Region ID

Work ID

Manual Reference

Title

Sculptor

Date of design

Year of unveiling

Unveiling details

Road

Precise Location

A to Z Ref

OS Ref

Postcode

Work is

Listing Status

Duty of Care

Commissioned by

Notes

Seated figure of a female with a book on her lap; to her right is the figure of a young boy standing. She is looking at the child, her right hand around him, her left arm outstretched, the hand pointing to the future. The boy is dressed in a tunic with a belt and a coat, at his feet are a cricket bat and ball. Sculpture surmounts a low stone base.

'Education', a didactic sculpture of a mother and child, was one of the four supporting groups sculpted by Hamo Thornycroft for the London Gladstone Memorial. The memorial was completed in 1905. A bronze copy of 'Education' was purchased by James Cockcroft, who presented it to the people of Shaw and Crompton in 1919. Cockcroft was a leading local employer in Shaw, a man who also took an active role in the public affairs of the fast-growing cotton town. In 1907 he had opened the town's new public library, a Carnegie-supported institution. Cockcroft was a strong advocate of public libraries. In donating the sculpture he indicated that he wanted it positioned in the entrance hall, to be 'an inspiring object to the youth, and I hope the adults of our village.' This was done and the sculpture was handed over officially in July 1919. A plaque commemorating the event read: 'Presented by James William Cockcroft as a token of love and respect for his native village and in grateful acknowledgment of many benefits received by him.' 'Education' remained an imposing feature of the library until 1975 when because of the need for additional space it was decided to remove it. The Arts and Recreation Committee of the recently established Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council considered the matter and concluded that the statue was of little artistic interest and could be sold for its scrap value. The decision provoked angry local protests, causing the committee to call in an art expert for a more considered assessment. At the same time 'a reputable scrap-dealer' reported that the scrap value would not be as large as had been first assumed. The original decision to scrap 'Education' was rescinded, and it was agreed to search out a suitable outdoor location in the town. A small public garden on Chamber Road, close to the former home of the Cockcroft family, was proposed but, when the location was made public, the residents voiced strong objections. In the mean time, the statue was removed from the library and stored in a council yard. The problem of finding a site was finally resolved when it was agreed to place it in the churchyard of St James', a church with which the Cockcroft family had been associated. After some further delays, in February 1976 the sculpture, mounted on a short stone base, was placed in a small garden situated between the church and the parish room, formerly the church school.

circa

raw year

Condition

At risk

Inscriptions

Signatures

sculpture

bronze

178 cm high x 98 cm long x 88 cm wide

Bird guano

None