Statue of Sir John Franklin
| Sir John Franklin | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Matthew Noble |
| Completion date | 1866 |
| Subject | John Franklin |
| Location | London |
| 51°30′23″N 0°07′56″W / 51.5065°N 0.1323°W | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | Statue of Sir John Franklin |
| Designated | 5 February 1970 |
| Reference no. | 1066145 |
The statue of Sir John Franklin is a Grade II listed statue by the Athenaeum Club on Waterloo Place.[1]
John Franklin was a British Naval Officer and Arctic expleror. He fought in the battles of Copenhagen and Trafalgar.[2] The monument names all the members of the failed Franklin's lost expedition, none of which would return.[3] The expedition would be termed as Franklin's company as those who "forged the last link with their lives" of the Northwest Passage.[4] Franklin and his expedition would be popular in folklore, being the inspiration for a number of poems. The statue would often serve as a site where a crowd would gather for a public telling of the story of Franklin's expedition.[5]
The statue was designed by Matthew Noble and completed in 1866. Franklin is depicted in naval uniform. As much of the detail surrounding Franklin's expedition is unknown, it is a belief held by some that Franklin did indeed discover the Northwest Passage, a statement which is inscribed on the plinth.[2]
References
- ^ "Statue of Sir John Franklin, Non Civil Parish – 1066145 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
- ^ a b Matthews, Peter (2012). London's statues and monuments. Shire Library. Oxford: Shire Publications. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-7478-0798-8.
- ^ Baker, Margaret (2002). Discovering London statues and monuments. Discovering series (5. ed., revised and updated ed.). Princes Risborough: Shire Publications. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7478-0495-6.
- ^ Darke, Jo (1991). The monument guide to England and Wales: a national portrait in bronze and stone. London: Macdonald Illustrated. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-356-17609-3.
- ^ Blackwood, John; Irwin, Caroline, eds. (1989). London's immortals: the complete outdoor commemorative statues (1. publ ed.). London: Savoy Press. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-9514296-0-0.
External links
- Media related to Statue of John Franklin, London at Wikimedia Commons