Memorial day - 43

Some years ago, walking along the Victoria Embankment, on the River Thames north bank, just downstream from the Boudicca monument - the subject of Memorial Day 41 - I saw a notice attached to a large block of granite. It was an official notice enquiring if anybody had claim to ownership of the block and site. Apparently it was one of those anomalies where there was no ownership on record. Fortunately no one claimed ownership, and the location became the site of the Battle of Britain monument unveiled by Prince Charles in September 2005.

The bronze panels on the monument are the work of Paul Day. He was also the sculptor of The Meeting Place the subject of Memorial Day 37.

I must admit, due to its shape - a 25 meter long block of granite - it was not an easy monument to photograph, so I leave you with a number of thumbnail shots.

Memorial day - 37

The subject of last week's Memorial day 36 was the statue of John Betjeman in the recently renovated St Pancras Station. I mentioned in passing another new work of art installed in the station - Paul Day's The Meeting Place.

Unfortunately, this is one work of art which does not work. Standing 9 metres high, the 20 tonne bronze statue is out of scale for the location. Standing in the centre of a large square surrounded by buildings, it might just work. But located in a indoor concourse, it stands up like a sore thumb.

Because of its hight you have to stand well back to see it. But in doing so you are distracted by the public address speakers and more so by the magnificent roof structure. At eye level all you see are the shoes, which make an interesting photograph.

Regrettably it fails to convey the intended representation of the romance of travel. It should have been just over life size, with the figures standing on the floor, not on a plinth.

Memorial day - 36

St Pancras station was opened in 1868 as a monument to the age of Victorian architecture and railways. It has had a chequered history, while being a landmark Victorian building, operationally it was overshadowed by its neighbour Kings Cross. There was a debate during the 1960's on whether it should be demolished. Fortunately it was saved and now has a promising future as the London terminus for the high speed rail link to the Euro Tunnel. Following a £800 million pound makeover it has now reopened- all be it on the occasions I've been there, there have been as many photographers photographing the splendid structure as passengers waiting to board the Euro Train.

Two public works of art have been installed in the concourse: the 9 metre high bronze sculpture The Meeting Place by Paul Day, and the subject of today's blog a bronze sculpture of Sir John Betjeman by Martin Jennings.

The statue captures all of John Betjeman's youthful enthusiasm for all things Victorian and especially steam engines and the railway system. Much to the joy of the British public he was appointed Poet Laureate in 1972. In the 1960's he led the fight to save St Pancras from demolition.

In life he brought a smile and a laugh to peoples lives, this statue will continue to do so in perpetuity.