Other

Silver Jubilee urn

Erection date: 1977

Inscription

{Around the rim of the bowl:}
Erected to commemorate the silver jubilee of H M Queen Elizabeth 1952 - 1977.

{On the ground in front of the urn:}
1952 - 1977
In times when nothing stood
But worsened or grew strange
There was one constant good
She did not change
Larkin

{On the ground behind the urn:}
A nation's a soul
A soul is a wheel
With a crown for a hub
To keep it whole
Hughes

Hughes became Poet Laureate a few years later and Larkin was of similar standing. In our view their lines for the jubilee do not greatly advance the cause of poetry.

2022: The Guardian Letters page of Saturday 12 February 2022 included a letter from David Evans of Exeter giving Larkins' poem plus: "Revealing, perhaps, as much his ambivalent feelings about Hughes as any he had about the monarchy, Larkin included a pastiche of what he imagined Hughes would write:
The sky split apart in malice
Stars rattled like pans on a shelf
Crow shat on Buckingham Palace
God pissed himself."

2024: We were delighted to see that moss has picked out the lettering, making it almost jewel-like.  Has nature done this with no assistance, or has someone help with judicious use of yoghurt?  Whatever - it's lovely. 

Site: Silver Jubilee urn (1 memorial)

WC1, Queen Square

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:
Silver Jubilee urn

Subjects commemorated i

Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II

The twenty-fifth anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II.  This wa...

Read More

Queen Elizabeth II

Born 17 Bruton Street, to the Duke and Duchess of York. For information on wh...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Silver Jubilee urn

Created by i

Ted Hughes

Born 1 Aspinall Street, Mytholmroyd, Yorkshire. Appointed Poet Laureate in 1...

Read More

Philip Larkin

Born Coventry. Larkin spent 30 years in the northern port city of Hull workin...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Mosaic House, front - Kenny Whitmore taxi

Mosaic House, front - Kenny Whitmore taxi

W4, Fairlawn Grove, 4-6

This house is/was the home of artist Carrie Reichardt. Across the top of the first floor bay window: "I'm an artist, your rules don't app...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Clock at BMA

Clock at BMA

WC1, Tavistock Square

The BMA courtyard is not accessible to the public but one can see the fountain, the memorial gates and the clock by peering through the f...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Karla Roman

Karla Roman

E1, Whitechapel High Street

Killed at 9am as she cycled to work, by a coach. As far as we can tell the coach turned left across her path, as she also turned left out...

2 subjects commemorated
Sante Maria weather vane

Sante Maria weather vane

WC2, Temple Place, 2

Made of beaten copper.  War-damaged in 1944 it was restored and re-erected in 1950.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Mark Evison

Mark Evison

SE21, Dulwich Village

"Farewell great heart" is a quote from Henry IV Part I; Prince Hal says the line when he thinks his friend Falstaff has been killed in ba...

War dead | Other war
1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

The El-Wahabi orchard

The El-Wahabi orchard

W11, St Marks Road , Thomas Jones Primary School

The El-Wahabi family lived on the 21st floor.

6 subjects commemorated
Philip Bentham
1 memorial
St George's Circus - obelisk

St George's Circus - obelisk

SE1, St George's Circus

Diamond Geezer has a very good post on this piece of street furniture but, surprisingly, he does not comment on the accuracy of the measu...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
The Mayor's and City of London Courts

The Mayor's and City of London Courts

EC2, Guildhall Buildings

This tablet records the amalgamation of the Mayor's Court and the City of London Court on the first of January, A.D. 1921 pursuant to the...

1 subject commemorated