Queen Victoria Jubilee Statue

Statue of Queen Victoria created by George Blackall Simonds (1843-1929) and erected in 1887.

MATERIALS: statue of Carrara marble with corner bollards of red granite.

PLAN: the statue stands atop a square plinth.

DESCRIPTION: the Queen Victoria Jubilee Statue is located on the north-west of Town Hall Square and faces north towards Blagrave Street and Reading Station. It presents Queen Victoria in regal attire, holding the Sovereign’s Orb in her left hand and the Sovereign’s Sceptre in her right hand. She stands on top of a high plinth with moulded cornice and base. The base of the plinth sits on a wide step, cornered on each of its four sides by a red granite bollard.

The upper section of the plinth is adorned with a ribbon swag on its north face. The plinth has inscribed cartouches on both its north and south sides. The north side reads ‘VICTORIA / D: G: / BRITANNIAR: REG: /INDIÆ IMP: / FID: DEF: / MDCCC / LXXX / VII, while the south face reads ERECTED / TO COMMEMORATE / THE COMPLETION OF / THE FIFTIETH YEAR OF / HER MAJESTY’S REIGN / JUNE 20th 1889 / ARTHUR HILL MAYOR.’