Chamberlain Memorial facts for kids
The Chamberlain Memorial is a famous monument in Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, England. It was built in 1880 to honor Joseph Chamberlain (1836–1914). He was a very important person in Birmingham. Joseph Chamberlain was a businessman, a city council member, and even the mayor. Later, he became a Member of Parliament, which means he helped make laws for the country. The memorial was officially opened on October 20, 1880, with Joseph Chamberlain himself there.
Building the Memorial
People raised £3,000 to build this special monument. That was a lot of money back then! The design was created by an architect named John Henry Chamberlain. Even though they had the same last name, they were not related. John Henry was a friend of Joseph and part of the group that led Birmingham at the time.
The memorial stands about 20 meters (65 feet) tall. It is built in a style called Neo-Gothic. This style looks a bit like old churches and castles. It reminds some people of the famous Albert Memorial in London.
On the south side of the monument, there is a round picture of Joseph Chamberlain. It's a special type of carving called a portrait medallion, about 50 centimeters (20 inches) wide. This carving was made by an artist named Thomas Woolner. The fancy carvings on the top parts and the pointy spire were made by Samuel Barfield. The beautiful mosaic designs were created by Salviati Burke and Co. from Venice. They also made mosaics for the Birmingham Council House. The Chamberlain Memorial is a very important historical building, listed as Grade II.
What the Memorial Says
There is a special message carved on the memorial. It says:
This memorial is built to thank Joseph Chamberlain for his public service to this town. He became a Town Councillor in November 1869 and Mayor in November 1873. He stopped being mayor in June 1876 when he was chosen to represent Birmingham in Parliament. During his time as Mayor, many big public projects moved forward. Mostly because of his skill and hard work, the town took over the Gas and Water companies. This brought great and lasting benefits to everyone living here.
This message tells us how much Joseph Chamberlain helped Birmingham. He made sure the city owned its own gas and water services. This was a big deal and helped the people of Birmingham a lot.
Another famous landmark, the Chamberlain Clock, was also built to honor him. It was put up in 1903 in the Jewellery Quarter.
Over the years, the memorial has seen some changes. In the late 1960s, the water pools around the fountain were taken away. But in 1978, a group called The Birmingham Civic Society brought them back. They paid for the pools to be put in again to celebrate their 60th anniversary. In 1994, the tall, pointy top part of the memorial, made of Portland stone, was thoroughly cleaned.
Images for kids
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The Chamberlain Memorial and fountain
