Eric Shackle's Column
By
Eric Shackle
Dickens Disliked These
Statues
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The famous British author and social reformer, Charles
Dickens (1812-1870) wanted to be remembered by the
books he had written, and not by statues.
So he would not have been worried when vandals 40
years ago removed a marble statue showing him holding
a quill and a scroll of paper, from an honored
position in Sydney's Centennial Park.
The statue was recently exhumed from the backyard
of a house in the Blue Mountains, an hour's drive west
from Sydney.
It has now been restored to its original position
in Centennial Park.
The only other life-sized statue of Dickens (whose
books are still popaular in many countries) is in the
U.S. -- in Clark Park, West Philadelphia (aptly named
the city of brotherly love).
American sculptor Frank Elwell designed and cast a
beautiful grouping of Dickens and Little Nell.
In his home country, a monument to Dickens will be
erected in Portsmouth to be featured in next year's
celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the
great author’s birth.
Rare Charles Dickens statue restored to Sydney park
after 40 years missing.
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Related story: Off With Their Heads!
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http://bdb.co.za/shackle//articles/beheaded.htm
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www.mirror.co.uk/.../hard-times-over-charles-
dickens-statue-115875-22913838/
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See Below: Sydney's life size statue of Charles
Dickens, one of only two in the world. Photo: EPA
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