Because the original ornate gates opening into the front of this magnificent statue are now gone, it is easily missed, and direct access is only from within the park itself because of an iron fence on the street side.
King Edward is depicted standing dressed in his coronation garments with the orb in his left hand and scepter in his right. Originally planned on a much grander scale, the stature stands about 3 meters tall mounted on a grey granite pedestal of about 4 meters.
There was some controversy in the design,size and location of the statue, but it was eventually located here in the newly completed Whitworth Park in 1913, facing the National Infirmary which Edward had inaugurated in his last visit to the city in 1908. A skilled, but somewhat unknown local sculptor, John Cassidy, was chosen for the project.
A fascinating account of the planning and creation of this sculpture can be found on the larger web site devoted to John Cassidy : Manchester Sculptor.
Here is a short excerpt from the extensive history, including time line photos.
"The [Whitworth] Institute secured the land for the Park (then known as Potter's Field) in 1889, and the Park was opened in 1890. The included a private residence called 'Grove House,' on the site of the current gallery,which became the first art gallery; extensions were later added at the rear, and the house itself was demolished in 1908 to make way for the present facade, designed by local architects J W and J Beaumont and built in Ruabon brick. The park was handed over to Manchester Corporation in October 1904 on a 1000-year lease for a nominal rent of £10 a year, and is still today operated by the city's Leisure Services. The Institute building is now the Whitworth Art Gallery, part of the University of Manchester since 1958, and open to the public, is well worth a visit.
The park originally had a lake, a bandstand and other attractions, but over the years this have been removed, to leave just a simple, but attractive, open space with mature trees and flowerbeds.
Albert Edward of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1841 - 1910), Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, was the eldest son of Queen Victoria, and thanks to her long life did not become king until 1901, at the age of 59. The son of Queen Victoria, died on 6 May 1910 after a short reign of just over ten years which saw many changes which saw many changes in Britain, and has come to be called the Edwardian period. Perhaps after the long reign of Queen Victoria, people wanted something new in their lives."
During the first 100 years, this statue head deteriorated and the scepter and the cross atop the orb were missing. An extensive restoration project restored it to its original luster.