Queen Victoria Memorial Project Allahabad, 1902 Print

This is a 1902 newspaper cutting of a memorial project for Queen Victoria in Allahabad. The headline of the memorial notification “Notice To Architects”. Some references from the print “competitive designs invited for the erection of a Memorial to Her Majesty Late Queen Victoria at Allahabad.”

“The memorial is to take the form of a statue of Queen Victoria combined with a clock tower. The committee leaves to the architect the choice of style of architecture. The tower should be designed to hold a clock (with chimes) and should be of sufficient height to be visible at a distance. The base of the tower should form a canopy over the statue…” “The amount available for expenditure on the erection of the tower alone is one lakh (100,000) rupees. The statue will be a bronze seated figure 9 feet high exclusive of pedestal…”

See the picture to read the full text. But the plan to build Queen Victoria Memorial with a clock tower apparently changed. Instead for some reason the canopied memorial was erected over the statue of the empress. The memorial was built in Alfred Park. After the death of the empress of India, her statues were prolifically placed in almost all corners of India. Click on the photo for better view.

Did you know – Alfred Park was built in 1870 to mark Prince Alfred Park’s (Duke of Edinburgh and the second son of Queen Victoria) visit to Allahabad in 1869.

From the collection – Rural Life In India Watercolour Painting By N. Mukherjee., British Flag At Lucknow Residency 1857 To 1947 – O ld Photo., Hornby Vellard Bombay, Old Postcard 1955.