Robert Waithman Obelisk - Salisbury Square, London, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 51° 30.810 W 000° 06.380
30U E 700778 N 5710900
This obelsih, a dedication to Robert Waithman, stands in the centre of a small garden in Salisbury Square that lies to the south of Fleet Street. Waithman was a 19th century politician.
Waymark Code: WMEJ3Q
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 06/03/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member saopaulo1
Views: 2

The grey, granite obelisk stands about six metres (twenty feet) high. On the base of the obelisk is a carved inscription in gold lettering that reads:

Erected
to the memory
of
Robert
Waithman
by
his friends and
fellow citizens
MDCCCXXXIII

Fixed to the obelisk, above the inscription on the base, is a plaque that reads:

'The friend of Liberty in evil times'
Robert Waithman
Lord Mayor - 1823-4
Sheriff - 1820-1
Member of Parliament - 1818-20; 1826-33
Died - 1833
This monument was erected by his friends and fellow-citizens

At the base of the obelisk is a stainless steel plaque that is etched with the words:

The environmental improvements and landscaping to
Salisbury Square
were donated by Land Securities Plc to mark the 800th
anniversary of the Mayoralty of the City of London (1189-1989)
Officially dedicated on 24th July 1990 by
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor Sir Hugh Bidwell, GBE, DLit

Architects: epr Architects Ltd
Contractor: Tarmac Construction Ltd
Landscaping: City of London Parks and Gardens Department

The Cat's Meat Shop blog (visit link) tells more of the obelisk:

"The Lost Obelisk of Ludgate

I've often wondered, looking at 19th C. pictures of London, why there was an obelisk at Ludgate, when it got there, and when it disappeared.

The obelisk is in the middle of the carriage-way, surrounded by railings and (oil) lamps attached. The obelisk is still there, minus the lamps, at the end of the century, even after the junction has been expanded to become 'Ludgate Circus' in the 1860s.

A closer look at this picture actually reveals two obelisks, something I had not realised. Fortunately, it doesn't take long to Google the answer.

The first of the two obelisks was, seemingly, erected in honour of 18th C. politician John Wilkes (1727-97) but Public Sculpture in the City of London by Philip Ward-Jackson (a book which I am now going to buy) tells us different:

'For over a century and a half after his death, it was believed ... that Wilkes was commemorated by an obelisk with lights attached to it at the southern end of Farringdon Street ... An inspection of the Corporation Records in 1949, however, proved that this had originally been erected by the Blackfriars Bridge Committee as a street lamp, and had had Wilkes' name placed on it only because it was put up in his mayoralty. The obelisk had deteriorated to such an extent by this time, that, when in the following year, an attempt was made to dismantle it, it disintegrated.'

This is supported by various references in the press, and a final mention in the Times that the obelisk was 'erected in 1775 by the Blackfriars Bridge Committee to 'support four lamps to enlighten the footway'.' So much for obelisk no.1 (the most southerly, nearest the bridge). What about the second one?

The same book, luckily, gives the answer. It was erected in 1833 to honour the memory of the recently deceased Robert Waithman, a linen draper whose premises were nearby. Waithman was also a prominent City of London politician, and was voted City member of parliament in five successive elections; hence it's understandable why future generations assumed the other obelisk was built to honour another 'radical' politician, Wilkes.

There's a lovely piece in the Times about the opening of the monument, and why it was contained by railings:

THE WAITHMAN OBELISK - Although it has been objected that the people of England are too prone to destruction of works of art, and that England is the only country in Europe where it is necessary to protect such works by iron railways, and to request persons to leave their sticks and parasols below at exhibitions of pictures, and to keep them at arm's length by bars, the committee and architect of the Waithman's obelisk, in consideration of the extreme hardness of the materials, and the broad simplicity of the design, had determined not to enclose it with railing, but to give their fellow-citizens an opportunity of redeeming this part of the national character. Yet a few hours had hardly passed after opening it to the public when wanton curiosity, to ascertain whether it was real granite or not, has injured and defaced the fine arrisses and points of some of the bold Roman letters, and other parts of the sculpture, and dirty feet marks are visible in clambering on the steps and cornice. The British nation have now the disgrace of seeing this beautiful work of art enclosed by a temporary chevaux de frise, till the committee surround it by an iron railing.

The Wilkes obelisk, as mentioned above, disintegrated. It was not only fragile but 'sinking perceptibly into the gentlemen's lavatory beneath it.' The Waithman memorial, however, survived. It was removed and replaced with the new innovation of automatic traffic lights. It was sent to Bartholomew Close, near Aldersgate, then moved again in 1975 to Salisbury Square / Salisbury Court.

It's still there today, somewhat unknown and unloved. I've seen it many times and never realised its origin.
"

The Welsh Biography Online website (visit link) gives a brief biography of Waithman:

"WAITHMAN , ROBERT ( 1764 - 1833 ), lord mayor of London ; b. at Wrexham in 1764 , the son of John Waithman , of Warton, Lancs. , a joiner at the Bersham furnace , and of his wife, Mary ( Roberts ) . He served in a linen-draper's shop in London , and, about 1786 , opened a shop of his own, first in Fleet Market , and then at 103 and 104 Fleet Street . He m., on 14 July 1787 , his cousin, Mary Davis . He amassed a considerable fortune. Under the influence of the French Revolution he became a strong advocate of radical reform . He became Member of Parliament for the city of London in 1818 , and again won the seat in 1826 , holding it until his death. He was sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1820 , and lord mayor in 1823 . He d. on 6 Feb. 1833 , in Woburn Place , and was buried in the church of S. Bride's , Fleet Street ."

Date Created/Placed: 1833

Address:
Salisbury Square London United Kingdom


Height: Six metres - twenty feet

Website: [Web Link]

Illuminated: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
Give a narrative of your experience. What did you think of the obelisk? Did you learn anything? Photos are always welcome too. Please no virtual visits.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Obelisks
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
There are no logs for this waymark yet.