Statue of John Cass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Statue of John Cass |
|
|---|---|
The original statue in the Guildhall, 2014
|
|
| Artist | Louis-François Roubiliac |
| Year | 1751 |
| Subject | John Cass |
| Location | Guildhall, City of London |
The statue of John Cass is a lead figure designed by Louis-François Roubiliac of the English merchant and Member of Parliament, John Cass (1661–1718). The original statue of 1751 now stands in the Guildhall in London, and a number of copies stand in various places, including a fibreglass replica at the John Cass Institute in Jewry Street, installed in 1998.
In June 2020, during the anti-racism protests in Britain following the killing of George Floyd in the United States, many controversial statues became the target of attacks and scrutiny. The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, established the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm in order to review statues and monuments in the city. The statues of John Cass have been included in the review due to his involvement in the slave trade.
History
The Sir John Cass Foundation commissioned the original statue in 1751. It stood for many years on Aldgate High Street, before being relocated to the John Cass Institute in Jewry Street in 1869. The statue was finally relocated to the Guildhall in 1980.
Following the removal to the Guildhall, a fibreglass replica was created, which now stands in the niche of the John Cass Institute in Jewry Street. The replica has stood since 1998.
A number of further copies have been made, one of which stands in the entrance lobby of the London Metropolitan University. Another statue which stood at the University of East London in Newham was removed on 11 June 2020 following the George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom.
