It is important to acknowledge that out of the 11 major statues in of people in Exeter, few depict women except The Year of the Pedestrian which has a female-looking figure on and the Northernhay war memorial statue which has a female nurse on it representing the sacrifices of women in the war and a figure of peace on top, assumed to be a woman. There is only one statue of a female historical figure: Queen Victoria. There are no other statues showing solely women; only ever women in relation to men. This perpetuates the idea that in order for women to be commemorated, they must either be a queen or an unidentifiable representative figure next to a man.

Furthermore, the number of statues of inanimate objects or art sculptures vastly outweighs the number of female statues. This interestingly links to a study which found that out of the statues in London, there were more of animals than there were of named women.

London has more statues of animals than of named women, audit finds | London | The Guardian

On top of this, there are no statues in Exeter of any person of colour, which is just as shocking.

 

Here is a list of the major statues of people in Exeter:

 

  • The Blue Boy Statues:

These currently stand in Princesshay, The Maynard School, Exeter School, Butterfield Building and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. 

The first blue boy statue was originally built in 1733 and modelled on George Wall, an ex-student of the St John’s Hospital School that used to be based on the High Street. This was a stone statue, created to illustrate that this was a 'blue coat school,' a type of charity school. At least 3 others were commissioned in cast iron and have moved across several locations in Exeter, whilst the original stone statue stands in Exeter School.

  • Statue of Richard Hooker

Richard Hooker was a priest born in the village of Heavitree in Exeter who exceptionally promoted religious tolerance. He is regarded as one of the most important theologians of the sixteenth century and most famously wrote 'Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie' which has been described as "probably the first great work of philosophy and theology to be written in English". 

His statue was erected in 1907, paid for by a distant relative and sculpted by Alfred Drury RA from white Pentilicon marble from Greece.

  • Exeter's Northernhay War Memorial

This first world war memorial stands in Northernhay gardens and was erected by public subscription in 1923 costing over £6,000. It was designed by John Angel and depicts a nurse, a soldier, a sailor, a prisoner of war and a figure of peace or victory.

  • Year of the Pedestrian Statue

This statue was sculptured by Carole Vincent from Boscastle, Cornwall in 1989. It was commissioned by Devon County Council to commemorate the 'year of the pedestrian' and three copies stand in Barnstable, Torbay and Plymouth.

  • Statue of John Dinham

John Dinham was a local philanthropist from a working class background who upon becoming wealthy supported many charities and organisations. 

He founded Sunday Schools, helped initiate the YMCA and supported institutions for people with disabilities. He built forty two Free Cottages above Weir Cliff, in 1860, as retirement homes for the poor, in the area now known as Mount Dinham. Dinham also opened the Rack Street Infant School, during 1858, in the West Quarter. When he died in 1864, he left £21,000 to fifty different charitable causes.

The  statue was sculpted by E.B. Stephens and the funds were raised by citizens of Exeter.

  • The Deer Stalker

Another statue sculpted by E.B. Stephens, in 1875. The work was presented to the city on the 30 August 1878 in the presence of the Mayor and the Sheriff.. A luncheon followed at the New London Inn.

  • Statue of Thomas Acland

Thomas Acland was part of the notable Aclands family in Devon who lived at Killerton house just outside of Exeter. He was a Tory MP for Devon for over 45 years. His statue was sculpted by E.B. Stephens and erected in 1861. Over the years the statue has been weather damaged and repaired many times, including losing and regaining a finger and a head.

  • Statue of William Courtenay

Courtney was the eleventh Earl of Devon who served as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and as president of the Poor Law Board. He was a member of the Tory Party and a member of the House of Lords. HIs statue was sculpted by E.B. Stephens and erected in 1880.

  • Statue of Queen Victoria 

This statue stands on top of M&S, overlooking Queen Street. The original statue was put in place in 1848 and replaced by a fiberglass copy in 1978.

  • Northcote Statue

Stafford Henry Northcote was Earl of Iddesleigh and a conservative politician. His statue was made by Joseph Boehm and was placed in Northernhay in 1887.

  • Statue of Redvers Buller

See next page for information on the Buller Statue

The Blue Boy Statue in Princesshay

 

Northernhay War Memorial

 

Statue of William Courtenay