Earl Frederick Sleigh Roberts V.C

Submit a new image

Reference WMO/70921

Address:

Kelvingrove Park

Glasgow

G3 8AG

Scotland

Open large map

War Memorials Trust case: War Memorials Trust needs to avoid Contributors changing location/description details as we help to protect and conserve this war memorial through our casework. You can still add photographs, update condition and use the tabs below. If you believe any of the information you cannot edit is wrong or information is missing, please make a note of the reference number and include it in your email when you contact us.

Status: On original site
Type: Freestanding
Location: External
Setting: Within a garden/park/churchyard/enclosure/Marketplace
Description: Serviceman/woman sculpture
Materials:
  • Metal Bronze
  • Stone Stone (any)
Lettering: Incised
Conflicts:
  • Afghanistan (1800-1899)
  • Boer War, Second (1899-1902)
  • Colonial India
  • Indian Mutiny (1857-1858)
About the memorial: Category ‘A’ Listed Monument to Earl Frederick Sleigh Roberts,V.C., of Khandahar, Pretoria and Waterford (1916) Kelvingrove Park Glasgow. A 3.5 m high Equestrian Bronze statue on 5.64m high granite pedestal - monument contains two major subsidiary figures ‘War’ and ‘Victory’ and narrative reliefs. This bronze equestrian statue shows Earl Roberts VC on his favourite Arab Charger ‘Volonel’. The statue is superimposed upon an elaborate granite pedestal and framing bronze bas reliefs featuring horse artillery and native cavalry, Highlanders, Ghurkhas and Sikhs. Two bronze allegorical seated figures of War in ancient armour (south-east facing) and Victory seated on the prow of the Ship of State (north-west facing) completes the composition. Roberts’ African and Eastern campaigns are enumerated on the south face of the pedestal, and his decorations illustrated with bronze replicas, including his VC won during the Indian Mutiny, 1858. Perhaps the most famous statue in Kelvingrove is the stunning homage to Earl Frederick Sleigh Roberts V.C. (1832-1914). The Earl Robert’s Monument is a narrative piece of international standing, described in its day as ‘the finest equestrian statue of modern times’. Although executed by Henry Poole, this structure is an exact duplicate of Harry Bates’ equestrian masterpiece which stands proudly in the Maidan in Calcutta. Earl Roberts was the saviour of the British Empire, and its honour, on a number of occasions in the perpetual colonial wars fought throughout Queen Victoria’s reign. “Bobs” to his soldiers, the epitome of the dashing Victorian officer, Roberts was awarded a Victoria Cross during the Indian Mutiny whilst only 26 years old, and is thought to be the possible inspiration for George Macdonald Fraser’s heroic ‘Flashman’ novels. A serving soldier for more than fifty years, Roberts rose through the ranks to become the head of the armed services and died during the Great War at the retreat from the Marne, aged 82. This statue to commemorate the iconic hero of the British Empire was built by public subscription from the grateful people of Glasgow and unveiled in 1916. A national hero by the time he took Glasgow by storm on his first visit to the city in 1903, Roberts had recently subdued the Boers in South Africa and had already become a legend with his epic retreat from Khabul to Khandahar during the Afghan War of 1878. Interestingly his son also was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. This masterpiece is complemented by Harry Bates’ triptych bronze Aeneid reliefs in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which can be seen in the context of other New Sculpture by George Frampton, Derwent Wood and others in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. Sculptor: Henry Poole
Report this condition update

View more details
Report this condition update

View more details

Grants to support the repair and conservation of war memorials are available from the charity War Memorials Trust if it has raised funds. Support is focused on war memorials in Very bad or Poor condition or where there is a serious Concern.

Before applying for a grant you should read the advice available on War Memorials Trust`s website. The What we can and cannot fund helpsheet explains what types of work the charity can fund.

If you believe your project is eligible for a grant you should complete the Pre-application enquiry form. You will need to be registered and logged in to complete this.

The Pre-application enquiry form is a series of questions to see if your project is eligible. If it is, you will need to provide further details and submit current colour photographs of the war memorial in either a png, gif, jpg or jpeg format.

You can save your Pre-application enquiry form as you go along. Once submitted War Memorials Trust will respond.

Please be aware that a summary of your enquiry, without your contact details, will appear on this page once submitted. This ensures others are aware that an enquiry has been made and can read the response to avoid duplicate enquiries. Information provided by you to us will be used for the purpose of managing the grant enquiry, for further details please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

As a charity, War Memorials Trust relies on voluntary donations and every contribution, no matter how large or small, makes a really big difference to our work. Your donation will help protect and conserve war memorials for future generations so please support War Memorials Trust’s work.

Report this comment
Report this comment

(north face)FIELD MARSHAL EARL ROBERTS/ OF KANDAHAR PRETORIA AND/ WATERFORD V.C. K.G. K.P./ G.C.B. O.M. G.C.S.I G.C.I.E./ Born in India/ 30th September 1832/ Died in France while on a visit to the/ troops engaged in the Great War/ 14th November 1914 (south face)INDIAN MUTINY UMBEYLA/ ABYSSINIA LUSHAI AF(G)HANISTAN/ BURMAH SOUTH AFRICA/ "I seem to see the gleam in the near distance/ of the weapons and accoutrements of this army/ of the future, this Citizen Army, the warder of/ these islands, and the pledge of the peace and/ of the continued greatness of this Empire"/ Extract from Lord Roberts' speech/ in Glasgow on 6th May 1913

A (Scotland)

LB32211

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required