The UK Attraction website [visit
link] tells us about this life-size statue carved in Portland
stone:
"This statue of Thomas More was
erected in 1888, and designed along with the building by George Sherrin. Despite
More’s greatness, this was one of the first public recognitions of his work. The
building was once the home of the Women’s Press Club, and has many interesting
features. The full-length figure of More shows him dressed his in usual cap and
collar."
The plaque, beneath the statue, that has
a relief inscription on Portland stone says:
Sir Thomas More
Kt
Some time
Lord High Chancellor
of England
Martyred July 6th
1535
The faithful servant
both of God and the
King
The Thomas More website [visit
link] tells us about the man and why he was put to death:
"Thomas More was born on 7 February
1478. His father, Sir John More, was a judge of the King’s Bench Division. More
went to school at St Anthony’s School. When working as a page for the Archbishop
of Canterbury (and aged only 13) the Archbishop declared that he would be a
“marvellous man”.
More went to the University of
Oxford and then on returning to London he studied law. He was admitted to
Lincoln’s Inn in 1496 and practised as a successful barrister and impressed the
King with his advocacy in a Star Chamber case. He was, however, torn between his
career as a barrister and a desire to become a monk. More decided in favour of
his legal career and had four children from his first wife. Upon her death, he
remarried and raised his second wife’s daughter, from a previous marriage, as
his own and provided his daughters with a classical education, which was at that
time the preserve of men.
More became a Member of Parliament
in 1504 and successfully resisted Henry VII’s demand for more money on his
marriage to Princess Margaret Tudor. He earned his reputation as an honest and
effective public servant from 1510-1518 whilst serving as one of two
undersheriffs for the City of London. In 1514 he became Master of Requests
(which included the responsibility of receiving petitions from subjects and
submitting them to the Privy Council). In 1517 he became a counsellor and
“personal servant” to the King. More was made a Privy Councillor in 1518 and
knighted in 1521. More was elected the speaker of the House of Commons in 1523.
He became Lord Chancellor in 1529.
One of More’s best known works is
the book “Utopia” (1516) about an ideal and imaginary island. He also assisted
Henry VIII to write “Defence of the Seven Sacraments” which was a polemic in
response to Martin Luther’s “On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church”. More’s
strong support for the Catholic Church ultimately led to his swift downfall and
subsequent execution.
In 1530 Thomas More refused to sign
a letter asking the Pope to annul Henry VIII’s marriage to Katherine of Aragon.
In 1531 he attempted to resign as the Chancellor after being forced to take an
oath recognising Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the English Church. In 1533
refused to attend the coronation of Anne Boleyn. In 1535 More was charged with
High Treason for refusing to swear his allegiance to the parliamentary Act of
Succession because of an anti-papal preface to the Act. More was executed on 6
July 1535.
Sir Thomas More was canonised in
1935 by Pope Pius XI and was declared the patron saint of politicians and
statesmen b by Pope John Paul II in 2000. More was commemorated with a sculpture
in the late 19th Century at More House on Carey Street, opposite the Royal
Courts of Justice. This was the building which Thomas More Chambers occupied
until 2005."