The sculpture called 'Legacy' outside the Piermaster's House in the Albert Dock, overlooking the River Mersey.
The sculpture was created in 2001, by Mark DeGraffenried at a studio 4,000 miles away in Utah, and donated by the Mormon Church.
"This statue of a young family commemorates migration from Liverpool to the new world.
It was given to the people of Liverpool by the Mormon Church as a tribute to the many families from all over Europe who embarked on a brave and pioneering voyage from Liverpool to start a new life in America.
It is estimated that in total approximately nine million people emigrated through the port.
The sculpture by Mark DeGraffenried is cast in bronze. The child stepping forward at the front symbolises migration to the unknown world whilst the child playing with a crab at the back indicates a deep association with the sea.
Accession number MMM.2001.212.1" SOURCE: (
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A plaque on the plinth below the sculpture is inscribed as follows;
"'THE CROSSING'
BY MARK DEGRAFFENRIED
IN COMMEMORATION OF AN ESTIMATED 85,000
LATTER-DAY SAINTS WHO SAILED FROM EUROPE TO
AMERICA FROM 1851-1900.
WE THANK THIS CITY FOR CRADLING OUR ANCESTORS.
DONATED BY THE 2001 SEA TREK FOUNDATION
AND JAMES MOSES EX FAMILY"
"From DeGraffenried's website: "The Crossing" commission awarded by Seatrek Foundation. Four life-size emigrant families (each family consisted of a mother, father and two children) cast in bronze to commemorate our pioneer heritage from Europe. Permanent locations at Mersey Side Dock Maritime Museum, Liverpool England, Broad Street, Portsmouth England, and Albert Dock, Hull England. One life-size bronze on loan at Utah Cultural Celebration Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. DeGraffenried sculpted each piece as well as assisted with the bronze casting and installation of the finished sculptures.
The Pioneer Heritage Foundation were originally known as the Sea Trek Foundation, which was formed by a Salt Lake venture capitalist William Sadleir to charter three tall ships to take part in a re-creation of the Atlantic Ocean crossings by 19th century converts who emigrated to America. Unfortunately the venture ran up huge debts which it was unable to pay and was eventually saved by an affiliate of the Church of the Latter-Day Saints who then sued the Sea Trek Foundation for the money.
Fund raising to pay off the debt continues and "will come in $500 increments", Sadleir said, from people who want to have their family name and the name of an ancestor included on a bronze plaque to be displayed at one of several statuary monuments financed by Sea Trek. Some of those statues have been placed in port cities that Sea Trek stopped in, while others are completed but have yet to be placed in their destined locations." SOURCE: (
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