Despite the impression one gets from looking at his statue, Sir Wilfrid sounds like a real barn-burner of a guy.
His bronze statue, which appears to be about 1.5 times life size to us, stands on a pedestal of stacked shapes of Portland stone which creates an interesting terrace effect. The statue stands in the Victoria Embankment gardens. Inscriptions appear on all four sides, as follows:
"[front of the stone plinth]
Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bt.
[left side]
Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Bt. of Brayton, Cumberland.
Born September 4 1829.
Died July 1 1906.
Member of Parliament for Carlisle, Cockermouth, Camborne, 1859-1906.
President of the United Kingdom Alliance, 1879 - 1906.
[back]
Erected by his friends and followers in loving and grateful remembrance of his splendid leadership and of his pure and unworldly life. July 20, 1909.
[right side]
A true patriot: a wise and witty orator: a valiant and far-seeing reformer.
He spent a long life as the joyous champion of righteousness, peace, freedom, temperance.
[around each corner of the plinth are 4 words, reading clockwise from front left]
Peace, Charity, Fortitude, Temperance"
Sir Wilfrid is wearing clothes that look like they date to the 1880s to us: a longcoat, collared shirt and vest with dress shoes and a tie. He has his left hand in his coat pocket and is holding notes in his right hand. He looks to us like he is making a speech, perhaps in the House of Commons, to prospective voters, or at a temperance meeting.
Here is a link to the Wikipedia article on the long and interesting life of Sir Wilfrid Lawson, 2nd baronet of Brayson: (
visit link)