Memorial: M2957

Statue in Beacon Park, Lichfield commemorating Captain Edward John Smith RNR d. 1912 in the loss of ‘Titanic’

Location

Beacon Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England

Transcript

'COMMANDER / EDWARD JOHN SMITH RD RNR / BORN JANUARY 27 1850 DIED APRIL 15 1912 / BEQUEATHING TO HIS COUNTRYMEN / THE MEMORY AND EXAMPLE OF A GREAT HEART, / A BRAVE LIFE AND A HEROIC DEATH / BE BRITISH'

Details

Description: The bronze is a full standing figure in uniform cap and buttoned great-coat, with arms folded, looking slightly to sitter's right, the right foot slightly raised and forward on the square base, which is signed on the left side 'K. SCOTT Sc[ulpsit].'The pedestal is of unpolished granite blocks with the inscription 'CAPT. OF R.M.S. TITANIC' cut in and black-painted above an inset, square, modelled bronze plaque in the front, presumably also by Kathleen Scott. This bears emblems in the corners: (top left) a circular laurel wreath; (top right) an Admiralty fouled anchor; (bottom left); a crowned vertical oval of rope, knotted at the bottom, enclosing the ERVII monogram of Edward VII , with (to its right) a loose horizontal reef knot with the inscription 'FORTY YEARS' in the central bight; (bottom left) a medal with a bar and short ribbon above, the bar bearing the inscription 'S. AFRICA 1890-1902', and to its left a Staffordshire knot. (PvM)
Type: Statue
Materials: Bronze, granite plinth
Date Erected: 29/7/1914
Artists: Kathleen Scott
Vessel: RMS Titanic

People

Smith, Edward John
Age: 62
Date of Death: 15/4/1912
Cause of Death: Vessel Loss
Rank / Occupation: Master
Organisation: Royal Naval Reserve

Extra

Notes: Unveiled 29 July 1914 by Smith's daughter Helen.
Bibliography: David Saunders 'Maritime Memorials & Mementoes' (Yeovil, 1996) p. 68 (photo); 'The Times' (27 September 1913) p. 8. Ann Savours 'Kathleen Scott's Statue of Captain Smith of the Titanic', 'Mariner's Mirror' vol. 95, No. 4. (November 2009) pp. 478-483.
Recorder: Pieter van der Merwe
Photographer: Pieter van der Merwe

JSON

{
  "post_id": "2243",
  "id": "M2957",
  "location": "Beacon Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England",
  "transcript": "'COMMANDER / EDWARD JOHN SMITH RD RNR / BORN JANUARY 27 1850 DIED APRIL 15 1912 / BEQUEATHING TO HIS COUNTRYMEN / THE MEMORY AND EXAMPLE OF A GREAT HEART, / A BRAVE LIFE AND A HEROIC DEATH / BE BRITISH'",
  "content": "<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://memorials.rmg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/M2957Large.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6719\" width=\"259\" height=\"358\" srcset=\"https://memorials.rmg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/M2957Large.jpg 500w, https://memorials.rmg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/M2957Large-217x300.jpg 217w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 259px) 100vw, 259px\" /></figure>\n\n\n<p>Statue in Beacon Park, Lichfield commemorating Captain Edward John Smith RNR d. 1912 in the loss of ‘Titanic’</p>",
  "images": ["/uploads/2014/05/M2957Large.jpg","/uploads/2014/05/M2957Large-217x300.jpg"],
  "categories": ["Vessel Loss"],
  "details": {
    "description": "The bronze is a full standing figure in uniform cap and buttoned great-coat, with arms folded, looking slightly to sitter's right, the right foot slightly raised and forward on the square base, which is signed on the left side 'K. SCOTT Sc[ulpsit].'The pedestal is of unpolished granite blocks with the inscription 'CAPT. OF R.M.S. TITANIC' cut in and black-painted above an inset, square, modelled bronze plaque in the front, presumably also by Kathleen Scott. This bears emblems in the corners: (top left) a circular laurel wreath; (top right) an Admiralty fouled anchor; (bottom left); a crowned vertical oval of rope, knotted at the bottom, enclosing the ERVII monogram of Edward VII , with (to its right) a loose horizontal reef knot with the inscription 'FORTY YEARS' in the central bight; (bottom left) a medal with a bar and short ribbon above, the bar bearing the inscription 'S. AFRICA 1890-1902', and to its left a Staffordshire knot. (PvM)",
    "type": "Statue",
    "position": "",
    "materials": "Bronze, granite plinth",
    "dateErected": "29/7/1914",
    "artists": "Kathleen Scott",
    "vessel": "RMS Titanic"  },
  "event": {
    "event":"",
    "date": "",
    "category": ""  },
  "people": [{"name":"Smith, Edward John","age":"62","dateofdeath":"15/4/1912","causeofdeath":"Vessel Loss","rankOccupation":"Master","organisation":"Royal Naval Reserve"}],
  "extra": {
    "notes": "Unveiled 29 July 1914 by Smith's daughter Helen.",
    "bibliography": "David Saunders 'Maritime Memorials & Mementoes' (Yeovil, 1996) p. 68 (photo); 'The Times' (27 September 1913) p. 8. Ann Savours 'Kathleen Scott's Statue of Captain Smith of the Titanic', 'Mariner's Mirror' vol. 95, No. 4. (November 2009) pp. 478-483.",
    "recorder": "Pieter van der Merwe",
    "photographer": "Pieter van der Merwe"  }
}

Commemorating seafarers and victims of maritime disasters