Dr Barnardo's Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Memorial to Dr Barnardo |
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| Artist | George Frampton |
| Completion date | 1908 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | Thomas John Barnardo |
| Dimensions | 4.8 m (16 ft) |
| Location | London |
| 51°35′10″N 0°05′03″E / 51.586°N 0.0843°E | |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name | Dr Barnardo's Memorial at Barnardo's |
| Designated | 22 February 1979 |
| Reference no. | 1081001 |
The Memorial to Dr Barnardo is a special statue in Barkingside, London. It honors Thomas Barnardo, who started the famous Barnardo's charity for children. Thomas Barnardo was born in Dublin. He moved to the East End of London in 1866. There, he opened many homes for children who didn't have families. These homes grew into the Barnardo's charity we know today.
Dr. Barnardo passed away in 1905. His ashes were buried in front of Cairn's House. This was the first building of his children's village in Barkingside. In 1908, this memorial was put up. The artist, George Frampton, created the sculpture for free. The memorial is a very important historical structure. It was first listed as Grade II in 1979 and then upgraded to Grade II* in 2010.
Who Was Dr. Barnardo?
Thomas John Barnardo was born in Dublin in 1845. He moved to London in 1866 to study medicine. While there, he saw how many children were living in poverty. This made a big impact on him. In 1867, he opened his first "ragged school." These schools offered free education to poor children.
By the late 1870s, Barnardo and his wife, Syrie, had done amazing work. They had opened over 50 homes and schools for children in London. This included a special Girls' Village in Barkingside. This village was designed to feel like a real village, not a strict institution. It was a new idea for children's homes. The Barnardo family even lived in the Barkingside village themselves. They received it as a wedding gift.
Dr. Barnardo died in 1905 at his home. Many people attended his funeral. His ashes were then buried in Barkingside.
About the Memorial Sculpture
The memorial was created by George Frampton. He was a famous artist. He also made the well-known Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens. Frampton gave his design for the Barnardo memorial without asking for money.
The memorial is shaped like a semi-circle. It has a large stone seat on each side. In the middle is a tall stone base. At the bottom of the base are three bronze figures of children. Above them is a bronze bust, which is a sculpture of Dr. Barnardo's head and shoulders. At the very top is a figure of a woman. She represents "Charity" and is holding two more children.
The base of the memorial has words from Dr. Barnardo's will. It says: 'I HOPE TO DIE AS I HAVE LIVED / IN THE HUMBLE BUT ASSURED FAITH OF / JESUS CHRIST / AS / MY SAVIOUR, MY MASTER AND MY KING'. The walls of the seat also have important sayings. On the left, it says: 'SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME / FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN'. On the right, it says: 'IN AS MUCH AS YE DID IT UNTO ONE OF THE LEAST / OF THESE MY BRETHREN YE DID IT UNTO ME'. There is also a small plaque for Syrie Barnardo, who passed away in 1944.
Experts like Pevsner have called the memorial "outstanding." The Duchess of Albany officially revealed it in 1908. It was recognized as a Grade II listed structure in 1979. Its importance was further recognized when it was upgraded to Grade II* in 2010.
