Statue of Queen Victoria

1897; unveiled in 1899

Sculptor: Francis John Williamson (1833-1920)

Commissioned for the Diamond Jubilee

Bronze, on granite pedestal

Auckland, New Zealand

This statue, which was unveiled in 1899, was the first of four monuments to Queen Victoria to be erected in New Zealand. In February 1901, as the queen’s funeral was held in Britain, a day of mourning was observed across the empire, with statues of the queen frequently serving as the focal point of local public feeling. This photograph of the statue in Auckland, from February 3, 1901, shows the mourning wreaths covering the base of the queen’s statue.

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Statue of Queen Victoria with mourning wreaths, February 3, 1901, in Albert Park, Auckland Statue of Queen Victoria with mourning wreaths, February 3, 1901, in Albert Park, Auckland. [Photograph by Henry Winkelmann. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1-W175, http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/heritageimages/index.htm]