"The Mudlarks" - The Hard - Portsmouth, Hampshire - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

"Unveiled on the 26th. March 2010 by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Cllr. Terry Hall assisted by Cllr. Mike Hancock MP.

Back in 2004 Michael was approached by Mrs Margaret Foster, who was was elected to the council and Charles Dickens ward in 2004. To put forward ideas, with regard to a sculpture to commemorate "The Mudlarks". After undergoing a selection process, Michael received the commission in December 2008 for "The Mudlarks", and work began in January 2009.
Mud-larking was a tradition in Portsmouth for many years. Mudlarks were people of various ages, who foraged for coins thrown into the mud for them, by passers by. These "pennies" formed a welcome addition to the family incomes in some of the poorer families, but children of better-off families got into big trouble with their parents it they were caught returning home with evidence of mud-larking about them!

A plaque to the Mudlarks had been in the pavement at The Hard for sometime, as this was where "The Mudlarking" took place. The Sculpture, "The Mudlarks" by Michael Peacock, is sited near this plaque. The Mudlarks is of two life size figures; a young man standing, gazing out to sea, with a pot of pennies in his hand, and a young girl kneeing in the mud, holding up a penny to him, that she has just found.

Starting with a wood and wire mesh armature, the sculpture was built up in layers using plaster bandage and the final surface modelled up in fine plaster.
Cast in bronze by Morris Singer foundry in Braintree, Essex, the sculpture provides a permanent reminder of an old Portsmouth tradition."

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Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: The Mudlarks Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Michael Peacock Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 3/26/2010 Materials used: Bronze Location: The Hard, Portsmouth

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