King Edward VII's triumphant return to Liverpool

Jun 18 2008 by Laura Sharpe, Liverpool Daily Post

A MAGNIFICENT bronze horse rode through Liverpool yesterday – on the back of a lorry to return to its rightful place back on the city’s waterfront.

After 12 months of restoration work, King Edward VII was mounted back on his plinth at the Pier Head.

And, like a horse leaving its stable for the first time, the 4.2 tonne equestrian monument was reversed out from Liverpool Conservation Centre.

With only a few centimetres to spare each side, the 4.88m high and 2.46m wide King on his horse was rolled out in his full glory, the true detail of the craftsmanship visible for the first time in many years.

After painstakingly getting the statue onto a low loader, it was then lifted by three harnesses onto its granite pedestal in front of the Cunard Building.

The statue was restored at a cost of £48,000 and despite being eroded in many places revealed the history of its past as it shed its layers.

A team of seven sculpture conservationists worked in rotation to apply laser treatment and intricate hand restoration to the figure.

Under layers of dirt and black paint applied to the sculpture some 30 years ago as a preventative top coat, a layer of yellow paint was found.

Sam Sportun, head of sculpture conservation at the centre, said: “We found layers of car primer and black paint but under that we found a layer of yellow paint.

“I’m sure it was there as a protective cover but it looked like one of Liverpool’s modern Superlambananas.

“The worst corroded areas were at the rear of the horse and underneath as they were the most exposed to the sea wind and air.

“The level of detail that is visible now is fantastic, you can really see the detail in the regalia and read the expression of the King.

“We’re really happy with it, we hope the public like it.”

Created by one of the world’s greatest sculptors, Sir William Goscombe John in 1916, it took years of painstaking work and political battles before it was officially given to the city in 1921.

The piece was commissioned as a tribute to King Edward VII, who died in 1910, after a group of leading Liverpool citizens agreed the city should raise its own memorial to the late king.

A number of sites were proposed until finally, in October 1920, the council confirmed the favoured option at the Pier Head.

It is one of a limited number of equestrian regal statues in the country and one of four in Liverpool.

laurasharpe@dailypost.co.uk