleon that now adorn the central courtyard of the current hotel.
Two groups of statues line the entrance to the underground car-park. There are six life-size, scantily clad allegorical women, two of them clutch books helpfully entitled "Literature" and "Chemistry"; one clutches a mask - indicating "Theatre" but the other three aren't telling. .And there are these 21 Tudor characters, each about 2 foot tall. The 5 bells, in decreasing size are embossed: United Kingdom MCMXII {1912}, India, Canada, Australia, South Africa. The bells and the galleon are on the casino facade. This facade also has a large, working, clock and at the centre of the courtyard there is a fountain, also working. These last two features date with the current building rather than with the statues.

The statues, created for display inside the Turkish baths, are not responding well to the exterior British climate. A layer of paint (possibly intended as protection) is peeling off and they are looking rather sorry for themselves.

Of the 21 statues, 6 of them are repeated so there are 15 personages represented. We have done our best to identify them (poring over Tudor portraits) and have managed 6 with a fair degree of certainty but that leaves 9 un-identified.

Calling all Tudor historians - can you identify these people?

2014: Spitalfields Life reports on a reunion held in a function room at the Imperial Hotel, with lots of photos.  And in some of these photos you can see versions of these statues, in glass cases.   We made a fact-finding visit and located the room as the Elizabethan Restaurant".  The statues are in much better condition than those out on the car-park ramp but there is no additional information: no labels and no sculptor's name on the statues, as far as we could see.

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Imperial Hotel - statue 02 - Shakespeare

Subjects commemorated i

William Shakespeare

Born and died in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birth date is often given as the 23...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Imperial Hotel - statue 02 - Shakespeare

Created by i

Imperial Hotel, Russell Square

Designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll.  The picture was taken in 1913 after the co...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Imperial Hotel - statue 02 - Shakespeare

Also at this site i

Imperial Hotel - statue 01 - Cromwell

Imperial Hotel - statue 01 - Cromwell

The fur collar, the cap . . . Surely this statue is the man in the Cromwell p...

Read More

Imperial Hotel - statue 03 - Elizabeth I

Imperial Hotel - statue 03 - Elizabeth I

Unmistakably Queen Elizabeth I.

Read More

Imperial Hotel - statue 06 - Drake

Imperial Hotel - statue 06 - Drake

This statue is surely modelled on the Boehm statue of Drake erected at Tavist...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Westminster Abbey A - Maximilian Kolbe

Westminster Abbey A - Maximilian Kolbe

SW1, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster Abbey - west porch

Fourteen niches on the West Front remained empty since the Abbey was built until 1998 when they were filled. The lower four are filled wi...

1 subject commemorated, 4 creators
King's Cross statue of George IV

King's Cross statue of George IV

N1, Gray's Inn Road, King's Cross junction

Our image (1835 by George Sidney Shepherd) comes from View from the Mirror where you can find an introduction to the history of the King'...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Tony Adams

Tony Adams

N7, Hornsey Road, Emirates Stadium

Unveiled in Adams's lifetime which puts him in a select club - see Fenner Brockway statue.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Whittington statue - Felbridge

Whittington statue - Felbridge

RH19, Eastbourne Road, Whittington College

Slightly smaller than life-size, we believe this statue was created by John Carew sometime between 1844 and the 1851 Great Exhibition or ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Imperial Hotel - statue 10

Imperial Hotel - statue 10

WC1, Russell Square

On this site there used to be a sister hotel to Hotel Russell, also designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll and erected in 1898. It was demolish...

1 creator