King William III - Hull, UK - Equestrian Statues on Waymarking.com

"King Billy, as the statue is affectionately know, sits in the centre of the road of Low Gate in Hull. The place was actually where the bear baiting ring was in previous times. The statue is of King William III, William of Orange. Hull was the first large city in Britain to swear their allegiance to the new King when he deposed James II in 1685. This came about as Parliament thought that James was to change the state religion to Catholic and they wanted to remain Protestant. Williams mother, Mary, was daughter of Charles I and then William had married Mary, his first cousin and eldest surviving daughter of James II, when he was the Duke of York. She was therefore the next in line to the throne after James II. William refused however to be consort to Queen Mary or only as King during her lifetime and threatened to leave the country. Parliament thought it better to have a Protestant King and so it was the connivance of the Houses of Lords and Commons that declared them joint Rulers but William would exercise the regal power for both of them. They were crowned in April 1689. He died in 1702.

The statue was paid for by public subscription and cost £785. Today this would be around £150,000. It was designed by a Dutchman Peter Scheemaker in 1734 and sits on a stone pedestal. The Statue is of William in Roman Emperor costume astride a horse. The statue was gilded in 1768." link An inscription on the front of the plinth says the following

THIS STATUE

was erected in the year
MDXCCXIV
to the memory of
King William The Third.
OUR GREAT DELIVERER'

There is a plaque about the second world war in the ground alongside the plinth.

KING WILLIAM III
(by Peter Scheemaker)

Erected by subscription in 1734.

Removed for safety to Houghton Hall, East Yorkshire.
during the Second World War.
Replaced by the corporation in 1949
with the generous help of
Wm. Broady, coppersmith, of this city.

Alderman J. Henson J.P.              Lord Mayor

W. Morris. O.B.E. M.I.C.E              City Engineer

E. H. Bullock         Town Clerk

Identity of Rider: King William III Material: Bronze Unusual Features: Depicts the king as a Roman Emperor, and is gilded Position: One Hoof Raised Identity of Horse: Not listed Name of artist: Not listed Date of Dedication: Not listed

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