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Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:06 am Post subject: Adam Black, Princess Street

Adam Black Monument
Location: East Princes Street Gardens
OS Ref: tbc
Sculptor: Mr John Hutchison, R.S.A
Foundry: Messrs Cox & Son, Thames Ditton, Surrey
Unveiled: 3rd November 1877

In the shadow of the Scott Monument this statue will need to be revisited on a sunny day.

The sculptor's name seems to have been covered up for some reason

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Scottish War Memorials Project
Scottish War Graves Project

ADP · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:13 am Post subject:

The Scotsman - Tuesday, 9th January 1877, page 4

THE BLACK MEMORIAL.

The model by Mr John Hutchison, R.S.A., for the statue of the late Mr Adam Black was yesterday safely delivered to Messrs Cox & Son, Thames Ditton, who have undertaken to have it cast in bronze , and delivered in Edinburgh, in a finished state, by the 30th June nest. The pedestal, also designed by Mr Hutchison, has been entrusted to Mr Bobert Thomson, architectural sculptor, Dalry Road, by whom it is to be executed in the finest Binnie freestone. This structure, we believe, will be Gothic in feeling, so as to harmonise with the Scott Monument, near which it is proposed that the statue shall be placed. It thus appears that, notwithstanding the unfortunate accident which overtook the first model, Mr Hutchison will have his work completed within the time originally specified by the Memorial Committee.

The Scotsman - Friday, 9th March 1877, page 4

THE BLACK STATUE.

A sub-committee of the Lord Provost's Committee, consisting of the Lord Provost, Bailie Colston, Dean of Guild Smith, and Councillor Gowans, met yesterday in East Princes' Street Gardens for the purpose of selecting a site for the statue of the late Mr Adam Black. After consultation with the sculptor, Mr Hutchison, who was on the ground, it was arranged that the statue should be placed in the centre of the walk, mid-way between the Scott monument and the Wilson statue. The statue, as previously stated, is expected to be placed, on its pedestal early in the ensuing summer.

The Scotsman - Tuesday, 30th October 1877, page 4

THE BLACK MEMORIAL.

The bronze statue of the late Mr Adam Black, recently completed by Mr John Hutchison, R.S.A., was yesterday safely placed on the pedestal prepared for it in East Princes' Street Gardens, midway between the Scott Monument and the Wilson statue. The pedestal has been designed by the sculptor in a style harmonising with the architecture of the neighbouring monument, and is constructed of the best Binnie freestone. It has been arranged that Lord Moncreiff, at one time Mr Black's colleague in the representation of the city, shall unveil the statue on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock, when the work will be handed over to the custody of the Lord Provost for behoof of the citizens.

The Scotsman - Monday, 5th November 1877, page 6

UNVEILING OF THE BLACK STATUE

The statue of the late Mr Adam Black executed by Mr John Hutcinson, R.S.A., and recently placed on its pedestal in East Princes’ Street Gardens was on Saturday afternoon publicly, unveiled in presence of a large assemblage of the citizens. Among those within the enclosure, where sloping platform had been placed on each side of the monument, we observed Lord and Lady Moncreiff, Lord Provost Falshaw and Lady Falshaw Mr D. M’Laren, M.P.; Mr Jas. Cowan M.P.; Bailies Colston, Cranston, Tawse, Dean of Guild Smith, Councillors Harrison, Clapperton, Younger, Drybrough, Macknight, Macdougald, Somerville, Henry, Mr Skinner Town-Clerk; Mr Adam, City Chamberlain; Rev. Dr. Macgregor, Sheriff Thoms, the Hon. H. J. Moncrieff,. advocate; Professor Spence, Mr W. Duncan, Clerk City Road Trust; Mr W. Brodie, R.S.A.; Mr G. P. Chalmers, Mr J. Hutchison, R.S.A, Mr A. Perigal, R.S.A., G. Hay, R.S.A., Mr Walter Paton. R.S.A., Mr C. Lees, R.S.A., Mr Barclay, R.S.A., Mr W. McTaggart, R.S.A., Mr W. B. Brown, A.R.S.A., Mr Lockhart A.R.S.A., Mr Vallance A.R.S.A., Mr Wintour R.S.A., Dr W Smith, Dr Batty Tuke, ex-Bailie Miller, Messrs C. Black, J T, Black, Maurice Lothian, H. Rose, Jas. Tod, Edmonstone, White-Millar, S.S.C., Crabble, J. M Gow. Mr Harrison, as secretary of the Statue Committee, having intimated that letters of apology for absence had been received from Sir J. Noel Paton, R.S.A., Mr C. Morton, and ex-Provost Lindsay, Leith.

ADP

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:51 am Post subject:

ADP

Many thanks for such a detailed reply. I was suprised to see that the foundry that cast the statue was in Surrey. In fact it's on the outskirts of London.

From Chambers Online Biographical Dictionary

http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/

Black, Adam 1784-1874
Scottish publisher

He was born in Edinburgh, the son of a master builder. Educated at the High School of Edinburgh, he was apprenticed at 15 to an Edinburgh bookseller. He set up his own bookshop in 1807, and started publishing in 1817. In 1826 he bought the Encyclopaedia Britannica after Archibald Constable's failure and in 1854 he bought the rights to Walter Scott's novels from Robert Cadell (1788-1849). He was Lord Provost between 1843 and 1848, and Liberal MP for the burgh (1856-65).
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Scottish War Memorials Project
Scottish War Graves Project