Statue of Joseph Brotherton

The Statue of Joseph Brotherton, created in 1858 by Matthew Noble and cast by Robinson and Cottam of Pimlico, was funded through public subscription. It features a bronze statue mounted on a grey granite plinth, which was added in 2018.

The statue stands 2.9 meters tall, with the plinth adding another 3.5 meters to its height. The figure faces southeast and is depicted in a realistic manner, holding a rolled-up speech in his right hand while his left hand rests on an octagonal column draped in cloth, which also covers a small cotton bale at his feet. The lapel of his frock coat has a fresh buttonhole. The base of the statue is inscribed with ‘M. NOBLE. SCULPT/ LONDON. 1858’.

The square plinth features a plain step, a base with a moulded step, a plain, slightly tapering shaft, and a moulded cornice. The front face of the plinth is inscribed with the following text: ‘JOSEPH BROTHERTON/ THE FIRST/ AND FOR UPWARDS OF TWENTY FOUR SUCCESSIVE YEARS/ (FROM 1832 TO 1857)/ THE FAITHFUL/ REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BOROUGH OF SALFORD/ IN THE/ HOUSE OF COMMONS/ BORN MAY XXII MDCCLXXXIII/ DIED JANUARY VII MDCCCLVII’.

The right-hand face of the plinth states ‘ERECTED BY/ PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/ MDCCCLVIII’, while the left-hand face bears the inscription ‘MY RICHES CONSIST/ NOT IN THE EXTENT OF MY POSSESSIONS/ BUT IN THE FEWNESS OF MY WANTS’.