Statue of Joseph Brotherton

A statue of 1858 by Matthew Noble, cast by Robinson and Cottam of Pimlico and funded by public subscription, with a plinth of 2018.

MATERIALS: bronze statue, grey granite plinth.

DESCRIPTION: the statue stands 2.9m high and the plinth a further 3.5m.

The subject faces south-east and is depicted realistically, holding a speech rolled up in his right hand. His left hand rests upon an octagonal column draped in cloth, which also covers a small cotton bale behind his feet. The lapel of the frock coat he wears is adorned with a fresh buttonhole. The base of the sculpture is inscribed ‘M. NOBLE. SCULPT/ LONDON. 1858’.

The square plinth has a plain step, a base with moulded step, a plain, slightly tapering shaft and a moulded cornice. The front face is inscribed ‘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 is inscribed ‘ERECTED BY/ PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/ MDCCCLVIII’.

The left-hand face is inscribed ‘MY RICHES CONSIST/ NOT IN THE EXTENT OF MY POSSESSIONS/ BUT IN THE FEWNESS OF MY WANTS’.