Statue of Queen Victoria, Reading facts for kids
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The statue of Queen Victoria is a famous landmark. It stands in Reading, Berkshire, a town in southern England. You can find it at the end of Friar Street. It's right outside the Town Hall.
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The Queen Victoria Statue
Who Was Queen Victoria?
Queen Victoria (1819–1901) was a very important ruler. She was the Queen of many lands in the British Empire. She was also known as the Empress of India. Because she was so important, many statues were made of her. You can find them all over the world.
About the Statue
This special statue in Reading is made from stone. It stands on a large, strong base called a plinth.
The Sculptor: George Blackall Simonds
The artist who made this statue was George Blackall Simonds (1843–1929). He was a sculptor from Reading. He also helped run the H & G Simonds Brewery. George Simonds showed his art often at the Royal Academy.
He learned his skills from famous teachers. He studied with Johannes Schilling in Dresden and Louis Jehotte in Brussels. George Simonds created over 200 art pieces. He used many different materials.
Other Works by Simonds
One of his famous works is The Falconer (1873). You can see it in Central Park, New York. Many of his bigger artworks are in or near Reading. He also made large pieces for cities in India. These include Allahabad and Calcutta.
You can see his Maiwand Lion (1866) in the Forbury Gardens in Reading. He also made statues of important people. These include the Statue of George Palmer and H. Blandy, who were both mayors of Reading.
In 1922, he designed a war memorial. This memorial is in Bradfield, Berkshire. It remembers soldiers who died in the First World War. This included his own son.
