The statue, sculpted by Matthew Jennings,
stands seven feet tall and is made from bronze. The statue shows a young man in
working gear with a wrench in his right hand that he has resting on his right
shoulder. His left hand is in his pocket. A familiar stance of manual workers
everywhere!
The inscription, in the centre of the base,
reads:
The Plumber's Apprentice
This statue was erected on the site of its last Livery Hall
by The Worshipful Company of Plumbers to celebrate the
400th Anniversary of the Granting of its Charter
by King James I in 1611 and to recognise
the support given by the Company
to the training of apprentices
The inscription, around the perimeter of the
base, reads:
Benefactors The Worshipful
Company of Plumbers
The Barber Family
The Guest Family
BPEC
British Gas - Apprentice Training
SNIPEE
and many others
The HIP Student website (visit
link) tells us more:
"HRH The Duke of Gloucester has unveiled
Martin Jennings’ sculpture of the Plumber’s Apprentice at Cannon Street Station
to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers
receiving its Royal Charter from King James I in 1611.
The seven-foot tall bronze statue signifies
the industry’s long association with London and the Plumbers Apprentice
unveiling company’s ongoing commitment to training young plumbers. The work also
represents the important role played by all the professional trades in the
development of the city. The Duke of Gloucester unveiled the statue in the
presence of the Lord Mayor Michael Bear and the Lady Mayoress, herself a
sculptress and liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers.
Cannon Street Station was the site of the
Worshipful Company’s livery hall until 1863 when it was compulsorily purchased
to make way for the expansion of the station. The Company’s previous hall was
destroyed in the Great Fire of London and was rebuilt at Cannon Street in 1690.
Network Rail kindly gave permission for the installation of the statue as part
of the redevelopment of Cannon Street Station. A commemorative plaque recently
unveiled close by to the statue also acknowledges the site of the former
Plumber’s Hall.
The unveiling has coincided with London
hosting the 2011 WorldSkills competition, where plumbing is represented
alongside other trades as a showcase for the importance of apprenticeships. “The
current controversy over university fees and the desperate shortage of suitably
skilled and competent trades people point towards vocational qualifications
playing an increasingly important role, said Chris Sneath (pictured above),
Master of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers.
'While we have a long history, having been
formed in 1365, current liverymen are focused on securing the future of our
profession. Therefore the statue is as much as about promoting plumbing as a
worthy career for young people as it is about marking our ancient connections
with the City of London,' said Sneath.
For more information about The Worshipful
Company of Plumbers visit: www.plumberscompany.org.uk"