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LONDON STATUES - THE REST

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LONDON STATUES - THE REST      So, we come to the final post of this series - sorry I couldn't come up with a more imaginative title.       B ut first, a quiz.      Name the statues - and what do the subjects  (apart from the last one)  all have in common...?     Answers at the end. Beau Brummell  (1778-1840)     Beau Brummell, the original dandy, stands elegantly in Jermyn Street - the spiritual home of British tailoring. A close friend of the Prince Regent, Brummell revolutionised men’s fashion with understated elegance: dark coats, crisp linen, and meticulous grooming - creating a template still visible in Savile Row style today. He reputedly took five hours to dress each day. His downfall came after insulting the Prince Regent; he died in poverty in France.         Jermyn Street                            ...
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LONDON STATUES - MILITARY

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LONDON STATUES - MILITARY      When I began this series, I decided to exclude military figures as they are numerous and their legacies can be contentious. However, some are simply too significant to be ignored so I've put together this brief selection - far from definitive.      And where better to start than with  what is perhaps London's most famous statue? No half measures here - no half-Nelson . Horatio Nelson (1758-1805)     Britain’s most celebrated naval commander stands immortalised atop Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square , commemorating h is decisive victory - and death - at the Battle of Trafalgar . A complex hero, he combined tactical brilliance with personal audacity, becoming a symbol of national resilience in the Age of Sail . His body was preserved in a barrel of brandy for the journey home.     Witnesses (especially Thomas Hardy) reported Nelson's last words were "Kiss me, Hardy". This is generally accepted a...
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